Does anyone know what the difference between UK icing sugar and US powdered sugar is? I've been looking around, and I can't figure it out, but I know there is definitely a difference.
Are you sure that couldn't be down to differences in brand or processing form what you're used to? It's pretty well recognized that it's the same thing in general.
It could be, yes. I found one source that seems to suggest powdered sugar is more finely ground, and one that seems to say US powdered sugar all contains cornstarch, not sure that icing sugar has that.
I lived in NJ for 12 years, and was completely confused by this question for several months when I first left the UK. In those days, there weren't websites, there was pretty much BBs and IRC. Thank goodness for graphical interfaces...
My experience is that there is no difference between powdered/confectioner's sugar and icing sugar. I have made cakes on both sides of the Atlantic, and never found anything to indicate differently.
No, I've not noticed any difference in baking, and I wouldn't expect to. They are functionally the same. They just taste/feel different when eaten by itself, and I'm just curious as to why. I'm really thinking it's the cornstarch thing...I might have to experiment. :]
It probably has to do with the way they manufacture it. When they manufacture products like powders, they generally include chemical additives that make it so the product has good flow, and doesn't clump up in the machines. It is likely that the different taste is from using different additives. That explains why there is no difference when baking, because the additives behave the same and serve the same function. They just taste a little bit different, and probably make the texture of the finished product slightly different.
There is a difference. American icing sugar which is what Tate and Lyle icing sugar in Britain now is, doesn't make good British Royal icing. it looks like concrete, is very grainy and doesn't work as royal icing for piping, apparently the starch of maize breaks it down. It probably makes good custard and possibly gravy which is what we use corn starch for. If you sample the raw product it is definitely not icing sugar as it used to be before ASR took over the British Tate and Lyle sugar refineries. Silver Spoon British icing sugar is made from sugar beet which is sweeter to my taste than Tate and Lyle one, though they are supposed to be the same sugar whichever the source is. However silver spoon does not have maize in it. the powder looks different and it feels different if you run it between your fingers. we always used to sift our sugar, If you can use it without sifting it it probably has other things in than the traditional sugar and E341 (calcium phosphate)British sugar as we knew it traditionally which makes sense once you
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My experience is that there is no difference between powdered/confectioner's sugar and icing sugar. I have made cakes on both sides of the Atlantic, and never found anything to indicate differently.
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http://www.understandingfoodadditives.org/pages/Ch2p7-1.htm
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