Is there a difference between confectioners sugar and powdered sugar

• Categorized under Processed Foods | Difference Between Powdered Sugar and Confectioner’s Sugar

Powdered Sugar vs Confectioner’s Sugar

Almost all of the people have a sweet tooth. Children most enjoy anything sweet such as candies, chocolates, gums, and so on. It feels like heaven and happiness whenever we eat something sweet. As they say, when sad, eat chocolates. Willy Wonka, if only he was real, would always be delighted to invite us in his factory full of sweets and chocolates. Thanks to sugar, almost any dish can be sweetened possibly anytime, any day.

Sugar is actually extracted from sugar cane. It has varying types, and two of these will be discussed in this article. These are powdered sugar and confectioner’s sugar. Let us tackle both.

Powdered sugar is also called confectioner’s sugar. There are no differences. Powdered sugar has other names such as: icing sugar, frosting sugar, and 10x sugar, and 4x sugar. Powdered sugar is usually the preference in baking for one of its characteristics is the ability to dissolve quickly when being mixed with other ingredients. Thus, it is frequently used when frosting cakes.

Powdered sugar comes from granulated sugar, and granulated sugar came from sugar cane. An additional ingredient called cornstarch prevents the granules from sticking together. Granulated sugar can be ground again to become a fine sugar to its powdered form. Some people do not know what type or degree of granules they are going to get. Some would see 14x which is the highest and finest type of grain. Thus, the rule is, the higher the grain, the quicker it will dissolve. So it depends upon the baker what type of grain to buy. The label tells it all.

Confectioner’s sugar is available in the grocery. However, if you want your powdered sugar to be homemade, you can do the following steps: Prepare a blender, some granulated sugar, and lastly cornstarch. Mix the granulated sugar into the blender. Then, add two tablespoons of cornstarch into the blender. The ratio is about 200 grams of sugar to 50 grams of cornstarch or 4:1. Blend all of the ingredients until it becomes fine sugar. Wait for about 15 minutes before opening the blender and using your homemade powdered sugar.

Powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar are used widely in cakes as well as in dusting bread with it which makes it more sumptuous to the sight and palate.

Summary:

1.There are no differences between confectioner’s sugar and powdered sugar.
2.Powdered sugar is also called confectioner’s sugar, frosting sugar, or icing sugar.
3.This type of sugar comes from sugar cane.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts


Search DifferenceBetween.net :


Loading...

Is there a difference between confectioners sugar and powdered sugar
 Email This Post : If you like this article or our site. Please spread the word. Share it with your friends/family.

Cite
APA 7
J, J. (2011, November 6). Difference Between Powdered Sugar and Confectioner’s Sugar. Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects. http://www.differencebetween.net/object/comparisons-of-food-items/processed-foods/difference-between-powdered-sugar-and-confectioner%e2%80%99s-sugar/.
MLA 8
J, Joshua. "Difference Between Powdered Sugar and Confectioner’s Sugar." Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects, 6 November, 2011, http://www.differencebetween.net/object/comparisons-of-food-items/processed-foods/difference-between-powdered-sugar-and-confectioner%e2%80%99s-sugar/.

Written by : joshua. and updated on 2011, November 6

Articles on DifferenceBetween.net are general information, and are not intended to substitute for professional advice. The information is "AS IS", "WITH ALL FAULTS". User assumes all risk of use, damage, or injury. You agree that we have no liability for any damages.

  1. Home
  2. Food

What's the difference between confectioners' sugar and table sugar?

Find out why confectioners’ sugar can’t be substituted with other kinds of sugar. - by

What is confectioners’ sugar?

It’s a powdered form of table sugar commonly used in desserts, baked goods, and other sweets. You might also know it as powdered sugar, icing sugar, or 10X sugar.

If you’re new to baking, chances are you haven’t heard of those names before. In that case, you’re in for a treat as confectioners’ sugar is more special than you might think. Read on to find out what makes confectioners’ sugar so unique and why you can’t use other kinds of sugar as substitutes.

RELATED: Brown sugar substitutes

Why use confectioners’ sugar?

Confectioners sugar is a crucial ingredient in all of your favourite treats. Without confectioners’ sugar, the milk icing on your favourite cupcakes wouldn’t be so smooth and creamy. Your cheesecakes wouldn’t have that rich texture! And your beignets just wouldn’t feel complete without that light dusting to really give it that finishing touch.

Is there a difference between confectioners sugar and powdered sugar

Getty

Confectioners’ sugar vs table sugar

At first glance, the two sugars aren’t that different from one another. While the crystals that make up confectioners’ sugar are finer than the ones that make up regular sugar, the two kinds are chemically and nutritionally identical. Both kinds of sugar provide the same level of sweetness and contain about 390 calories for every 100 grams. On top of that, the two sugars even carry the same health risks as they’re both made of sucrose.

But, while these sugars are identical in terms of taste and nutritional value, the fineness of confectioners’ sugar makes all the difference in the kitchen. For one, confectioners’ sugar dissolves in liquid much faster than other kinds of sugar, and it’s this quality that makes confectioners’ sugar so important for glazes and frosting. Confectioners’ sugar also helps keep air out of dough and batter as its powdery crystals make it a lot denser than regular sugar.

Is there a difference between confectioners sugar and powdered sugar

Getty

The fineness of confectioners’ sugar is also important for food presentation. While a sprinkling of table sugar adds the same level of sweetness on a batch of freshly-baked cookies, the snowy effect from a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar can make them look absolutely divine!

However, even with the unique qualities of confectioners’ sugar, you can use table sugar as a substitute in a pinch. While your pastries might not get the same texture from table sugar, they would be just as sweet. Just remember that you need about half as much table sugar as you need confectioners’ sugar since regular sugar is a lot less dense. And, if you aren’t sure about your conversions, you can always make one-to-one substitutions based on weight.

Confectioners’ sugar vs caster sugar

Like table sugar, confectioners’ sugar is chemically and nutritionally identical to caster sugar as both are just ground versions of regular sugar. However, since caster sugar crystals are somewhere in between table sugar and confectioners’ sugar in terms of size, caster sugar has unique uses in the kitchen.  

For one, it’s used in sweets like meringue that need the dissolvability of confectioners’ sugar and the rough texture of table sugar. Caster sugar is also often used as a sweetener for cocktails and other cold drinks for its dissolvability. 

Is there a difference between confectioners sugar and powdered sugar

Getty

Where can I get confectioners’ sugar?

Unlike other special ingredients, you should be able to find confectioners’ sugar in most major stores at around twice the cost of regular sugar. However, if you’re shopping at your local Coles or Woolworths, you need to look for icing sugar instead as Australian brands prefer to use that name.   

That said, if you’re looking to cut costs, you can easily make confectioners’ sugar at home by grounding table sugar into a fine powder using a food processor or other similar machines. For decorative purposes, your homemade confectioners’ sugar should be just as effective as the commercial kind. But, if you’re following a recipe, you might want to add a bit of cornstarch as the recipe might need the tiny bit of cornstarch found in store-bought confectioners’ sugar.

RELATED: How to find the hidden sugars in food labels

What is difference between confectioners sugar and powdered sugar?

Like powdered sugar, confectioners' sugar is made of finely ground granulated sugar. However, the key difference is the addition of cornstarch. Adding cornstarch to powdered sugar serves to prevent the sugar from caking up and getting clumpy over time.

What can I use as a substitute for confectioners sugar?

For a powdered sugar alternative that will achieve a similar texture but with far less sugar, try dry milk powder. Blend 1 cup of dry milk powder with 1 cup of cornstarch, add sweetener if desired and use this mixture in the same amount as powdered sugar.