Differences Between Sugars

Our answer

Unfortunately sugars vary across the world but in the UK for white refined sugars there is most commonly granulated, caster and icing sugar. Granulated sugar has larger granules than caster sugar and is used for general cooking, syrups and for sweetening hot drinks. Caster sugar has smaller grains that dissolve more easily, so it is used in the UK for all types of baking. Icing sugar is very finely ground to a powder (and has small amounts cornflour or a similar anti-caking agent added) and dissolves instantly so is used for both glace and simple buttercream icings.

In the US granulated sugar is finer than the UK and is usually used for recipes where butter and sugar are creamed together, such as cookies and cakes. Superfine sugar is even finer, similar to caster sugar, and should be used for meringues and recipes where the sugar needs to dissolve quickly. Confectioner's sugar, sometimes known as powdered sugar, is the same as icing sugar. In Europe most granulated sugar is also quite fine so can be used for most baking. In some areas you can buy a finer sugar that is closer to caster sugar, in France it is called sucre en poudre. Icing sugar is known as puderzuker in Germany, sucre glace in French and zucchero a velo in Italian.