Caster sugar is often known as superfine sugar and is a well-liked baking ingredient throughout many components of the world. It dissolves rapidly, making it excellent for desserts, sauces, meringue, mousse, whipped cream and drinks.
Uncover the several types of caster sugar, it is makes use of, substitutes, dietary data and the best way to make your individual home made caster sugar.
As an Australian meals blogger (and self-confessed candy tooth), caster sugar is a BIG factor in my life!
Right here in Australia, we use caster sugar in nearly all of our baking recipes – in cookies, desserts, desserts… actually the whole lot!
It’s an extremely versatile ingredient that may be a staple in Australian, New Zealand and UK pantries.
Whereas quite common in Australia, there are different components of the world the place caster sugar is much less well-known.
As a lot of my recipes use caster sugar as an ingredient, some of the frequent questions I get requested from readers the world over is, ‘What’s caster sugar?’
I’m going to clarify precisely what caster sugar is, the kind of recipes it is utilized in, substitutes you need to use, the best way to make your individual caster sugar, in addition to the most typical questions I get requested concerning this candy little sugar!
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What Is Caster Sugar?
Caster sugar is a time period used for advantageous granulated sugar with smaller crystals with quick-dissolving properties.
It’s a well-liked baking ingredient with a texture that sits between common granulated sugar and powdered sugar.
This kind of sugar is often known as superfine sugar, baking sugar or castor sugar.
Caster sugar dissolves in a short time, making it excellent for dessert recipes that require whipping the sugar with egg whites to make ethereal desserts like meringue and mousse, whipped cream, or flaky pie crust, cookies, desserts, puddings, candy sauces and drinks.
Varieties
There are a lot of several types of sugar. Right here, we are going to examine a few of these varieties.
White (Common) Caster Sugar
When the time period ‘caster sugar’ is used, it refers to white caster sugar or common caster sugar.
That is the most well-liked kind of caster sugar in the marketplace and is way extra available than golden caster sugar.
Golden Caster Sugar
Golden caster sugar is constituted of unrefined sugar cane or beets.
Throughout processing, it maintains among the molasses (like brown sugar). This offers the sugar a light-weight brown color mixed with a delicate buttery caramel flavour.
Golden caster sugar is extra available within the UK than it’s within the US or Australia.
If a recipe requires golden caster sugar, you can substitute it for normal white caster sugar.
Caster Sugar vs Granulated Sugar
No.
The sugar crystals in caster sugar are way more finely floor than common granulated sugar.
Due to its finer texture, it may be utilized in recipes that require the sugar to be dissolved, corresponding to whipped cream, meringues, creamed butter mixtures, souffle or sponge desserts.
It is also ultimate to be used in cocktails or mocktails as a alternative for easy syrup.
Caster Sugar vs Powdered Sugar
No.
Powdered sugar is often known as icing sugar or confectioners’ sugar. It’s way more finely floor than caster sugar – to the purpose that it’s fairly actually ‘powdered sugar’.
Powdered sugar could be purchased in a pure type, which accommodates no anti-caking agent. Which means pure powdered (icing) sugar simply clumps and requires sifting earlier than use. It additionally units firmer than a daily powdered sugar combination.
Powdered sugar combination, often known as icing sugar, is the most typical type of powdered sugar out there.
In contrast to pure powdered sugar, powdered sugar mixtures include a small quantity of anti-caking brokers, corresponding to cornflour or cornstarch, which forestall the sugar from clumping.
Powdered sugar made with an anti-caking agent doesn’t set as agency as pure powdered sugar.
Makes use of For Caster Sugar
Caster sugar is broadly utilized in baking, desserts and drinks because it dissolves rapidly.
It’s well-liked when making:
- sweetened whipped cream
- meringues – together with desserts corresponding to lemon meringue pie, pavlovas, baked Alaska, meringue trifles and extra
- sponge desserts
- cookies – the caster sugar dissolves rapidly when creamed with butter
- desserts
- drinks – together with cocktails and mocktails
- souffle
- chocolate mousse
- shortbread
- sauces – corresponding to caramel or butterscotch sauce
Baking With Caster Sugar
There aren’t any suggestions or methods to baking with caster sugar!
It may be utilized in precisely the identical means as common white granulated sugar.
There isn’t a have to sift earlier than utilizing. Merely measure the sugar after which add to the elements identical to you’d with common sugar.
