Sugar

[Suvir Saran]

I was making Pavlova for dessert, and just realized that I made the meringue using granulated regular sugar. I had forgotten to use superfine sugar.

Will the meringue come out ok? Will it be too sweet? What changes? It is in the oven already.. what can I do?

[Brad S]

I was making Pavlova for dessert, and just realized that I made the meringue using granulated regular sugar.  I had forgotten to use superfine sugar.

Will the meringue come out ok?  Will it be too sweet?  What changes?  It is in the oven already.. what can I do?

Relax,

As long as the sugar was well dissolved it won't turn to solution.

It should be fine.

[Suvir Saran]

I was making Pavlova for dessert, and just realized that I made the meringue using granulated regular sugar.  I had forgotten to use superfine sugar.

Will the meringue come out ok?  Will it be too sweet?  What changes?  It is in the oven already.. what can I do?

Relax,

As long as the sugar was well dissolved it won't turn to solution.

It should be fine.

It has now been in the oven a half hour... it seems to be doing just fine.

Thanks for your encouraging words.

[CathyL]

Suvir, I'm sure it will be fine. I often use granulated sugar for meringues.

As I understand it, superfine is preferred because it dissolves more easily than granulated, and undissolved sugar attracts more moisture - which could make the finished meringue sticky. But it's a dry day, so unless you're making the meringue far in advance of serving you should be okay.

I'm sure one of the pros will chime in...

[Andrew Fenton]

I'm gonna haul this topic out of the vault to ask a very basic question:

I have a recipe (for margaritas) that calls for superfine sugar. At the supermarket, they have brown sugar, regular granulated sugar and confectioners' sugar. Is the latter equivalent to superfine sugar, or should I be looking for a different product- one without cornstarch added?

[Steve Klc]

Confectioner's sugar may or may not work but it isn't what you're looking for. It's a different animal. And you certainly won't find confectioners sugar without cornstarch where you shop. If you can't find superfine--which usually is in supermarkets in little plastic-wrapped 1 pound boxes--you might take granulated sugar (if Domino probably labelled "extra fine granulated") and put it in a cuisinart with the metal blade, whiz it around for a while and you will cut its particle size down closer to superfine. Should work as a substitution.

[Andrew Fenton]

OK, thanks. I figured they weren't the same. But if it gives me the excuse to pulverize something in the Cuisinart, I'm all for it.

[Wendy DeBord]

I have a question for others: do you use reg. sugar in your bin or do you only buy superfine?

The last two chefs' I've worked for buy the superfine as their everyday sugar, I don't see the need.

This just turned on a light bulb! My chocolate cake problem.........they have superfine sugar in their bin and I'm working with cups not weight, so I've been adding too much sugar-which would make the cake too moist! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

[guajolote]

I'm gonna haul this topic out of the vault to ask a very basic question:

I have a recipe (for margaritas) that calls for superfine sugar.  At the supermarket, they have brown sugar, regular granulated sugar and confectioners' sugar.  Is the latter equivalent to superfine sugar, or should I be looking for a different product- one without cornstarch added?

Here's an easier answer - don't add sugar to your margarita.

1 part lime juice

1 part triple sec/cointeau

2 parts tequila

shake and serve on rocks in glass with a salted rim.

the sweetening comes from the triple sec

[Dave the Cook]

I have a question for others: do you use reg. sugar in your bin or do you only buy superfine?

The last two chefs' I've worked for buy the superfine as their everyday sugar, I don't see the need.

This just turned on a light bulb! My chocolate cake problem.........they have superfine sugar in their bin and I'm working with cups not weight, so I've been adding too much sugar-which would make the cake too moist! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Sinclair, I'd be very surprised if this is your problem. The difference between fine and superfine is not all that great, and it's not codified; one processor's coarse grind can be another's superfine.

Since you first cream and then melt the sugar in the course of baking, success is more dependent on good mixing than crystal size.

But you ought to try it anyway, and let us know.

Edited to add: more information about crystal size here.

[Marlene]

My creme caramel calls for superfine sugar. I found something called Instant disolving fruit powdered sugar, but nothing called superfine. Can I use the fruit powdered sugar?

