Kuromitsu / muscovado syrup

A common syrup made of chunks of kurozato muscovado cane sugar and used for a number of sweets in Japan. The aroma and taste of typical kuromitsu syrup made with kurozato and water only is a bit too powerful for me, and I make my kuromitsu milder by blending in some brown sugar.

1 tablespoon: 
48 calories; 0.1 g protein; 0 g fat; 12.2 g carbohydrate; 12.2 g net carbs; 4 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol;  0g fiber


<Ingredients>

(Yields approx. 120 cc or 8 tbsp kuromitsu syrup)

70 g kurozato muscovado cane sugar
30 g brown sugar
100 cc water

<Directions>
1.

In a small pot, put kurozato, brown sugar and water, and let sit for 20-30 minutes to soften kurozato.

2.

Bring mixture to boil on medium low heat while crushing kurozato chunks with back of spoon.

Once boiling, reduce heat to very low, and simmer until it thickens slightly to the consistency of maple syrup.

<Notes>

• The syrup becomes somewhat thicker when cool, so stop simmering before it reaches the consistency of honey.
• Kurozato [lit. black sugar] is muscovado cane sugar that has not gone through  centrifugal processing and mostly comes in solid chunks. Granulated form is also available, and soaking this form in water is unnecessary. I assume dark non-centrifugal muscovado would be the same as kurozato or at least a perfect substitute, but I have not tried it yet.
• Kuromitsu literally means black syrup.
• Keeps in a jar in the fridge for at least a month.
• The proportion of 7 parts kurozato and 3 parts brown sugar as above (or even lighter with 3 parts kurozato and 2 parts brown sugar [60 g kurozato and 40 g brown sugar in above recipe]) gives me enough of the rich depth and aroma of kurozato.
• Instead of brown sugar, mixing other types of syrup in the mixture of kurozato and water can also soften the taste and aroma.
  
• Very nice on pancakes too! (amazake buckwheat pancakes with bananas in photo at right) 
• Whole recipe above: 381 calories; 0.6 g protein; 0 g fat; 97.7 g carbohydrate; 97.7 g net carbs; 31 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 0 g fiber
• 1 teaspoon above: 16 calories; 0 g protein; 0 g fat; 4.1 g carbohydrate; 4.1 g net carbs; 1 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 0 g fiber