Not to be confused with molasse. For the Arctic Monkeys song, see Black Treacle. For the 1951 novelty song, molasses vs maple syrup Black Strap Molasses. Sweet sorghum syrup is colloquially called sorghum molasses in the southern United States.
Molasses has a stronger flavour and is more viscous than most alternative syrups. Cane molasses is an ingredient used in baking and cooking. It was popular in the Americas before the twentieth century, when it was plentiful and commonly used as a sweetener in foods and an ingredient in brewing beer in the colonies. To produce molasses, sugar cane is harvested and stripped of leaves. Its juice is then extracted, usually by cutting, crushing or mashing. The juice is boiled to produce a concentrate and encourage sugar crystallization. During this process, the majority of sucrose from the original juice is crystallized and removed.