Icing sugar

Icing sugar is a kind of sugar that has been powdered or crushed until its crystals are inferior to 0.15 mm and 2 or 3% of starch is added. The starch is very important as it prevents the sugar from clotting due to its high hygroscopicity.

The name comes from the French term glace, which is pronounced /glas/ and is used in the French culinary expression sucre glace, in clear reference to ice. This is due to the icy appearance icing sugar gives to many pastries.

It is used in bakery just like regular sugar or to cover and decorate desserts and sweets. Thanks to its texture, icing sugar on top of a dessert gives an instant sweet flavour, as it melts faster in your mouth than regular sugar.