https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 10 Apr 2026 18:04:59 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baking-beeswhat-kind-of-sugar#post-2309766 Sat, 03 Oct 2015 16:42:44 +0000 tofuwad 2309766@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've also heard that sugar called sanding sugar. But I usually buy turbinado sugar at Trader Joes. And you don't need a food processor for making most things, it just helps when you need to cut butter into flour. But you can use a pastry cutter or your fingers or a fork. </p> <p>I think the only thing I've made that definitely needs a food processor is almond paste or marzipan. And that's because you're grinding nuts into a paste. And I think I made superfine sugar for an angel food cake by pulsing regular sugar in a food processor. But you can just buy superfine sugar. </p> <p>And with everything else I just pay attention to dates. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baking-beeswhat-kind-of-sugar#post-2309746 Sat, 03 Oct 2015 15:46:16 +0000 MrsSRS 2309746@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sugar in the raw is in most grocery stores and works like turbinado to top things </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baking-beeswhat-kind-of-sugar#post-2309731 Sat, 03 Oct 2015 14:56:29 +0000 MrsSCB 2309731@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: definitely good to go without the food processor! I usually just mix the filling with my hands :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baking-beeswhat-kind-of-sugar#post-2309718 Sat, 03 Oct 2015 14:32:16 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2309718@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: ok. I'm not quite there with the homemade pie crust. Pillsbury dough works for my taste buds for now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baking-beeswhat-kind-of-sugar#post-2309713 Sat, 03 Oct 2015 14:19:47 +0000 MrsSCB 2309713@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: if you're making a pie, a food processor is definitely not necessary. Food processors are the ones with a top and blades to chop stuff (like a giant blender). A lot of people use them to make pie crust. I guess you can make crust more quickly that way, but I actually prefer to do without. You don't want to chop the butter too small, because chunks of butter are what make the crust flaky. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baking-beeswhat-kind-of-sugar#post-2309699 Sat, 03 Oct 2015 13:42:48 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2309699@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@WinterBee: isn't a food processor the thing that pulses to help combine things and has a lid? The apple blackberry pie recipe on the HB blog references a food processor. I've used the stand mixer to make cookies and cheesecake.</p> <p> @oliviaoblivia: @MrsSCB: oh wow, the flour sure does have an expiration date! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baking-beeswhat-kind-of-sugar#post-2309698 Sat, 03 Oct 2015 13:34:18 +0000 MrsH 2309698@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Turbinado sugar </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baking-beeswhat-kind-of-sugar#post-2309605 Sat, 03 Oct 2015 09:39:10 +0000 WinterBee 2309605@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@oliviaoblivia: +1. pretty much exactly what she said.</p> <p>I go through my baking ingredients quickly too, but I would say if it's over a year get some fresh stuff. Except for spices (cinnamon, all spice ect. That stuff last's forever lol)</p> <p>You can buy a fairly inexpensive hand mixer, before I got my stand mixer (which I think you meant by food processor?) I used a hand one all the time! To the point it actually blew up lol. But, I was in college and couldn't afford a nice one.</p> <p>You can just use a fork or spoon, but it takes much much longer to mix by hand, and is kind of a pain in the but.</p> <p>I usually put sugar on my pies too, but I usually just use our regular granulated sugar because I don't have any coarse or sanding sugar around the house. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baking-beeswhat-kind-of-sugar#post-2309530 Sat, 03 Oct 2015 08:06:39 +0000 MrsSCB 2309530@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If it's brown, my guess would be Demerara sugar. Here's an article describing it and a couple others. I've seen Demerara called for as a topping: <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-muscovado-145157" rel="nofollow">http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-muscovado-145157</a></p> <p>PS: spices I keep around pretty much forever, although I'm guessing fancier cooks/bakers might object to that :-) same for corn starch. Flour I generally use pretty quickly. Do any have expiration dates? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baking-beeswhat-kind-of-sugar#post-2309527 Sat, 03 Oct 2015 08:01:38 +0000 oliviaoblivia 2309527@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like using a stand mixer when baking because it frees up my hands to be doing other things while mixing. Not a necessity for casual bakers though.</p> <p>Sanding sugar is used on top of baked goods for that ice crystal look.</p> <p>I go through baking ingredients fairly regularly. If say none are in my pantry longer than six months. I'd probably buy fresh rather than use the year old stuff... Are you sure it's not expired? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baking-beeswhat-kind-of-sugar#post-2309525 Sat, 03 Oct 2015 07:55:51 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2309525@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm barely a PT baker, more like pick one holiday and follow a new recipe. We have some baking enthusiasts on here, so please help me!</p> <p>Have you ever seem thick pieces of sugar on top of muffins and pie crusts? What kind of sugar is that? The sugar is thick like the brown raw sugar packets and it doesn't seem to melt in the oven.</p> <p>Also, is a food processor necessary for mixing ingredients? I usually bake at my mom's house and use her Kitchenaid mixer, but neither of us have other "baker" gadgets.</p> <p>Another thing, how long do you usually keep flour, corn starch, and baking spices around? I have items sealed, but most were purchased three years ago. </p>