The Pantry Quiz #22
Multiple choice
Which has the highest melting temperature?
1. Butter
2. Sugar
3. Ice
4. Lard
__________
Please leave your answer in the comments, and let us know whether you have this ingredient in your pantry.
[Last week's answer: Pistachio nuts are the downer. And who would have thought of black beans and garlic as aphrodisiacs?]
You can find most answers to The Pantry Quiz by using the search box at right, at the top of the page, to hunt for clues. Come back next Saturday for the answer to today's quiz question.
Posted by: Lora Johns | February 16, 2013 at 01:12 AM
I would think it would be sugar. I love to make carmelized sugar toppings for some of my pastries. Flan is another delight that uses the carmelizing technique. My mouth is watering just thinking of it.
Posted by: Wild Child | February 16, 2013 at 02:12 AM
Sugar ~ and yep, I've got it! This was an interesting one to research. Especially reading about ice.
Posted by: Patricia Pond | February 16, 2013 at 08:43 AM
Sugar, and I have lots.
Posted by: Laura | February 16, 2013 at 09:35 AM
Sugar
Posted by: Kalyn | February 16, 2013 at 09:46 AM
This is one I definitely didn't know. And truthfully I only have a very tiny package of white sugar and one of brown sugar. Mostly use Stevia-in-the-Raw for sweetening things.
Posted by: Laura Turley | February 16, 2013 at 10:19 AM
sugar
Posted by: Judy S. | February 16, 2013 at 11:57 AM
I'm guessing sugar - going by how blisteringly hot it gets when melted...
Posted by: Lory | February 16, 2013 at 12:03 PM
Sugar
Posted by: Angela | February 16, 2013 at 04:55 PM
Sugar.
Posted by: Bernadette | February 16, 2013 at 05:15 PM
butter = @82-96F
ice = @32F
lard = @86F
sugar - so this one is tricky, because in food science circles it is now widely thought that sugar really does not melt, but dissolves or decomposes, and can do that in hot or cold liquid, the hotter the liquid the faster it dissolves - completely dissolving or "melting" between 212F and 295F. higher temps such as 320F, etc., are cooking or caramelizing temps used to achieve various stages of cooked sugar products such as caramel, brittle, toffee, etc.
and as we all know, sugar will dissolve or melt in a glass of iced tea which means of all the items on this list, butter would have the highest melting point.
Posted by: Bernadette | February 16, 2013 at 06:52 PM
Also forgot to mention that depending on the type of lard, melting temps can vary from 86-104F, so technically melting higher than butter and that's the reason bakers love to use lard in pie crusts, because the higher melting temp allows more steam to develop resulting in flakier layers in the crust.
Posted by: Claudia | February 17, 2013 at 02:45 AM
Sugar - butter would burn before the sugar is melted. Ice melts at very low temperatures ;) And lard melts before water is cooking.
Posted by: Pattypro | February 17, 2013 at 10:37 AM
I'm going with sugar, and yes, I have lots.
Posted by: carol, boston @ cabinetstew | February 17, 2013 at 04:24 PM
I would have gone with sugar but after reading Bernadette's answer above, all I want to do now is make a pie!! :-)