Aaaaarrrgh! I Hate Sifting Powdered Sugar!
Decorating By BakingGirl Updated 10 Mar 2007 , 4:46am by southrnhearts
Powdered sugar is just the most hideous substance on earth. It is impossible to sift! I have a crank sifter and a trigger sifter, neither of which seems to get the job done in any hurry. 
I normally make meringue based icings just because I don't have to deal with the powdered sugar but I need traditional buttercream for a FBCT. My kitchen looks like there has been major snowfall in there. The recipe says to sift 2lb of powdered sugar 5 
times, I am going to be here until midnight!
Is there a better way???
I don't sift my powdered sugar I personally don't see the necessity of it.
cocakedecorator,
is there any difference in texture of the finished buttercream if you don't sift. Ooooh, I am tempted to skip it!
YOU HAVE TO SIFT IT 5 TIMES! I hate sifting powder sugar too, but I only do it once and that is just to make sure there are no lumps.
My big sifter broke so I have been using my mesh sifter basket and it is easier on the hand and much quicker. I do have a static problem with the colder weather so it does tend to fly everywhere. 
I've been doing cakes for 29 years and I have never sifted my powdered sugar....unless I can see major lumps in it. A tip that will help you out in the future....look for brands of powdered sugar that has a number and an X by it. Example: 7X or 9X.....this means it's already been sifted that many times. Some brands will have this listed on the bag.
Diane's Cakery
MelZ,
What difference does sifting the PS 5 times make? Just curious? Do you do it with all buttercreams?
Littlemom and Fooby, I agree the strainer is the best method but my big one is broken and I cannot find a replacement here. Next time I am in the US I will buy the biggest one I can find.
Cakery, I never knew that. I thought the X had something to do with how fine the sugar has been milled. You learn something new every day.
In the end I sifted once, the BC looks smooth but the proof is in the pudding as they say. I have not made enough PS buttercreams to know if this is as it should be.
I just sift once w/a strainer. I have a 3 screen one w/a trigger on it...it is a HUGE PAIN. The sugar gets all crammed up between screens.
I can tell my BC is lumpy looking if I don't sift...but I don't think I'd EVER get anything done if I had to sift FIVE TIMES!!!
I have NEVER sifted powdered sugar. What's the purpose?? I never have lumps in my frosting. I think I would give up BC if I had to sift 5 times!!
I used to never sift, and then once....my buttercream turned out all lumpy and that whole batch (which was a double batch) was ruined........so now I am a sifter..........however I buy 10X PS now and it nearly just falls through the sifter....so I probably wouldnt have to do it anymore....but since I almost always am making up a double batch...I just cannot stand to take that chance!
I don't sift my ps either. Sometimes if the brand I bought is on the lumpy side I put it in a bowl and whisk it to get the lumps out but usually I just use it right out of the bag and never have had any problems.
I would try it without sifting and see if there is any difference because that seems to be such a hassle especially if it doesn't even do anything. Let me know if you do this and what the outcome is..I'm curious now!
Sorry MelZ, I can't read 
. I went back to read over and you were clear. Sorry about that.
So the overall agreement is 0 to 1 sift. Sounds reasonable. It is the recipe for buttercream for FBCT that asks you to sift 5 times. I have never seen any recipe ask you to sift 5 times before, it seems silly. Don't really see what you will gain by doing it another 4 times apart from adding lots of air which surely will just give your icing bubbles.
I only have one more comment about sifting......the recipe that someone gave me was for 5 cups of ps AFTER sifting....so if I didnt sift I would have to adjust that down (since sifting does make it fluffier it would be like 4 1/2 cups or something) so to me that always made me keep sifting (by now you would think I would be able to tell if it didnt look right now wouldnt you).
<<<<< never sifted and makes great FBCTs ..... no lumps!
I think I inhale enough of the crap as it is, without sifting, and with my KA, Ive just never had a problem with lumps either.
I always sift dry ingredients (powder sugar incl.) together just to make sure they are mixed evenly and get the lumps out especially when it is humid here. I HATE IT!!!! I use mesh strainer and it is a mess but not as messy as using a food processor as per Alton Browns suggestion. Talk about a snow storm.
Well as someone just getting started I don't sift, I can't say that I do or don't notice a difference because I haven't tried it both ways. I can say I have been satisfied with how my bc has turned out so I don't feel it's necessary to buy a sifter that will hold a few cups of the THREE pounds of powdered sugar a recipe calls for! I suppose if I were a professional who needed more consistant results I would consider things like that more.
