Caster sugar? | Imamother

MiracleMama

Wed, Sep 25 2019, 8:43 pm

Over the years I've seen a few recipes that call for caster sugar (superfine). I have only seen regular and powdered. Is caster sugar a thing in the US? Am I okay using regular sugar in such a recipe? Or is powdered ok? Or should I stick my sugar in the blender or something? Help! I'm a lousy baker and this is confusing me terribly. (Maybe I should just move on to another recipe but this lekach recipe I found looks pretty good).

boysrus

Wed, Sep 25 2019, 9:39 pm

I have never found caster sugar here. just use regular sugar...

Last edited by boysrus on Wed, Dec 04 2019, 11:01 pm; edited 1 time in total

cbsp

Wed, Sep 25 2019, 9:42 pm

I've used it (found it in St. Louis, so maybe it's a regional thing) and used it in Pesach cakes that call for it. Oh, and also used it to make vanilla sugar once. The brand I bought comes in a pourable gabled cardboard container (think large milk carton).

It may have a minimal impact on the texture but I think you'll be fine with regular granulated - it's a finer granule, not powdery like confectioners sugar.

egam ↓

Wed, Sep 25 2019, 9:56 pm

Domino makes superfine (custer)sugar though I haven’t seen it in stores for a long time. You can definitely make your own.

https://www.thespruceeats.com/.....21027

nylon

Wed, Sep 25 2019, 10:00 pm

Regular British sugar is coarser than most American, so they call for caster sugar in baking. Use regular. Our confectioners sugar is their icing sugar.

American superfine sugar is like caster, but it only comes in small canisters now (I was mad when Domino switched from a 1 lb box to a 12oz canister and put the price up at the same time!) and isn't really necessary unless you have reason to believe regular sugar won't dissolve. I use it in some delicate cakes (King Arthur Flour sells it as bakers special sugar)

chanatron1000

Thu, Sep 26 2019, 12:36 am

These types of substitutions mostly depend on the recipe. Typical cakes and cookies can be made with either type of sugar, and other ingredients can be safely substituted as well; the recipe could turn out slightly differently, but it will still be good, and the difference probably won't be noticeable.

Iymnok

Thu, Sep 26 2019, 2:07 am

You can pulse granulated sugar in the blender or food processor for a similar effect. The real use for caster sugar is for coating certain desserts or fruits.

angelgirl ↓

Thu, Sep 26 2019, 4:09 am

I can’t believe there is something we have in the UK that isn’t easily available in the US! This is a revelation!! It’s usually always the other way round!
But plenty of us here use caster and granulated for most recipes.

Raisin

Thu, Sep 26 2019, 6:32 am

angelgirl wrote:

also self raising flour isn't such a thing in the US. But then most people don't actually bake, they use duncan heinz.

I use castor sugar for baking but its fine to use granulated if you don't have castor. I usually only have castor sugar in fact...there is nothing I need a coarser sugar for so why keep it?

lavenderchimes

Thu, Sep 26 2019, 7:40 am

What is Caster Sugar

This site also has suggestions for substitutions an tricks to mimics.

↑ egam ↓

Thu, Sep 26 2019, 8:01 am

Raisin wrote:

We do have self rising flour here. I don’t like to use it. Too salty for me. And most of the American recipes call for the regular one and then I need to think if I need to add more baking powder. Too much hassle.

↑ egam

Thu, Sep 26 2019, 8:03 am

angelgirl wrote:

You also have the Queen 👑😂!

↑ angelgirl

Thu, Sep 26 2019, 8:40 am

egam wrote:

You also have the Queen 👑😂!

Haha that’s true! On my way for tea now 🤪