treacle: see molasses.

Treacle is a thick, dark sugar syrup produced during raw sugarcane refining, used chiefly in cooking as a form of sweetener. It has a distinctively strong flavour, slightly bitter, and a richer colour than Golden syrup, yet not as dark as molasses.

History

Historically, the term was used by herbalists and apothecaries to describe a medicine - also called theriac or theriaca - composed of many ingredients, or one used as a treatment for poisons, snakebites or various ailments. In this time wells or springs believed to contain curative water were known as "treacle wells". The name is derived from the Old French triacle, in turn from Latin theriaca, meaning “antidote to poison”.

In Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter 7, the Dormouse tells a story of a family living in a treacle well, which confuses Alice.

Production

Treacle is made from syrups that remain after white sugar is removed from the refining process. The sugar cane is crushed, then the juice boiled to specific consistencies for crystallization (Sugar), Treacle being one of a group of named syrups extracted during this process.

See also

• Venice treacle
• Treacle of Andromachus, a honey or molasses-based antivenom.
• Treacle mining
• Golden syrup
• Molasses

References

External links

Old 'Recipes4us' page "Treacle Origin"

CSR Sugar company of Australia - Treacle

Sugar Australia website - refiner and marketer for CSR limited.