Treacle facts for kids

Treacle is a sweet, thick liquid that looks a bit like syrup. It is made when people process sugarcane plants. Treacle is often used in cooking to make foods taste sweeter and give them a rich, dark color. It is usually dark brown.

In the United States, treacle is often called molasses. However, in the United Kingdom, the word "molasses" usually means a type of treacle that is not made for people to eat.

How Treacle is Made

Treacle is a byproduct of making sugar from sugarcane. When sugarcane juice is boiled, sugar crystals form. The thick liquid left behind after the sugar is removed is treacle. The more times the juice is boiled and sugar is removed, the darker and thicker the treacle becomes.

Types of Treacle

There are different kinds of treacle, depending on how much sugar has been taken out:

• Light treacle: This is the lightest in color and has a mild, sweet taste. It's often used in baking.
• Dark treacle: This is darker and has a stronger, slightly bitter taste. It's good for rich desserts.
• Black treacle: This is the darkest and thickest type, with the strongest flavor. It's sometimes called "blackstrap molasses" in the US.

Treacle in Cooking

Treacle is a popular ingredient in many recipes around the world. It adds a unique sweetness and moistness to baked goods.

• It's used in traditional British desserts like treacle tart and gingerbread.
• In some countries, it's used to make sauces or glazes for meat.
• It can also be drizzled over pancakes or porridge for a sweet breakfast.

Treacle in History

Long ago, the word treacle was also used to describe certain medicines. Doctors might have called a medicine with many different ingredients a "treacle." Sometimes, it even referred to medicines believed to cure snakebites. Wells that were thought to have healing water were sometimes called "treacle wells."

Images for kids

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  Treacle in a bowl