Okay, which do you prefer when it comes to sifting your powdered sugar?


I have found after using a regular sifter for the last seven years... that using a mesh strainer is the easiest way to sift powdered sugar. It doesn't take half a century, just no time at all!


Amy

I like a mesh strainer, no carpal tunnel syndrome from the repetitive motion of moving the sifter handle back and forth.

You got it Shirley~ It's so much easier. I discovered using the mesh strainer when I was at my sister's making royal for my show cake. That's how she does it!! That was a big DUH!!! moment for me!!!!!


I have a big big deep steel bowl I sift my sugar into that way I still have the sides of the bowl free to sift more than 2 pounds in the same bowl.


Amy

Strainer all the way.

I have a sifter that I generally don't use because it takes forever, my hand falls off and it is IMPOSSIBLE to clean.

I used to prefer the mesh strainer. My only complaint with that was that it was messy.

I now just put my powdered sugar into a bowl or a cannister and run my wire whisk through it. You achieve the same result and it's a lot faster and there's no mess at all. I think I saw this trick on the Martha Stewart Show.

OMG, I thought it was just me fighting a battle with my sifter! It took too long to use, because I kept having to take a massage break to get the grip and feeling back into my wrist and hand!!
I bought a strainer from the Dollar Tree and love it, I never knew it could be so easy...sometimes I am slow....

I love to use my Grandmothers old sifter - it is one of the ones that has a handle and crank knob and is red/white. I actually purchased a new sifter thinking that I would like it better - but it does hurt my hand when I use it. I always go back to the old one.

Mesh strainer here too..

Can't be slower than me. It took me 7 years!!!!!!!!! Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Shirley has probably been doing it for 100!!!!!! Love you Shirley!!!!!



Amy

You know, I have a crank one too that I bought about a year ago and that one even hurts my hand. Not the "cranking" hand but the one that holds the darn thing.


Amy

Mesh strainer works better for me, faster too it seems.

and another vote for mesh --- is there any other way?


(and for his next experiment -- is thinking about figuring out a way to rig one of those little 3 legged battery powered back massagers to the strainer so it shakes itself)

Definitely mesh strainer--although I tried several sifters over the last few years. I finally wised up after noticing how many of the people on the Foodnetwork used the strainer.

(Doug--Your idea sounds very promising . . . . You'll have to keep us posted.)

Modern technology!!!! Let me know when you get the patent Doug!!!


Amy

I'm telling you...you gotta give the wire whisk thing a try. It is even quicker than the mesh strainer.

Just run the whisk through the sugar and it will be just as sifted as with the mesh strainer. I tried it once and now that's all I use.

Just a regulary ol' wire whisk? Really!!! I would think that would "sift" it but I will definately give it a whirl!!!

Thank you for the tip!!!!!


Amy

Yep, just a regular ol' wire whisk.

Strainer???Sifter??? what is this the dark ages...LOL
I actually take my Powdered sugar for a spin in my food processor. It does it all in a matter of microseconds. That is how I mix all my dry ingrediants for cakes. Breaks up all the big nasty lumps in the cake mixes, aerates and sifts everything together.
Gotta LOVE Alton Brown...Culinary Geek to the core and supremely lazy when it comes to sifting.

Last year I decided I wanted an old fashioned sifter with a turn crank for my granddaughters to help me sift. I'd thrown away my old one years ago. The kind you squeeze the handleyou get soo tired of, and they couldn't have used it anyway. I had to search all over to finally find what I wanted at Target for about $5.00. I love the thing, and I actaully enjoy sifting. I think it has a soothing affect for me. Once in a while I use a wire whisk to mix in extra flour or sugar. I'm sure the mesh strainer would work as well as the sifter. I guess the sifter just takes me back, and I like that. Seems to take some of the hurry out of me when I need it too.

Happy Sifting!
Carol

I've always used a mesh strainer, like my mom taught me. When I found out she had a sifter in a back drawer, she told me that the strainer was far easier. After toying with it for a bout 5 minutes, I agreed, and have never looked back since.

Kwyet.

mesh strainer all the way.....

Never thought about my Kitchen Aid Food Processor. I don't use it that much and I don't leave it on my counter top so it would be more effort to take it out then to just use a strainer. Great idea though!!!!


Amy

Mesh strainer.... I've arthritis in my thumb so a sifter is down right painful.