How To Make Caster Sugar
Caster sugar could be made utilizing granulated sugar and a meals processor or a Thermomix.
The sugar is processed till it has a finer texture than granulated sugar however not as advantageous as powdered sugar or icing sugar.
The sugar granules in home made caster sugar is not going to be as uniform in measurement as store-bought caster sugar. Nevertheless, they’re completely advantageous to make use of in baking.
Scroll to the recipe card beneath for a step-by-step information to creating your individual caster sugar.
Diet Info
Let’s check out the dietary breakdown of caster sugar.
It’s just like granulated sugar in that it’s comparatively low in energy, is fat-free and is cholesterol-free.
Per teaspoon, caster sugar accommodates 16 energy, 4.2 grams of carbohydrates, and no protein or fibre.
Like all sugars, caster sugar ought to be consumed sparsely.
In style Recipes Utilizing Caster Sugar
Caster sugar dissolves rapidly, making it excellent for baking your favorite desserts, cookies, sponge desserts, cocktails and extra:
FAQs
Caster sugar has many various names – caster sugar, castor sugar, superfine sugar, baking sugar, baker’s sugar or casting sugar.
Caster sugar will get its title from a conventional kitchen shaker referred to as a ‘caster’. This was used to sprinkle sugar on high of fruits and desserts.
Caster sugar is utilized in a spread of baking recipes. It is well-liked for baked items and desserts as the feel is so advantageous that it dissolves when combined.
Caster sugar can also be utilized in drinks corresponding to cocktails and mocktails as a sweetener – in lots of circumstances, it’s used instead for easy syrup.
For finest outcomes, retailer caster sugar in an hermetic container at room temperature in a cool, dry place away from warmth and moisture.
When saved appropriately, caster sugar technically by no means spoils. Nevertheless, it is strongly recommended that it’s discarded after two years.
In the event you’re within the UK, Australia or New Zealand, you’ll discover caster sugar within the baking aisle of any grocery store or grocery retailer.
It’s a quite common and well-liked sugar for desserts, cookies and desserts and is cheap to purchase.
Nevertheless, within the US, it may be harder to purchase caster sugar, and chances are you’ll want to go to a specialty grocer or baking provides retailer.
Alternatively, you’ll be able to order caster sugar on-line or make your individual (see recipe beneath).
As it isn’t as available, the price of caster sugar within the US is increased than in Australia, NZ and the UK.
Within the US, caster sugar is mostly often called superfine sugar. It’s a frequent ingredient in lots of American recipes.
The most effective substitute for caster sugar is to make your individual home made caster sugar. Scroll to the recipe card beneath to discover ways to make your individual caster sugar.
Caster sugar is a well-liked sugar for baking as its advantageous texture implies that it dissolves when combined with different elements.
For instance, when butter and caster sugar are creamed collectively for a cookie recipe, the caster sugar will dissolve into the creamy butter combination, leading to completely crunchy, candy cookies.
In case your caster sugar has small lumps in it, it has been uncovered to water or moisture.
The caster sugar continues to be okay to make use of – merely take away the small lumps and discard.
Caster sugar has a candy style, identical to white sugar. Nevertheless, it has a finer texture than common white sugar. When a small quantity of caster sugar is positioned on the tongue, it dissolves simply.
Caster sugar is constituted of granulated sugar that has been processed or pulverised to a finer texture.
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How To Make Caster Sugar
Make your individual home made caster sugar in simply 2 minutes utilizing granulated sugar and a meals processor.
Servings: 1 serve
Energy: 916kcal
Forestall your display screen from going darkish
Directions
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Place the granulated sugar right into a meals processor, blender or Thermomix.
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Use the heartbeat or mix perform to pulverise the sugar granules till they resemble very advantageous grains of sand. If utilizing a Thermomix, press the Turbo perform for 1 second at a time.
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Pour the caster sugar into an hermetic container and retailer in a dry, cool place.
Notes
Gear – use a meals processor, blender or Thermomix
Granulated sugar is often known as uncooked sugar.
The feel of caster sugar ought to be finer than granulated sugar however not as advantageous as powdered sugar.
Retailer in an hermetic container in a dry, cool place for as much as 2 years.
Diet
Energy: 916kcal | Carbohydrates: 237g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 5mg | Sugar: 236g | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg
