Being a geek in the most complete sense of the word, I love chemistry. Luckily, I’ve found a way to apply that love that doesn’t result in explosions or monsters: cooking! Specifically, baking is just as much a science as it is an art. So if you’re as geeky as I am, here’s a quick and ultra-simple tip for you kitchen chemists out there: Keep brown sugar from hardening by simply adding a few large marshmallows to the jar. Yep, it really works!

You see, brown sugar is coated in molasses, which makes it nice and soft when it’s fresh. The problem is, over time, the moisture in the molasses evaporates, causing the brown sugar to harden and stick together. The plus side is brown sugar is also very hygroscopic (Science word of the day!), so if you put something with a high moisture content in the jar with the sugar, it keeps all the granules hydrated and pliable!

Obviously, at some point, the marshmallows will lose all of their moisture, so make sure you switch out the hard marshmallows for fresh ones to keep your brown sugar fresh even longer.

Ash mentioned it yesterday, but in case you missed it… We’re up for a 2012 JDR Blogger Award in the Remodeling category! Voting takes just 2 clicks of the mouse (or tap of the finger if on a mobile device, haha), there’s no registration required and we’d really appreciate your vote! The winner gets $500 and a nice shinny award for display. To cast your vote, click here! Oh and did I mention you look absolutely stunning today? ; )