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confectioners sugar
DCHP-2 (Nov 2016)
Spelling variants:confectioners' sugar, confectioner's sugar
n. — Food
icing sugar.
Type: 2. Preservation — Confectioners sugar is another name for what is more commonly known as icing sugar or powdered sugar. Icing sugar is not Canadian, despite earlier claims (see entry), while confectioners' sugar, now often without the apostrophe, is a British preservation. Chart 1 shows that today the term is most common in Canada, followed by the UK. Chart 2 shows that another variant, powdered sugar, is common in Commonwealth countries, but of limited use in the US.
Confectioners sugar (icing sugar) is finely granulated sugar with added cornstarch (see Canadian Sugar Institute reference).
Quotations
1888
Grate rind from one orange, add a speck of tartaric acid, 2 large tablespoonfuls of powdered or confectioners' sugar, and enough orange juice to mix into a smooth paste.
1891
Shell the peanuts, remove the skin, and break into small pieces, or not, as preferred. Take two cups of the confectioners' sugar and one cup of the peanuts. Put the sugar in a saucepan, and as soon as dissolved throw into it the nuts, stirring rapidly.
1963
Bake in moderate oven (350° (176) F.) about 30 minutes, or until done. Frost with confectioners sugar frosting. Yield: one stollen.
2014
Icing Sugar: Also known as confectioner's sugar or powdered sugar, it's actually a combination of very finely ground granulated sugar with the addition of cornstarch, which acts as an anti-clumping agent (ie. keeps it from turning into a solid lump of sugar when humidity is present). Dissolves very quickly, but can't be used as a straight-up replacement for other sugars due to the additional cornstarch.
References
- Canadian Sugar Institute • "Types of sugars"
Images
Chart 1: Internet Domain Search, 4 Jul. 2014
