MAPLE SIRUP PRODUCERS MANUAL 



99 



Rapid cooling is necessary to prevent crystal- 

 lization. To provide a large cooling surface, the 

 sirup is poured into large, flat-bottom pans. The 

 layer of sirup should be not more than 1 to 3 

 inches deep. The pans are set in a trough 

 through which cold water (35° to 45° F.) is flow- 

 ing (fig. 107). 



The sirup is cooled to at least 70° F., and 

 preferably to 50° or below. It is sufficiently cool 

 when the surface is firm to the touch. If crys- 

 tals appear during the cooling process, cooling 

 is too slow, the pan was agitated, or the invert 

 sugar content of the sirup is too low for the 

 cooling conditions. This situation can be cor- 

 rected either by more rapid cooling (using thin- 

 ner layers of sirup or more rapid flow of cold 

 water) or by increasing the invert sugar con- 

 tent of the sirup by use of a doctor. 



Creaming 



The chilled, thickened sirup should be 

 creamed either by hand or mechanically in a 

 room having a temperature of 70° F. or above. 

 Many producers have developed their own me- 

 chanical cream beaters (fig. 108); also, there are 

 a number of inexpensive ones on the market. 



Figure 108. — Homemade cream beaters in which the stir- 

 rers are held stationary and the pan is rotated at 

 approximately 50 r.p.m. 



The homemade maple cream beater (fig. 109) 

 consists of a pan approximately 13 inches in 

 diameter that holds about 1.5 gallons of cooked 

 sirup. In this beater, the scrapers are held 

 stationary and the pan revolves at 40 to 50 

 revolutions per minute. In other beaters, this 

 procedure is reversed. Both types worked 

 equally well. 



A hardwood paddle having a sharp edge 2 or 

 3 inches wide is used for hand beating (stirring). 

 The cooked sirup is poured onto a large flat pan 

 such as a cookie tin. The pan is held firmly, and 

 the thick sirup is scraped first to one side and 

 then to the other. Mixing should be continuous. 



PN-1XU3 



Figure 107. — Sirup that has been concentrated for cream- 

 ing is poured immediately into large, flat-bottom pans, 

 which are set in flowing cold water to cool to well below 

 room temperature. The sirup is sufficiently cool when 

 the surface is firm to the touch. 



PN^805 



Figure 109. — At the beginning of the creaming operation, 

 the butterlike mass has a shiny surface. When the 

 surface becomes dull, creaming is complete. 



