Powder Sugar...w/Cornstarch?

Yes. There's been cornstarch in powdered sugar for *years*, probably since it became commercially available. (I remember asking my mom about it 30+ years ago, so it's been that long.) It keeps the sugar from caking. Modern recipes assume the cornstarch is there.

If you're doing historical baking or confectionary, it *might* affect (note correct word usage) the end result. If you don't like the result using purchased powdered sugar, you might try powdering your own sugar. A friend of mine who does medieval confectionary powders his own sugar, and says it's a lot of work, but for what he does it's essential.

jenn

-- Jenn Ridley : snipped-for-privacy@chartermi.net

Not all powdered sugar has cornstarch in it. That is particularly true in Europe.

Is it really that hard? I haven't bought powdered sugar or brown sugar for at least a dozen years -- buzz it in the blender to make powdered sugar, and stir in molasses to make brown sugar.

Or is he not allowed to use a blender?

It *is* particularly true in Denmark, where I can't get the damned stuff without cornstarch (this is a major peeve, the lack of choice of staple products). I can't determine whether it's the sugar itself which is somehow more coarse or whether it's the cornstarch (where I'm placing my first bet) that makes my uncooked frostings (butter, powdered sugar, flavoring) gritty. But I haven't found a solution to it yet (beyond making a cooked-type frosting, which I don't really want to do) and it really does irk me.

I wonder if it really is as simple as buying sugar in another country. :P

-j

My bet would be on the sugar making it gritty. Cornstarch is not gritty in itself and there is very little included in the sugar. Not all sugar is ground to the same coarseness. The sugar that I get at Sam's or Costco is not as fine as that sold at the cake supply store. I also don't think one can come close to producing very fine, uniform powdered sugar at home in the blender or food processor. I have tried and it doesn't work well. Perhaps if you have something akin to a Vitamix blender it works, but not with a generic home unit.

You could very well be right, I suppose, although it's not the outcome I was hoping for. I can see it now -- I'm going to have to start buying powdered sugar when I travel ... and try to explain that strange white powder in my carryon or suitcase. *chuckle* Sometimes, life is complicated.

-j

In the USA, you can find powdered sugar without cornstarch in "natural" or "health" food stores.

When out of confectionery sugar,, I grind sugar in my coffee grinder. (then again.. I didn't need much..) Chuck

My mother used to grind sugar i a coffee grinder. Don't know if powdered sugar would become finer using that method, though, because my mother ground crystals/

Just stopped in for a brief moment and read your post.

I heard and just tried making fine sugar in my Vita Mix. The sugar comes out very very fine but still not that of cakes. The problem I had is to get the sugar to travel into the center and recirculate you have to do at least four cups at a time. It did a great job but not for 2 cups or less, at those amounts the sugar begins to heat and smell like cotton candy :-)

Rich

Vitamix is a great blender, but I agree, it's too big for this kind of job. I use a little whirly-blade coffee mill my wife keeps for grinding herbs and flax seed. (I use a burr grinder for coffee.) It takes about a cup at atime, and in 30-60 seconds, reduces granulated sugar to a very fine powder.

Dave