edit: sorry, I really should read the whole thread.
I've also heard you can find brown sugar easily (and cheaper) in the asian grocery stores, e.g. the one near Wettsteinplatz.
I'm betting Bider and Tanner. Peace Foods is also selling goods out of there.
It would have been easier if I'd headed it "brown sugar in Basel"
I am not really into baking with brown sugar and also not really sure what you all are looking for. But if I want some for the taste, I usually buy Jacutinga from Coop - is this anywhere close to the sugar you all are used to?
No, far from it.
Tom
And maybe one could explain that you have to see and taste it to see the differences between real brown sugar and the version of "brown sugar" that is sold here.First indication: real brown sugar is somewhat "sticky" like moist sand, whereas the "Vollrohrzucker" (bio or not bio, doesn't matter) is "drier" like dry sand.
And then I'd say we post a link to the old thread about brown sugar
Have fun reading it.
To save time, here is what "sticky" brown sugar looks like.
This is what we mean by Brown Sugar.
It should properly be called STICKY brown sugar because the molasses is still in it. The brown sugar you find in CH has the molasses removed but otherwise it is not refined/bleached.
You notice that the sugar actually clumps. It does not "run" like the brown sugar at the beginning of the thread. You have to "scoop" it.
So now it is clear what we mean by Brown Sugar that is used in many North American baking recipes.
Look what I found: brown sugar (or something similar) in Zug! And it already comes in pieces!!
(I had to think of you poor english-forum people that are not able to bake any cake or cookies in Switzerland because brown sugar is always missing )
I did not buy it, as it looked, ähm, not so delicious and I didn't know what to do with it...
My small village supermarket sells the best dark moist soft (Belgian) brown sugar. Brand is Candico www.candico.be
Called Cassonade de Candi brune. Ask your local shop if they can order it for you.
Maybe this is obvious to everyone, but if you cannot find molasses to mix your own, 1 part maple syrup + 4 parts white sugar mixed creates a very similar consistency. The flavor is nice and rich, but you will not have the sulphur/molasses tones.
I've ordered brown sugar from the Britshop made by Tate & Lyle. It's the same as Domino brown sugar, which I've bought in the States. Also, whenever I've gone cross-border shopping in France, I've found both dark and light brown sugar in the supermarkets there called brune or blonde vergeoise
As for Molasses (melasse) I have always found it at the local Müller drogerie in a glass jar or my local Reformhaus
regarding baking soda:
Barkat, at Schmiede Wiedikon, the big pakistani/ethnic grocery store, has large packets of baking soda for cheap. Also all sorts of jaggery sugars. Cheap.
Also, great lamb. And the most fun in any ethnic shop in ZH. Aside from the Asia store on Feldstr...
Indeed, that's the only correct one I've found!
Tom
There is a new shop / cafe opened in Zollikerberg, which sells all kinds of baking goods or if you are lazy the best ever Carrot cake ..
baking powder and brown sugar ...for those who cook from scratch --
http://www.peace-foods.ch/index.php/cat/c380
Whilst Jaggery is typically hard and lacking the 'moistness' of a soft brown sugar, I recently discovered Punjabi Shakhar (produced by Laziz, imported by CMS and sold in Food+Net in Seebach). This is a medium-fine grain powdered medium dark raw cane sugar, which is by far the closest to what I know as soft brown sugar. They also have a selection of other grades of Jaggery there BTW.
An update on my brown sugar findings. Pretty much every Portuguese food store I've been to has carries RAR brand elephant brown sugar and that's the closest thing I've found to the sticky brown sugar from back home. All of my baked good turn out well with it. It usually costs between 3-3,50sfr
Here is another option that I recently discovered, for those that are occasionally in Germany. Gepa Bio/Fairtrade Mascobado Vollrohrzucker. It is not as dry as the rohrohrzucker and has a really great flavor. Costs 5 Euros for 1 kg and is available at most Edekas or Bio shops.