[sanrensho]

My creme caramel calls for superfine sugar.  I found something called Instant disolving fruit powdered sugar, but nothing called superfine.  Can I use the fruit powdered sugar?

←

See post #6 above. Just whiz some regular granulated sugar in your food processor.

[Marlene]

I know I can do that, but I wondered if the fruit powered sugar was the same as superfine!

[natasha1270]

Marlene,

I've not heard of fruit powder sugar but I believe caster sugar is another name for superfine. Are you familiar with caster sugar, maybe you can compare it to your powdered sugar.

N.

[sanrensho]

I know I can do that, but I wondered if the fruit powered sugar was the same as superfine! 

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OK, it wasn't clear to me that you were actively seeking a subsitution.

[skyflyer3]

My creme caramel calls for superfine sugar.  I found something called Instant disolving fruit powdered sugar, but nothing called superfine.  Can I use the fruit powdered sugar?

←

Can you tell us what the brand name is on the package? From your text alone, it sounds like you have superfine fructose. Since fructose, or fruit sugar is sweeter than sucrose, or table sugar, I don't think you can use it for the same application without some taste or texture differences. However, if you're pressed for time and have a little table sugar handy, try tasting each one and see if the fruit sugar is sweeter.

By the way, Wendy, I use C&H's Baker's Sugar almost exclusively for baking, and it produces consistently good, even-textured results. It gets a little wonky when I use golden castor sugar, though - my baked goods taste great, but are denser and flatter.

skyflyer

[lapasterie]

I use a product called Bakers Special Sugar a Domino product. I buy it from Dawn Foods.

[Marlene]

My creme caramel calls for superfine sugar.  I found something called Instant disolving fruit powdered sugar, but nothing called superfine.  Can I use the fruit powdered sugar?

←

Can you tell us what the brand name is on the package? From your text alone, it sounds like you have superfine fructose. Since fructose, or fruit sugar is sweeter than sucrose, or table sugar, I don't think you can use it for the same application without some taste or texture differences. However, if you're pressed for time and have a little table sugar handy, try tasting each one and see if the fruit sugar is sweeter.

By the way, Wendy, I use C&H's Baker's Sugar almost exclusively for baking, and it produces consistently good, even-textured results. It gets a little wonky when I use golden castor sugar, though - my baked goods taste great, but are denser and flatter.

skyflyer

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It's a Redpath sugar. Since I wasn't sure, I ground some fine sugar as suggested and used that. I'll try to post a picture later of the other sugar I have.

[Patrick S]

"Fruit sugar" is definitely fructose.

[Dave the Cook]

My creme caramel calls for superfine sugar.  I found something called Instant disolving fruit powdered sugar, but nothing called superfine.  Can I use the fruit powdered sugar?

←

Can you tell us what the brand name is on the package? From your text alone, it sounds like you have superfine fructose. Since fructose, or fruit sugar is sweeter than sucrose, or table sugar, I don't think you can use it for the same application without some taste or texture differences. However, if you're pressed for time and have a little table sugar handy, try tasting each one and see if the fruit sugar is sweeter.

By the way, Wendy, I use C&H's Baker's Sugar almost exclusively for baking, and it produces consistently good, even-textured results. It gets a little wonky when I use golden castor sugar, though - my baked goods taste great, but are denser and flatter.

skyflyer

←

It's a Redpath sugar. Since I wasn't sure, I ground some fine sugar as suggested and used that. I'll try to post a picture later of the other sugar I have.

←

I thought the same thing, skyflyer and Patrick.

But at this site, I found this:

Castor Sugar     

Type of sugar sold in parts of Europe and Australia

In Canada, this type of sugar would be sold under the names "Super-fine Sugar", "Fruit Sugar", "Fruit Powder", "Powdered Sugar" or "Instant Dissolving Sugar" - any of these sugars can be used as a substitute in recipes listing castor sugar as an ingredient

skyflyer: most likely, the density of your baked goods changes when you use golden castor sugar because of a higher moisture content.

[Patrick S]

Doh! Good catch, Dave.