Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

I started to make some flower paste, and realized I didn’t have enough icing sugar, so would it just be the same if I pulverized some granulated to powder?
If so, would I need to add anything, as on my bag of icing sugar, it says it includes anti clumping agent. I’d be using it straight away, so doubt if I need this item.
Many Thanks
sx

From Wikipedia:

One can make powdered sugar (icing sugar) at home by putting normal granulated sugar in a coffee grinder or grinding it by hand in a mortar and pestle.

Hi Jojo99
Thank you 🙂
I had googled it first, but just wondered if anyone here had tried it, and if there was any difference to the bought stuff.

Sx

Hi Sharon

I have never really managed to get it into a fine powder, the sugar always has a gritty feel. You may be able to get it more fine in a coffee blender, but you’d have to do very small amounts so it’ll take you a while to produce a reasonable amount. You wouldn’t need anti clumping agent or corn flour if you are using it straight away. All anti caking does is absorbs moisture so the icing sugar flows freely. I’ve read articles where people are making their own icing sugar because they don’t want additives. I guess it must be possible!

Hi MIWL
Just had a go, but mine’s a bit gritty too, might do it a bit longer, but using food processor, as never used coffee grinder, so got rid of it 🙁
Mmm, now what can I make with 750g of gritty sugar…..

Sx

Sharon, you could use your gritty sugar to bake a cake, it won’t get wasted. I found It wouldn’t go down any finer so finally used it to make meringue. x

No, I couldn’t get it any finer either, tried food processor, liquidizer and my braun thingy, just made lots of mess, but glad to know I can still use it ok 🙂
I actually just saw a chef on videojug making icing sugar, and he used equal amounts of granulated sugar and cornflour!, that doesn’t seem right to me, and I wouldn’t want to make buttercream with that….anyway, end of experiment for me LOL

Hi Sharon..
I Googled it myself because I’d never tried it.
Personally it would seem to me to be so much easier to go to the shop and buy more but then I’m probably spoiled because I live close to a shop that stays open till 10pm…..and I think decorating your cake is enough work without having to become a slave in the kitchen to produce the sugar paste :o)

You can use it as Castor sugar for baking. That’s how I make my castor sugar for my recipes when it calls for it.

Thanks everyone for your help, and will leave well alone in future, although might make my caster sugar LOL
I wouldn’t make my sugar paste either jojo, but I was in the middle of making a bit of flower paste, which I certainly do make, as it’s so much cheaper, and didn’t have quite enough icing sugar, so hence, this was the start of my little experiment :-0 Pity it didn’t work though, as i do seem to use a lot of the stuff.

Sx

I’ve never made or used flower paste, care to share your recipe?
I’ve bought a pack but as you said it’s expensive and I’m saving it for the right cake project 🙂

Certainly jojo, think it’s already on here, but wouldn’t know where 🙂
This is the recipe we all use at my night class, and it’s also the recipe in Alan Dunns book.
I use my Kenwood mixer, but can be done by hand. (Teaspoon is 5g)

Ingredients are:
5tsp cold water
2tsp powdered gelatine
1lb icing sugar
3tsp gum trag
3tsp white veg fat
white of a large egg

1. dissolve 2 teaspoons powdered gelatine in 5 teasp cold water, for 30mins
When gelatine is spongy, add 3tsp liquid glucose, and 3 teasponns of trex, then melt these 3 ingredients over a pan of simmering water (i do mine in the microwave, a few seconds at a time) don’t boil! Stir together.

While this is doing you could warm 1lb sifted icing sugar, with 3 teasp gum tragacanth. Add this to your mixer.
Make a well in the sugar, add the melted ingredients, plus a large unbeaten egg whiite, and mix for about a minute.
The mixture becomes stringy
With greased hands, turn out and knead. Roll into a sausage shape, wrap well, and leave for 24hrs.
Next day it will be firm, cut into portions, wrap in plastic, and freeze if you want.

Hi Sharon,

if making your flower paste, do you think you could add the gel colours to the mix for the colour required or does it go sticky.

Jackie

hi Jackie
I’ve never added colour, but can’t really see a problem, and as the gels are so concentrated, don’t suppose you’d be adding very much. if no one comes up with an answer for you, then I can ask my sugarcraft teacher next week, and let you know.

Hi Jackie

Yes you have to use gel colours and not the food colours which can be bought in supermarkets they are too liquid and will make your paste very sticky. Add the colour a little at a time, colours develop on resting so just add enough until you get the colour you want.

Thanks Sharon, I’m going to print out your recipe and will try it out of these days, I don’t think I have any gum tragacanth so I’ll need to pick that up 🙂