Powdered Sugar

A finely pulverized sugar that dissolves quickly without using heat. It is used dry to provide a thin white coating for decoration on baked goods or it is mixed with other ingredients, such as milk, butter and flavoring, to create a frostings, icings, and glazes for cakes, cookies and pasteries. Powdered sugar can be used as a barrier to keep fillings from being totally absorbed into surrounding foods. As an example, by sprinkling a dusting of powdered sugar in pastry shells, it will keep the icing from making the shell soggy. Pie shells and cake layers are two additional examples where a dusting of powdered sugar helps to keep the icing from being absorbed.

Despite the compact texture of the sugar, it can be measured the same as granular sugar. To store, keep in a cool dry area since it does not need to be refrigerated. Powdered sugar is also referred to as confectioners' sugar or icing sugar.