Raw sugar into standard white sugar

[missgrunge]

Hi,
I did run a search but couldn't find anything - could some kind person please tell me the recipe for grinding raw sugar into standard, everyday white sugar - not castor sugar, but the sort of sugar that DH puts into his tea.
Many thanks,
Miss G.

[bluesed]

I must admit i've never tried to grind raw sugar but i guess its a question of how much time you grind it. I suggest you try out with 100-200g and give it about 3 sec at speed 8 and then see how it turns out. And then another 3 secs if its not fine enough.
Anyway its hard to give you specific directions as raw sugar comes in different grain sizes.

[andiesenji]

I don't think raw sugar, with its higher moisture content, can be turned into "white" sugar. 
You can grind it finer but it will never be the same as white sugar because the process that creates that product requires bleaching and dehydrating with heat and high pressure air blasts that literally explode the sugar crystals. 

Raw sugar is simply unrefined crystals that have precipitated out of raw sugar syrup with the least amount of processing and without chemicals. 

[JulieO]

We've been using raw sugar for about 30 years now and just use it as is in our tea or coffee.  It still dissolves just fine so no real need to grind IMO. 

[thermoheaven]

The only things you can grind raw sugar into in the tm is either raw caster sugar or raw icing sugar. White sugar is bleached sugar and raw sugar still has the "impurities" (the stuf that makes it not white) in it.

[achookwoman]

I use Raw Sug. in cooking.  I grind 300g, 20 sec. on 9.  I usually do 1K. at a time and store it in a container.

[missgrunge]

Thanks JulieO and Chookwoman.  I'll have to get DH to try it in his tea.  If it passes the Earl Grey taste test then I won't bother grinding it, if he whinges about the flavour then I'll zap it for a few seconds and see what I get.

The consultant who sold me the machine assured me that I needed to buy only raw sugar henceforth, and could 'make' all my whiter sugars from it with varying degrees of grinding.  She told me this was better for my wallet and better for my health.  Hope the TM trainers haven't been telling porkies

Miss G.

[judydawn]

I don't find raw sugar is any cheaper to buy than white sugar  Am I shopping at the wrong place 

[zebraa]

rapadura is the least processed and is similar in texture to raw. Vewy exxy though so I often buy raw and blitz it for 2-3 secs at S8 to get a rough caster sugar. but unblitzed dissolves fine in tea and coffee.

Just give it a go. It's not like you are going to have a disaster on your hands if you make icing sugar.

[andiesenji]

The story here in the U.S. is that raw sugars are more expensive to package and store because they are more hygroscopic (absorb water easily) than white sugar. 

At least that is the story touted by manufacturers for adding dollars onto a  product that needs the least amount of processing and which should be correspondingly cheaper.
It seems to be a good marketing ploy because a lot of people are buying "raw" sugar in its various guises.

The first truly commercial one that showed up in the U.S.  thirty-some years ago was "Sugar-In-The-Raw" in little packets and which at the time cost more than twice what white sugar in the same size packets cost.
I know this because at the time I was catering and often was requested to supply the raw stuff in addition to regular sugar, saccharine and sodium cyclamate (before it was outlawed here). 
Often I had to listen with a straight face while I was assured that the raw sugar had "less calories" than white sugar.  But then again, one had to consider the source.  These sweet young things were the equivalent of Britney Spears or Paris Hilton in their era.   

There are some advantage to using raw sugars because they add to the flavor of some foods in addition to the sweetness.

I buy and use palm sugar (wet, in a jar) or jaggery (dry, in a large lump) to certain foods because these add an authentic flavor to sambals and etc.   Any brown sugar or non-refined sugar is an adequate substitute. 

I say use what you like, when you like.  Frankly, I don't think there is anything wrong with using white sugar.  You can grind white granulated sugar to superfine or caster sugar (long known as "bar" sugar in the U.S.) and also to powdered sugar or XXXXX sugar but without the additives in commercial powdered sugar. 

I've tried grinding raw sugar to powdered sugar but I personally do not like the molasses-like flavor it imparts to certain delicate meringues but that is just me.  If you like it use it. 

[johnro]

I have been using raw sugar for years for everything, except for when the end product needs to be a true 'white' (meringues, fondant.marshmallow) with the reasons given by Andie in the above post. Thanks Andie for the wealth of information which you frequently provide for us - in fact I have been known to quote from you in hospitality classes.   

[missgrunge]

Ok, so the hubby has tried raw sugar in his tea and doesn't like the 'brown'  taste.  I'm going to try grinding it and hope I don't get icing sugar.

Thanks for all the suggestions,
Miss G.

[Amanda]

We've used raw sugar exclusively forever and I can't tell the difference in taste.   
Certainly don't get any "brown" taste.  I'd suggest a sneaky desensitising program on the bloke.  Keep some white sugar on hand so he thinks you are using it, but every chance you get sub some raw when he can't see and see if he can tell the difference.  If he is a real hard case, try mixing the two (when he doesn't see you add it) and gradually phasing out the white. 

[judydawn]

Great advice Amanda, women are so cunning and clever 

[missgrunge]

Amanda, you are a sneaky one!