Can I just use granulated sugar instead of caster sugar?

Caster sugar White sugar is milled into smaller crystals. It's also called superfine sugar. It dissolves more easily, making it perfect for recipes like custard from scratch, meringues and cakes. In most recipes you can substitute granulated sugar for caster sugar and vice versa .

Is 1 cup of caster sugar the same as 1 cup of granulated sugar?

If you measure by weight, they are exactly the same. Caster sugar granules are about a third of the size of granulated sugar, so if you measure by volume, you'll get more in there. It doesn't make a huge difference - probably less than 5%, although that might be enough to over-sweeten your recipe.

What is caster sugar called in the USA?

Caster, or castor, sugar is a type of fine granulated sugar that's widely available in the United Kingdom. It's not quite as common in the United States, though you can find it in some baking aisles under the name "superfine sugar." Its texture is somewhere between regular granulated sugar and confectioners' sugar.

Why is caster sugar so expensive?

Caster Sugar has been ground more finely, making the manufacturing process longer, and ultimately the cost higher . In the UK we are very used to recipe books and chefs advising us to use Caster Sugar. This is because it will dissolve quicker, due to the finer crystal, and give light fluffy cakes and bakes.

What is brown sugar called in England?

Light and dark brown sugar in the UK is a type of fine granulated sugar that has molasses added to it. Muscovado sugar is very similar but can be slightly moister and also comes in light and dark versions.

Why does caster sugar taste different to granulated sugar?

Caster sugar has a sweet taste just like white sugar. However, it has a finer texture than regular white sugar . When a small amount of caster sugar is placed on the tongue, it dissolves easily.

What sugar is best for cookies?

Granulated sugar Using granulated white sugar will result in a flatter, crispier and lighter-colored cookie. Granulated sugar is hygroscopic, so it attracts and absorbs the liquid in the dough. This slows down the development of the gluten (flour), which makes the cookies crispier.

Can I use brown sugar instead of caster sugar?

Darker sugars can be subbed into the place of white sugars, but it might make the final result of a cake darker and slightly moister.

What is the difference between granulated sugar and superfine sugar?

Superfine sugar is granulated sugar with a finer texture, but its smaller crystals dissolve faster and easier than regular granulated sugar . You can make your own superfine sugar by whirring regular granulated sugar in the food processor for a minute or two.

Can I use granulated sugar instead of sanding sugar?

If you do not have sanding sugar, you can also use granulated sugar in a pinch . 2. Using a toothpick, scrape off a pinhead-sized amount of food coloring gel from the tube. You need very little food coloring to color the sugar, and remember that you can always add more!

Caster Vs Granulated Sugar (2024)

The main difference between granulated (also known as white table sugar) and caster sugar (also know as super-fine sugar in North America) is the size of the grain.

Granulated is larger and more coarse (I once read that granulated is about 0.5mm in diameter while caster is about 0.35mm in diameter, although I’m not really sure who would measure them!). Because of this caster sugar is generally the most versatile and preferred of the two when baking – its small granules mixes more easily and dissolve more readily when combined with other ingredients giving biscuits, cakes, pastries etc. a more even, less coarse texture. You may have noticed if you have made a cake with granulated sugar that it sometimes can have a ‘speckled’ appearance (on the crust and/or in the crumb) – this is the undissolved sugar in the batter as it is less likely to dissolve than caster sugar.Your cakes and biscuits will have a slightly finer texture when using caster sugar while if you use granulated sugar, your cakes will have a slightly coarser texture and your biscuits will be more crunchy.

Caster sugar is also best to use when making meringues and pavlova because of its ability to dissolve more quickly. Granulated sugar however is great when making toffee (it is less likely to crystalize), and in general cooking and in baking when your want a slightly coarser texture (for example, I often make a traditional Scottish shortbread that has a better, more suitable texture when made with granulated sugar).

My advice is to use whichever sugar is specified in the recipe and if you don’t have caster sugar in your cupboard you can always make it by processing granulated sugar in a food processor or blender using the pulse button until finely ground.

It’s also good to note that icing sugar is just a finer version of caster sugar, with the crystals being ground to a fine powder.

Caster Vs Granulated Sugar (2024)

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