Powdered sugar

Closeup of unsifted powdered sugar

Powdered sugar on cannolis

Powdered sugar, also called confectioner's sugar or icing sugar, is a finely ground sugar made by milling normal granulated sugar into a powdered state. It usually contains a small amount of anti-caking agent to prevent clumping and improve flow. Although most often produced in a factory, it can also be made by putting normal sugar in a coffee grinder, or crushing it by hand in a mortar and pestle.

In industrial food production, it is used where a quick dissolving sugar is required. Domestically, it is principally used to make icing or frosting and other cake decorations. It is often lightly dusted onto baked goods to add a light sweetness and subtle decoration.

Powdered sugar is available in different degrees of fineness, most commonly XXX, XXXX, and 10X, with more Xs indicating finer grains.^[1] With finer particles more moisture is absorbed, which results in caking. An anti-caking agent is generally added during grinding, typically corn starch, or tricalcium phosphate, at 3% to 5% concentration, to absorb moisture and improve flow by reducing contact between sugar crystals.^[2][3]

Caster sugar (also referred to as superfine or baker's sugar) has a larger particle size than powdered sugar, approximately half that of granulated sugar. ^[4]

Snow powder (or snow sugar) is a non-melting form of icing sugar usually consisting of dextrose, starch and anti-binding agents, useful for retaining its structure when dusted onto cakes or pastries that require refrigeration. It is mostly used for decorative purposes.

See also

• Media related to powdered sugar at Wikimedia Commons

References

• Asadi, Mosen. Beet-Sugar Handbook. John Wiley & Sons, 2006.
• Chen, James C. P., Chung Chi Chou. Cane Sugar Handbook: A Manual for Cane Sugar Manufacturers and Their Chemists. John Wiley & Sons, 1993.

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