SaurabhCaster sugar is a very fine type of sugar that melts faster. It is commonly used in a variety of cakes, meringues, mousses, or souffles. However, it is suitable for most desserts.
If you don’t have caster sugar at hand, that doesn’t mean you can’t make a delicious dessert for your friends and family. We gathered plenty of alternatives for this sweetener that you can choose from.
The best substitute for caster sugar is powdered sugar as well as maple syrup. Read on to learn more about other alternatives you can use to make sweet and delicious desserts at home.
Substitutes for Caster Sugar
Use any substitute from the following list instead of caster sugar and you will not regret it. You might have to alter the cooking process but overall, your dessert will be a total success.
1. Powdered sugar
Powdered sugar is not the same as caster sugar. It is finer and it melts even faster. But it is one of the best substitutes for desserts such as cakes and puddings.
It will go great in ice cream and many icings as well. However, you should avoid using this sugar in dessert drinks or cocktails. Powdered sugar can provide the drinks a cloudy look and compromise their aspect.
2. Maple syrup
Maple syrup will replace caster sugar in desserts such as puddings, pies, or even different pastries. It will blend in with the rest of the ingredients nicely and give your dessert the level of sweetness you want. This syrup will also add a golden color to your dessert which is a plus in most cases.
3. Muscovado sugar
Muscovado sugar is a great substitute for caster sugar in most dishes because it adds just the right level of sweetness. So, you can use it in the same quantity as caster sugar.
This sugar type is brown in color and it melts fairly fast in all types of recipes. You can use it for cakes as well as ice cream and pastries but also in different icings and glazes.
However, you will find it more difficult in stores. However, if you do get your hands on it, know that it can replace caster sugar successfully.
4. Honey
Honey is a classic substitute for any kind of sugar and caster sugar makes no difference. You can use it in icings as well as cakes, pies, and any other desserts.
Honey goes well in all types of sweet drinks that you want to make at home and it is fairly easy to find on the market.
There are several types of honey to choose from so you can go for the one you prefer and like most. Ultimately, they will all sweeten your dessert or drink just like caster sugar would.
5. Corn syrup
Corn syrup is just as good as maple syrup when it comes to replacing caster sugar but it can be more difficult to find in stores. If you do get it, know that it can successfully replace caster sugar in desserts such as puddings, drinks, pies, and all kinds of pastries.
As a matter of fact, many products you find in stores use corn syrup as part of their ingredients. Corn syrup tends to be more concentrated so you will add less than the quantity of caster sugar that your recipe calls for.
6. Demerara sugar
When it comes to cakes and other baked recipes, you can always choose to use demerara sugar instead of caster sugar.
This sugar is brown in color so if you don’t care for this aspect, it is one of the best alternatives as well. It will melt fast and you can use it in the same quantity as you would use caster sugar.
The taste will not differ much as these two types of sugar have similar levels of sweetness. You can also use demerara sugar as a substitute for brown sugar as it is almost identical in color and level of sweetness and no one will be able to tell the difference.
7. Agave syrup
Agave syrup is very popular thanks to its high level of sweetness and similarity to honey and maple syrup. This syrup can even be sweeter than caster sugar so you might want to use less of it according to the level of sweetness you want to obtain.
Use it just like you would use honey or maple syrup in cakes, puddings, icings, or different drinks. Tasting your food as you are adding this substitute will help you determine how much to add in order to get the taste that you want.
8. Stevia sugar
Stevia sugar is a great alternative if you are searching for a healthier option than caster sugar or other sugar substitutes. Stevia sugar can be sweeter than caster sugar but it has no calories or artificial ingredients as it is made of stevia leaves.
It also melts just as fast as caster sugar and you can use it exactly the same. Taste your food as you are preparing it because you might have to add less of it. It’s the perfect replacement for caster sugar in any dessert.
9. Coconut sugar
Coconut sugar might not be among the first options you consider when you have to find a substitute for caster sugar. However, it is actually a very good choice.
Its color is a dark shade of brown so it will alter the aspect of your dessert but it is sweet enough to provide you a great taste. You can use it in a bigger quantity compared to caster sugar as it is not so sweet.
It has a coconut flavor that you will not find in other types of sugar. Coconut sugar melts nicely as well so you can use it in the same way you would use caster sugar.
10. Rice malt syrup
Another alternative to caster sugar that melts just as well is rice malt syrup. This syrup is often used instead of honey as well since it is sugar-free.
So, if you want to avoid sugar altogether, it might be one of the best options you can find. Rice malt syrup works well in baked desserts such as pies and cakes. Use it according to the level of sweetness you want to obtain.
Can You Use Normal Sugar Instead of Caster Sugar?
Normal sugar as it is, might not work as well as caster sugar works in most recipes. It can have crystals that are too big to melt easily and if they do melt it will take a longer time.
However, you can add your sugar to the blender and give it a finer texture after mixing it for up to three minutes. The opinions are split when it comes to using regular sugar as it is instead of caster sugar.
Some think this can be a good option while other experts still recommend blending it for best results. If you decide to use it as it is, without blending it, you can obtain the best results in baked dishes because the sugar will have more time to melt.
Can I Use Brown Sugar Instead of Caster Sugar?
The same rule that applies to regular sugar, applies to brown sugar. But keep in mind that brown sugar will also alter the way your dessert looks due to its color.
If this doesn’t bother you, blending brown sugar just like you would blend regular sugar will help you use it in most recipes. The sweetness level is similar. Therefore, you can count on obtaining the taste you want for your food.
Can I Make Caster Sugar at Home?
If you can’t find caster sugar or any of the substitutes, you can definitely try to make it by yourself. All you need is granulated sugar.
Put it in a blender or a coffee grinder and blend it for up to 2 minutes. This should give you the caster sugar you want in just a couple of minutes right in the comfort of your house.
Conclusion
It is important to use the right sweetener in your dessert not only to taste the way you want it but also to have the texture you expect.
Caster sugar is the sweetener of choice for many chefs but you can still obtain delicious desserts with one of the substitutes in this guide. If you decide to use a substitute, make sure to taste your food as you are making it to check that the level of sweetness is right.
As you saw in our selection, some replacements will add more sweetness than others and this is an important aspect to consider.
Decide the quantity of sweetener you want to add according to your preference and how sweet you want your final dish to be. Overall, you can’t go wrong with any of these replacements.
