I hate when that happens! Put a piece of bread in with the rock, I use store-bought variety, but it always works for me. The second best option would be a slice or two of fresh apple.

Thanks, I have both, but maybe it should be the bread, cause I will forget I put it in there!

Tami

I prefer the bread, it doesn't make the sugar wet like the apple might do. Amazingly, even when forgotten, I've not found the apple to get moldy!

you can also put it into the microwave for very short periods....like 5 seconds and check....another 5s econds...etc until it's soft. The amount of te ti witill take depends on how powerful your micro is...mine is 1600w atts....and it does things fast!!
Linda C

Be careful if you use the microwave method, you can burn the sugar. Ask me how I know! Also, the sugar goes hard again as is cools, in my experience. I have the best luck with the micro method when I need some sugar fast for a recipe and it is too hard to get into the measuring cup.

Oh definitely try the sliced bread. I used that trick/tip last month after my DSIL told me a slice of bread refreshes stale/hard cookies. Can you believe we had leftover snickerdoodle cookies from Christmas. That slice of bread softened them right up. I just placed the bread on top of the cookies and closed the tin back up. By morning the cookies were soft.

Try it. It may take awhile if you have an entire block of boulderized brown sugar and you may need to refresh with fresh bread. But I think it would work.

I use both methods, the microwave when I'm in a hurry and bread when I'm not.

mjny, those aren't snickerdoodles, they're biscotti! I just dunk them into coffee, they soften right up. (grin) Really, though, now that you mention it I remember Grandma putting a slice of bread in the cookie jar to soften up stale cookies. Not often because stale cookies were a rarity in our house, LOL, especially with three kids who all had friends that hung around Grandma's kitchen.

Annie

I have a recipe for blond brownies that calls for a pound of brown sugar melted with 2/3 cup of butter....would you like the rest of the recipe? LOL!
Linda C

Similar to the microwave, stick it in a 200-225-degrees F oven for a few minutes, but once again, keep an eye on it.

Isn't it interesting - at one time sugar was sold in a solid "cone" and it had to be grated on the small holes of a box grater. In fact, there is still sugar sold this way in Mexico and South America.

-Grainlady

I had the same problem, so I googled. Someone mentioned a wet paper towel--worked great!

"Isn't it interesting - at one time sugar was sold in a solid "cone" and it had to be grated on the small holes of a box grater. In fact, there is still sugar sold this way in Mexico and South America."

Brown sugar is available that way here, too.
I've often wondered if it is any better
Than the bagged/boxed kind.
But I've not wondered enough to try it. :>)

Rusty

I bought a cone of brown sugar to make authentic Mexican Hot Chocolate with. Yep, that stuff is definitely hard as a rock.

What I learned from that experience is to whittle it away from itself with a microplane. I would do the same for hard brown sugar, because I would probably need it as soon as I found it that way.

Thanks everyone. As soon as I get up the gumption again to drag out the canister, which is behind DH's coffee, and rarely used, I'll put some bread in it. Linda, of course we want the recipe! Never thought of using the microplane. But then, my mind is gone since I've been sick. Worst is over, but still exhausted and coughing. More Dr. appts tomorrow.

Tami

Tami, I hope you feel all better soon.

Annie

Tami,
Don't forget to re-soak the Bear disc too for about 15 minutes and then pat it dry before sticking it in with your brown sugar. It should have softened overnight if it was still moisturized. Some places are dryer than others, and they need to be re-soaked even once a month! Some places which have high humidity are good to go for up to 3 months. I need to soak mine just about monthly! Good luck, though!

Here is a link that might be useful: JBK Brown Sugar Savers

The best way I have found to soften brown sugar is to put it in a canister that has a tight fitting lid. Wet a paper towel, squeeze the water out leaving the towel damp and stretch the paper towel across the top of the canister then put the lid on over the paper towel. It usually takes a couple of days.

I've been successful with the damp paper towel method. But if it's too wet and touches the sugar, there may be a brown sugar river in the canister. So I drape the damp towel across the top if the canister, then screw on the lid. Humid atmosphere, no river. After the sugar has reached the acceptable moisture content I put a marshmallow in the canister. Leave it there and the sugar will maintain that soft texture indefinitely.

Have tried both the sugar saver and the microwave - neither working to my satisfaction. To my surprise I find that when I purchase the sugar in a plastic bag, and re-wrap it tightly after use, IT WORKS!

Hey Tammi, just wanted you to know I hope you feel better! I had the same thing, a lingering cough that left me exhausted, for a MONTH. Nothing Dr. could do, it was leftover from the flu. I'm just having to wait it out. My productivity has plummeted.
Hang in there!

Thanks everyone. Sorry I haven't posted back. I've checked email on my phone and read the responses, tho. I have a slice of bread in it now, been there about a week. JBK, I didn't know my bear needed soaked! Thanks. LPink, I feel for/with you! My cough is a little better, but I still have coughing spells that kill DH's ears. Get anything done? Yeah right. We had horrible weather yesterday, worst snow storm I've driven in in years! Of course I had an ultrasound scheduled at the hospital, and a chiropracter's appt 2 hours later half an hour the other direction. I could have easily cancelled the chiro, and did have to change it to later, but I didn't want to change the ultrasound, so out I went. Got both accomplished, came home and rested, put the last (hanging my head in shame) box of Christmas decorations in DD's room to go in the closet when I have the energy, and vacuumed and dusted! It should have been nap time then, but I managed to stay awake! I was going to make a cream cheese pound cake that was in the March issue of Southern Living after we came home from fish dinner, but ran out of energy. I am SUPPOSED to be making it right now! If I like it, I'll post the recipe in another thread. Hope you feel better soon.

Tami

You've done enough for the day - REST.
Ricola cough drops rock!