Invert sugar

Invert sugar is made by breaking sucrose down, with the help of an acid, into its two component sugars, fructose and dextrose. Francisco Migoya's Frozen Desserts explains that this reduces the size of sugar crystals and produces a smoother product, and Paula Figoni's How Baking Works describes invert syrup as containing approximately equal amounts of fructose and glucose.

Pastry cooks use it in fondant, caramels, ganache, sorbets and ice cream because it resists recrystallizing and helps hold moisture. A little in a cake or cookie keeps the crumb soft for longer.

It is sold as a thick, cloudy syrup, sometimes under the trade name trimoline. Honey is naturally rich in invert sugar, which is one reason it keeps baked goods moist.