What Is Treacle? Here's What to Know About the British Sweetener

Treacle is a versatile British sweetener gaining popularity worldwide, recognizable from its mention in Harry Potter and The Great British Baking Show. Although it remains lesser known in the United States, treacle is widely available in the UK and many former British colonies. This syrup is primarily used in sweet treats and can also enhance savory dishes. Discover treacle's different varieties and practical uses.

What is Treacle?

Treacle is a by-product of the sugar refining process; it's what remains when sugar cane juice is boiled down to produce grains of sugar.

Varieties

Treacle comes in two distinct varieties: light treacle and black treacle. Light treacle, known more familiarly as golden syrup, is lighter and sweeter in flavor, whereas black treacle has a darker, bittersweet flavor.

The most familiar brand of treacle is made by Tate & Lyle's. The British company sells both golden syrup (what they're most famous for) and black treacle; the lighter version is sold in a green tin while the darker is sold in a red tin, both prominently displaying a lion. Though golden syrup was brought to market in the late 19th century, black treacle was introduced by Tate & Lyle's many years later, in 1950.

Why Is Treacle Desired in the United States?

Two things have made treacle sought after in the United States: The fact that treacle tart is the favorite dessert of Harry Potter (it's mentioned in several books in the series) and the popularity of The Great British Baking Show (like Harry, Mary Berry calls treacle tart a favorite—absolutely scrummy, in fact).

Black Treacle vs. Light Treacle (Golden Syrup)

As its name implies, black treacle is much darker in color than golden syrup. It's akin to American molasses, specifically the blackstrap variety, which is stronger, thicker, and more bitter than unsulfured molasses. Some even describe the taste as inky and slightly salty.

If you've ever made caramel, you will know that as sugar melts, it goes from light amber all the way to very dark before it burns. Think of the difference between golden syrup and black treacle along that same spectrum, and you can easily imagine the difference in flavor.

How to Use Treacle

Both types of treacle are used to sweeten multiple British desserts including tarts, steamed cakes and puddings (like sticky toffee pudding and Scottish clootie dumplings), biscuits (what Americans call cookies), gingerbreads, and toffees. Treacle is also used in some savory applications, like for curing bacon or glazing meats, much the way molasses is included in American barbecue sauces.

Including Treacle in Everyday Recipes

Many American recipes with treacle in the title, such as this treacle brown bread, call for molasses in place of the traditional British sweetener, which can be hard to track down in the United States. But if you do find yourself with a tin of Tate & Lyle's treacle, try substituting it in your favorite sweets.

To easily incorporate treacle, simply swap it in when recipes call for other similar ingredients. Use golden syrup in place of light corn syrup, honey, or standard molasses, and black treacle in place of blackstrap molasses.

Cookbook author, Jason Schreiber includes a recipe in Fruit Cake for black fruitcake, a very dark, sticky, moist, boozy Jamaican fruitcake. Though he uses blackstrap molasses, you could easily substitute black treacle for a similarly complex, deep, delicious flavor.