607748 Sun Mar 29 10:00:27 -0700 2009 9 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 4548551 I just found a 2# bag of brown sugar in the back of my pantry. Any ideas how to make it usable again? Sun Mar 29 10:00:27 -0700 2009 12290 mgebs 1 4548593 Put it in a Ziploc/resealable bag with something moist in there, such as a slice (or 2 or 3) of an apple, or even a damp paper towel. The sugar should "soak up" the moisture, and soften. Sun Mar 29 10:20:05 -0700 2009 4548551 198245 a213b 2 4551468 I can vouch that this works! Mon Mar 30 12:04:11 -0700 2009 4548593 226727 Phoo_d 1 4548651 or, add a slice of fresh bread. Leave it in the bag for a few days and remove. The bread should be rock hard, brown sugar softened. Helen Sun Mar 29 10:52:23 -0700 2009 4548551 241988 lovetocookPEI 1 4548875 microwave it for a bit(say 30 sec. depending on the power of your microwave oven) will loosen it up for immediate use. The other suggestions will work fine for a more permanent fix. Sun Mar 29 12:46:37 -0700 2009 4548551 39457 nkeane 1 4549334 Must be that time of year when everyone discovers their brown sugar has become a brick. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/605915 Sun Mar 29 15:55:05 -0700 2009 4548551 13722 small h 1 4549386 A brick is a good way to describe the box of dark brown that hardened in my pantry recently. My solution was to take it out of the bag, place it on a cutting board, and cut thin slices like it was a ham and let it all pile up on the cutting board. It was painless, but obviously it doesn't restore the entire batch, just a cup at a time or whatever you need. Sun Mar 29 16:20:33 -0700 2009 4548551 106932 Agent Orange 2 4551763 Raw brown sugar is cast in cones (Mexican piloncillo), or blocks. In some countries it is called 'raspadura', which I think comes from 'raspar', to grate, and 'dura', hard. One way of using it is to grate it. Another way is to dissolve chunks in boiling water, making a brown sugar syrup. Mon Mar 30 13:13:42 -0700 2009 4549386 12139 paulj 1 4551720 The bread works, I store mine with bread and it never gets hard. Mon Mar 30 13:03:07 -0700 2009 4548551 154901 roro1831 1 4551792 I store mine in a glass jar and it never gets hard. Doesn't help once it is hard, but if you soften it that's a way to keep it soft. http://www.savour-fare.com Mon Mar 30 13:20:56 -0700 2009 4548551 10669 Amuse Bouches