What is Caster Sugar?

I'm making a recipe that calls for 4 tbsp of caster sugar. Never heard of it. Can I substitute regular sugar for it?

[Mixalis]

Simply use a glass container and you won't get the sandblasting effect or sugar blasting effect.

[Mixalis]

I simply call it powdered sugar.

[polanski]

Primarily the distinguishing differences are caper is superfine, & prized for ability to absorb very quickly. It is not an "Australian thing" on the contrary it is internationally, globally used in the baking industry.

[masada]

C&H makes something called "Baker's Sugar" which is the same thing. Most grocers that carry the granulated sugar from C&H will likely carry this as well.

[jinjia3]

I checked with sevreal sources on this, and was told that Castor sugar would be equivalent to the C&H "Baker's Sugar" now on store shelves. It is a finer grind than table sugar, but not as fine as powdered. Hope this helps.

[nwdryad]

C & H Sugar carries it in a carton and calls it "bakers sugar".

[OCEllen]

Yes, and it works great!

[TheHuntress]

Caster sugar must be an Australian thing - it's the main sugar we use for baking over here. My guess is it's what you guys call granulated sugar. Like everyone has said here it is a fine sugar - imagine a very fine beach sand, that's probably about the right texture. I've made my own caster suger before (even though it's VERY readily available here) by running raw sugar through my thermomix to get the right size granules. But the coffee grinder as previously suggested is an excellent idea.

[Caitlin McGrath]

I know from British cookbooks that it is equally the standard there in baking. Granulated sugar in the US has larger grains, though smaller than raw sugar's grains. We can buy finer-grained sugar, but it does tend to cost quite a bit more.

[TheHuntress]

So your granulated sugar must be like what we just call white sugar. Caster sugar is about the same price as white sugar here - I never actually thought that people used anything other than caster sugar in baking (except if a recipe specifically called for a different sugar). Goes to show how ignorant I am LOL

[Caitlin McGrath]

Yeah, sounds about right, about white=granulated; people call it white sugar here, too, colloquially. Superfine sugar isn't a standard ingredient called for here, and is priced higher than plain granulated, which is what American baking recipes most often call for.

[TheHuntress]

Thanks for that, it's something I can remember when using an American recipe :)

[The Gunk]

Superfine sugar makes all the difference in making meringue "cookies". Once I read a recipe that explained the whole sugar thing in meringues...need complete dissolving of the sugar in the egg whites, I was finally able to make very successful meringue "cookies". I "made" my superfine sugar by putting it in the food processor. I have a Wolfgang Puck food processor that came with small "bowls" and I used one of these. Thank goodness, because here is the HUGE CAVEAT about "making" your own superfine sugar in your food processor...it will scratch up the plastic "bowl". Since this is not a serving bowl, not a big deal to me, but I think I would have been unhappy if the main "bowl" of the processor had been scratched. It literally rendered the plastic opaque. Given the success of my meringue "cookies", I highly recommend making sure you use superfine sugar. But, you'll have to decide about the damage to your equipment. The coffee grinder sounds like a good idea, provided coffee flavor is not picked up during the sugar grinding. We're not coffee drinkers, so I don't have one and, therefore, cannot try it out.

[weez1959]

I used my "MAGIC BULLET" to make caster sugar and it worked amazingly well and it didn't scratch the jar at all!! :o)

[beverly120165]

This is a great thing to know because I love my Bullet and would like to continue to use it...lol

[Ruthie789]

I do the same with my blender.

[Buquis]

Caster sugar, like everything else, is available from Amazon. You can find it, and the Domino Bar Sugar substitute there or enough info so you can look in your own area. In a large grocery -- you might try the liquer mixes, supplies area rather than the bakiing aisle.

Caster sugar is also available on line from King Arthur flour.

Caster sugar is a fine grind of granulated sugar. C&H makes a Baker's Sugar (available at supermarkets here in California) that works well in recipes that call for caster sugar.

Link: http://www.chsugar.com/Consumer/ch_bs_trans.html

Image: http://www.chsugar.com/Consumer/image...

[Mestralle]

That's what I use here in Michigan, too. I don't really even buy "plain old sugar" anymore. The baking sugar is a bit more expensive, but I don't go through a whole lot of sugar, so it's not worth it to me to try to store multiple types. It measures the same. It's sold in what looks like a cardboard milk carton.

This was a subject of some discussion at my house recently. Caster sugar is also what British people call "granulated sugar".

I do believe caster sugar is finer than the granulated sugar we get in the US, though, even if not as fine as our superfine granulated sugar. I think granulayed sugar is probably a fine substitution in most recipes.

Domino does sell an extra-fine granulated sugar that sounds pretty close to that description of caster sugar. It's mostly sold to the food service industry, but I've had good luck finding it in Asian supermarkets in the Boston area -- it comes in 5 lb. light brown bags, not their usual yellow and blue. It's finer than regular gran. sugar, but not as fine as the superfine available in the pricey little boxes.

[smartie]

no James caster sugar is caster sugar and granulated sugar is granulated sugar. Regular American sugar is what Brits call granulated sugar. Caster is finer. It is lighter to use in cakes etc.

It's also known as superfine sugar. This sugar melts and gets incorporated into things much more quickly because it's so fine. It's esp. useful in things like meringues. I've had success substituting regular sugar by simply grinding up the sugar (e.g. in a coffee grinder) until it's very fine.

But don't mistake it for 10X Superfine, which is also known as powdered sugar. Caster sugar is available in some gourmet grocery stores, but it is usually very expensive. I'm going to try the coffee grinder next time I need it!

A food processor works too.

[babette feasts]

Places that use caster sugar would call 10x 'icing sugar'.

Domino makes a superfine sugar that I find in grocery stores (Stop & Shop, StarMarket) in the Boston area. It's sold in a box that looks a lot like powdered sugar. I use it when I make pitchers of ice tea and lemonade in the summer. It shouldn't be difficult to find.

[apoletta]

Alternative Names%3

Bar Sugar

Berry Sugar

Castor Sugar

Extra Fine Sugar

Fruit Sugar

Instant Dissolving Sugar

Ultrafine Sugar

Uses:

Excellent for sprinkling over fruit or cereals, or in creamed mixtures, meringues and baking.

Superfine Sugar is used commercially in powdered preparations and dissolves easily in cold beverages.

Used in the preservation of fruits.

I found it as berry sugar... I want to make straberry flavored liquor mmmm.... with my own fresh berries!!