Superfine Sugar

Processed

Superfine Sugar

A tier

Superfine sugar is the North American name for a crystal sitting between granulated and icing—essentially caster under another shop label. Cocktails, cold teas, and sponge cakes like it because it vanishes before the ice melts. It still has distinct crystals; it is not a starch-cut powder. If a US recipe says superfine and a UK recipe says caster, they are asking for the same behaviour. Do not substitute icing sugar cup-for-cup: the starch and the packing density will wreck a meringue. Pulse granulated if you must, then stop while it still sparkles.

Track this ingredient

Unit

Characteristics

Preparations

Cold DrinkMeringueSponge

Traits

Bar SugarCaster CousinCocktail DissolveFine US CrystalNot PowderedQuick VanishSparkleStill Crystalline

History

US

American refiners sold superfine as a cocktail and cake crystal finer than table granulated.

Bar manuals specified superfine so sugar would dissolve in cold drinks.

Box-cake and meringue recipes in the US called for superfine by name.

Cross-Atlantic baking blogs treated superfine and caster as interchangeable.

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