PS. I never knew powdered sugar was so gross. When that stuff is setting the smoke alarms off it is the most awful smell. Doesn't smell "sweet" at all! However, if I stick out my tongue, I am rewarded. Am I the only wierd one who sticks out my tongue to see what the dust "tastes" like? I have a really old mixer and am sometimes concerned it really is smoke, so I test the air to ensure it is just the sugar!
I did some Googling and discovered that the "X" factor on the powdered sugar bag/box doesn't have to do with the number of times it has been sifted, but rather the "fineness" of the sugar. Here's some info:
Powdered — Finely-ground granulated sugar to which a small amount (3%) corn starch has been added to prevent caking. The fineness to which the granulated sugar is ground determines the familiar "X" factor: 14X is finer than 12X, and so on down through 10X, 8X, 6X (the most commonly used) and 4X, the coarsest powdered sugar.
I did some Googling and discovered that the "X" factor on the powdered sugar bag/box doesn't have to do with the number of times it has been sifted, but rather the "fineness" of the sugar. Here's some info:
Powdered Finely-ground granulated sugar to which a small amount (3%) corn starch has been added to prevent caking. The fineness to which the granulated sugar is ground determines the familiar "X" factor: 14X is finer than 12X, and so on down through 10X, 8X, 6X (the most commonly used) and 4X, the coarsest powdered sugar.
That is pretty interesting. You would think that 6x (which is what I was told to use by my instructor) would be finer than the 10x that you find in the grocery stores and yet it is the other way around.
Here is what I found on another site about the X on the powderd sugar...and thus the reason as an instructor we share about the higher the number, it's been process/sifted for the finer contents.
POWDERED = CONFECTIONER'S = ICING: Called by all names, it is finely crushed white sugar ground to a smooth powder and then sifted before putting it in a box or bag for sale. Confectioners sugar is available in different finenesses; 10X is a certain size grain, vs. say, 4X. The higher the number, the finer it is such as the 10X confectioners sugar available in supermarkets. You can't make finer powdered sugar at home because no home processor will grind it to that powdery texture.
Well as someone just getting started I don't sift, I can't say that I do or don't notice a difference because I haven't tried it both ways. I can say I have been satisfied with how my bc has turned out so I don't feel it's necessary to buy a sifter that will hold a few cups of the THREE pounds of powdered sugar a recipe calls for! I suppose if I were a professional who needed more consistant results I would consider things like that more.
PS. I never knew powdered sugar was so gross. When that stuff is setting the smoke alarms off it is the most awful smell. Doesn't smell "sweet" at all! However, if I stick out my tongue, I am rewarded. Am I the only wierd one who sticks out my tongue to see what the dust "tastes" like? I have a really old mixer and am sometimes concerned it really is smoke, so I test the air to ensure it is just the sugar!
Are you serious, does your smoke alarm really go off? If so it's your mixer not the PS.
I never knew to sift until recently. I sift now and I do see a difference. The icing seems lighter and not so dense.
What brands of ps are you all using? Do you buy it in your local grocery store or order it somewhere. I live in a small town and our two grocery stores only carries some cheap off brand and C&H ps. Just curious if I should be using something different??
I always sift, once when I didn't, my BC had little clumps in it. I'm sure it depends on what brand you use, also, and I can't get some of the better brands here.
I saw something on Good Eats last night about putting flour in the food processor instead of sifting it. I am wondering if this would work with p.s., I think I am going to try it today. It's much easier to wash the food processor than sift pounds and pounds of p.s.!!
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Sugarbunz wrote:
Well as someone just getting started I don't sift, I can't say that I do or don't notice a difference because I haven't tried it both ways. I can say I have been satisfied with how my bc has turned out so I don't feel it's necessary to buy a sifter that will hold a few cups of the THREE pounds of powdered sugar a recipe calls for! I suppose if I were a professional who needed more consistant results I would consider things like that more.
PS. I never knew powdered sugar was so gross. When that stuff is setting the smoke alarms off it is the most awful smell. Doesn't smell "sweet" at all! However, if I stick out my tongue, I am rewarded. Am I the only wierd one who sticks out my tongue to see what the dust "tastes" like? I have a really old mixer and am sometimes concerned it really is smoke, so I test the air to ensure it is just the sugar!
Are you serious, does your smoke alarm really go off? If so it's your mixer not the PS.
I never knew to sift until recently. I sift now and I do see a difference. The icing seems lighter and not so dense.
Nah, I was really exaggerating but I often think it will set it off, it gets so powdery in the room.
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