How Does Using Different Types of Sugar, Change the Outcome of the Apple Pie?
Kelly Leach
December 8, 2019
Background Information
Before apple pie became an American treat that people love to eat, the primary ingredient for the pie, apples, was origin from Asia and then was spread throughout the different countries and continents across the world. However, apple pie was first made in England which recipe goes back to 1381, which included apples, figs, raisins, pears and a pastry shell.
Apple pie can be made in many different ways. The more common way starts with cutting the apples. In this first step, there is a chemical reaction happening. Once the apple is cut, their cells’ breaks. The broken cells on the now cut open surface- is exposed to oxygen in the air which then makes the apples turn brown. The next step is to add white sugar, butter then cinnamon or nutmeg.
The second chemical reaction begins at around 425oF, when the pie starts to bake, moisture from the apples change properties. Plus, the air pockets enlarge. Because of this reaction, this makes the apples shrink in volume and soften in texture.
Finally, as the heat rises within the pie, the apples also soften because of the sugar. As the juices come out of the apple, the sugar locks in the moisture so that the pie don’t dry out too quickly. As this occurs, the sugar also goes through the Maillard reaction (see figure 2) which is a chemical reaction in between an amino acid and a reducing sugar causing the sugar to form a non-enzymatic browning.
Why do apples turn brown?
Where was apple pie invented?
Hypothesis
The darker the sugar, the browner and sweeter the pie will be, the lighter the sugar the less sweetness there is.
Procedure
The independent variable for this experiment was the sugar. The rest of the ingredients, cooking time, methods and temperatures were kept the same. The types of sugar for each trial are shown below,
Trial One
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Trail Two
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Trial Three
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Granulated Sugar
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Light Brown Sugar
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Dark Brown Sugar
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1) Set the oven for 425oF
2) Cut up 6 granny smith apples
3) Mix whole stick of melted butter, tablespoon of cinnamon and a cup sugar (granulated, light brown or dark brown) with the apples
4) Roll out your crust
5) Put the mixture in the crust
6)Put in oven for 45 minutes
Data/Results
Type
of
Sugar
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Granulated Sugar
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Light Brown Sugar
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Dark Brown Sugar
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Cooking
Notes
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End
Result
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Pictures
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Granulated White Sugar
Light Brown Sugar
|  Dark Brown Sugar | ||||
The end results were tested by 6 people, with each volunteer giving feed back 1-5 on there feed back on the sweetness of each people. 1 being not so sweet 5 being very sweet.
Person 1
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Granulated Sugar: 2
Light Brown Sugar: 3.5
Dark Brown Sugar: 5
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Person 2
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Granulated Sugar: 1
Light Brown Sugar: 4.5
Dark Brown Sugar: 5
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Person 3
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Granulated Sugar: 3
Light Brown Sugar: 4
Dark Brown Sugar: 4.5
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Person 4
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Granulated Sugar: 1
Light Brown Sugar: 2.5
Dark Brown Sugar: 5
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Person 5
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Granulated Sugar: 2
Light Brown Sugar: 2.5
Dark Brown Sugar: 4
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Person 6
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Granulated Sugar: 1
Light Brown Sugar: 3
Dark Brown Sugar: 5
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Analysis and Conclusion
As shown on the data above, the preferred or sweeter pie was the one that contained dark brown sugar in it. To begin with, the three pies had very distinct taste differences. As the apples bake, and the juices begin to come out, the sugar and water molecules attract to each other making the apples soft and then turning the sugar brown. Because the dark brown sugar contains molasses which means a higher level of sweetness, acidity and moisture than the granulated white sugar and the light brown sugar.
Additionally, unlike the dark brown sugar, light brown sugar has a fewer amount of molasses. This means that light brown sugar has a milder taste to it than the intense flavor of dark brown sugar. This goes the same to granulated white sugar that has zero molasses in it. This means less moisture in the sugar than both of the other sugars.
Lastly, the texture. The first pie-white sugar- was flaky and light brown compared to the other pies when all three received the same time limit. Then, the light brown was darker and the dark brown sugar was very moisturize- as shown in the data/results above.
In conclusion, the type of sugar that is put within the pie does matter. The type of sugar changes both the taste and texture within the dessert. For a future project more topics to investigate who include temperature, time the apples sat out and timing of each pie.
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