We all know what white table sugar is and how it is used. Most of are also familiar with brown sugar and may have heard of confectioners sugar. However, there are many other sugar varieties, and each variety is used for specific purposes, though not always in the home. This article presents some useful information on the eight most common sugar varieties.
1. White Sugar (Regular Table Sugar) Commonly used to sweeten beverages and foods and in many baked foods, this is the most widely known sugar variety. All white sugar is finely ground, but some varieties are more so than others (extra fine white sugar).
2. Fruit Sugar This is the type of sugar you will find in powered drinks or gelatin and pudding mixes. It is finer than regular sugar and has a uniform crystal size. This prevents the settling of larger crystals to the bottom of a mix, which could make a drink mix less sweet when you use the portion at the top of the package.
3. 'Baker's Special' Sugar This superfine, quick-dissolving sugar variety is perfect for sprinkling on the top of cookies, cakes and the like. You can buy it in most large supermarkets and grocery stores.
4. Super, Ultrafine or Bar Sugar This type of sugar goes by several names (including 'castor sugar') and is the best sugar to use for baking fine-grained cakes and delicate desserts such as meringue. Ultrafine sugar is used to sweeten fruit desserts too.
5. Coarse Sugar Used to bake fondants, liquors and confections, coarse sugar has larger crystals than the fine sugars described above because it is made by crystallizing sugar syrups. A less-refined sugar, it has a high molasses content and a rich flavor.
6. Sanding Sugar Sanding sugar is another large-grained sugar variety. It does not dissolve easily and is mainly used to decorate desserts because its large crystals catch the light and 'sparkle'. Sanding sugar is sometimes called 'decorating sugar' or 'pearl sugar'.
7. Brown Sugar You'll find a number of different kinds of brown sugar, such as light, dark and turbinado. It has a high molasses content and is often used in baking. Turbinado is often used to sweeten tea, because of the molasses flavor.
8. Confectioner's (Powdered) Sugar A baking sugar reserved mainly for making icing, whipped cream, and candies. Confectioner's sugar is finely ground white sugar that is sifted to a powdery texture. To keep it from forming clumps, a tiny amount of cornstarch (about 3%) is added. Confectioner's sugar is available in three different textures. The finest confectioner's sugar is the one you see on grocery store shelves. There are two coarser-grained varieties, but these are reserved mainly for industrial production of baked desserts and candies.
Now that you know a little about the various sugar varieties available, why not add one or two of them to you kitchen staples? Whether you use them for baking with or for cooking, you'll find that not all sugars taste exactly the same. You may discover that you have been missing out on an easy way to give your desserts a special, distinctive flavor.
1. White Sugar (Regular Table Sugar) Commonly used to sweeten beverages and foods and in many baked foods, this is the most widely known sugar variety. All white sugar is finely ground, but some varieties are more so than others (extra fine white sugar).
2. Fruit Sugar This is the type of sugar you will find in powered drinks or gelatin and pudding mixes. It is finer than regular sugar and has a uniform crystal size. This prevents the settling of larger crystals to the bottom of a mix, which could make a drink mix less sweet when you use the portion at the top of the package.
3. 'Baker's Special' Sugar This superfine, quick-dissolving sugar variety is perfect for sprinkling on the top of cookies, cakes and the like. You can buy it in most large supermarkets and grocery stores.
4. Super, Ultrafine or Bar Sugar This type of sugar goes by several names (including 'castor sugar') and is the best sugar to use for baking fine-grained cakes and delicate desserts such as meringue. Ultrafine sugar is used to sweeten fruit desserts too.
5. Coarse Sugar Used to bake fondants, liquors and confections, coarse sugar has larger crystals than the fine sugars described above because it is made by crystallizing sugar syrups. A less-refined sugar, it has a high molasses content and a rich flavor.
6. Sanding Sugar Sanding sugar is another large-grained sugar variety. It does not dissolve easily and is mainly used to decorate desserts because its large crystals catch the light and 'sparkle'. Sanding sugar is sometimes called 'decorating sugar' or 'pearl sugar'.
7. Brown Sugar You'll find a number of different kinds of brown sugar, such as light, dark and turbinado. It has a high molasses content and is often used in baking. Turbinado is often used to sweeten tea, because of the molasses flavor.
8. Confectioner's (Powdered) Sugar A baking sugar reserved mainly for making icing, whipped cream, and candies. Confectioner's sugar is finely ground white sugar that is sifted to a powdery texture. To keep it from forming clumps, a tiny amount of cornstarch (about 3%) is added. Confectioner's sugar is available in three different textures. The finest confectioner's sugar is the one you see on grocery store shelves. There are two coarser-grained varieties, but these are reserved mainly for industrial production of baked desserts and candies.
Now that you know a little about the various sugar varieties available, why not add one or two of them to you kitchen staples? Whether you use them for baking with or for cooking, you'll find that not all sugars taste exactly the same. You may discover that you have been missing out on an easy way to give your desserts a special, distinctive flavor.
About the Author:
Competent contributing article author Anya really loves providing her wealth of inspiring tips and hints about home baking. Not to mention her number one top-secret happens to be her place for finding edible toppers and edible Christian motifs.