Molasses is a dark, strong-flavored liquid used as a sweetener in cakes, cookies, puddings, muffins and baked beans. It is a secondary product in the production of sugar from cane or beets, obtained after the cane juice has been boiled until it crystallizes to become table sugar. The remaining liquid is molasses. Molasses taken after the first boiling is called first strike, or light. It is the highest quality and sweetest. It is best for table use. The liquid may be boiled again to extract more sugar. The resulting molasses is called second strike, or dark, a good choice for baking. Blackstrap molasses, the darkest and thickest, is taken after the third boiling. It has a bitter flavor and is generally not recommended for cooking purposes. Sulfur is sometimes used in the processing of the sugar cane juice, resulting in a darker molasses with a hint of sulfur in the taste. Molasses should be refrigerated after opening.