Target's Market Pantry Powdered Sugar Is Awful!!

Decorating By dukeswalker Updated 19 Jul 2012 , 7:09am by sweettreat101

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dukeswalker Posted 23 May 2012 , 3:31pm
post #1 of 16

I was at Target yesterday and knew I was going to whip up a batch of buttercream in the AM so I decided to pick up a few of their bags of powdered sugar - I love Target and have been pleased with all of their other Target brand products. However, this sugar is AWFUL!!!! I made an extra large batch - used up a ton of butter and Vanilla Bean Paste and whipping cream and I may have to toss the entire thing! It is so gritty it feels like I used sand! Even wiping the counter tops, I can feel the grittiness to it. I am so ticked - I know that I can get my $ back for the sugar but I doubt they will reimburse me for the other lost products. And to top it all off this is now going to set me behind schedule which really irks me. grrrrrrr

15 replies
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JenFailla Posted 23 May 2012 , 3:48pm
post #2 of 16

I too, love Target and get almost everything there. I had the same problem with gritty buttercream- and I sifted 3x!! No more market pantry powdered sugar for me.

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jason_kraft Posted 23 May 2012 , 3:51pm
post #3 of 16

Maybe you just had a bad batch? We regularly use Target PS and have never noticed a difference in texture.

If you speak with their corporate offices you may be able to get reimbursement for the other ingredients you used, make sure to save the packaging if there are any lot numbers.

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kelleym Posted 23 May 2012 , 4:11pm
post #4 of 16

No, it wasn't just a bad batch. Target MP sugar was a mistake that ruined several batches of buttercream and MMF for me, way back in the day. That's not a mistake I will make again.

In general, I find the Market Pantry products to be wholly inferior. I also bought some MP pecans once for a cheesecake crust. The pecans were rancid, and ruined the entire cheesecake, which contained about $30 of ingredients. I received a refund for the pecans, but only blank looks when I talked about the other ruined ingredients.

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BlakesCakes Posted 23 May 2012 , 8:48pm
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If the bag doesn't specify 10x on it, then it may only be 6x sugar, which is a much larger grain because it's only been processed/ground 6 times, rather than 10.

If the bag doesn't specify "cane sugar", then it's beet sugar and beet sugar can vary widely in moisture content, even with the standard 3% cornstarch found in PS in the US.

I'm a bargain hunter, but I won't skimp on my PS when it comes to my BC recipe. I generally rely on Domino Confectioner's Sugar 10X. If I can find it, I'll also buy C&H 10X.

Sorry this happened to you.
Rae

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MimiFix Posted 23 May 2012 , 9:48pm
post #6 of 16

When I shop at Target I occasionally purchase their powdered sugar. I've not had a problem, either.

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leah_s Posted 23 May 2012 , 10:21pm
post #7 of 16

6X and 10X refers to the size of the hole/opening in the sieve the sugar is forced through.

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BlakesCakes Posted 23 May 2012 , 10:36pm
post #8 of 16

Right. I misspoke with regards to it being processed/ground a certain # of times.

10x is considerably finer grain than 6x and will therefore yield a smoother product where the sugar grains are much less noticeable on the tongue.

Rae

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SoFloGuy Posted 24 May 2012 , 2:07am
post #9 of 16

I buy Dixie Crystals 10X pure cane sugar and I love it, it's only about 20 cents more than the Walmart brand which seems like 0X powdered. Plus it's only like $2.28 for the 2 lb bag at my area Walmart Market.

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sweettreat101 Posted 24 May 2012 , 6:30am
post #10 of 16

Market Pantry products are horrible. Their powdered sugar is beet sugar not cane sugar. I only use powdered sugar that states pure cane sugar. Sunny Select on the is the only generic powdered sugar that I have found that states pure cane sugar. I refuse to buy their Market Pantry hamburger and hot dog buns after I saw a pack returned to the store with a rat tail baked into the bottom. The woman had even added her ketchup and mustard before noticing the tail. I love their generic ziploc bags and paper towels but as for the food I try to stick with name brands.

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Postal_Cakemaker Posted 24 May 2012 , 10:39am
post #11 of 16

I've used it before and LOVED IT!! Got rave reviews and it wasn't grainy in the least. icon_lol.gif

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minicuppie Posted 24 May 2012 , 1:30pm
post #12 of 16

Had this happen to me once.
I was able to save it by adding HOT liquid in small amts until the grit dissolved.
The BC may get a bit too runny, if so add some better 10x until firm again.

mimi

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jason_kraft Posted 24 May 2012 , 4:21pm
post #13 of 16
Quote:
Originally Posted by sweettreat101

Market Pantry products are horrible. Their powdered sugar is beet sugar not cane sugar.



We've used beet sugar before for vegan cakes (since cane sugar is processed with animal bones) and we've noticed no difference between beet and cane sugar.

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sweettreat101 Posted 25 May 2012 , 7:26am
post #14 of 16

Thank you for taking the time to contact C&H Sugar regarding our use of natural charcoal. Natural charcoal is a sterile material used to remove color, impurities and certain naturally occurring minerals from sugar during the refining process. It acts similarly to a coffee filter and is not in the sugar itself. There are no animal products in C&H Sugar. C&H sugars are certified kosher, pareve.

The safe and long-standing use of natural charcoal in the sugar refinement process is the best available in the sugar industry and is approved and certified safe by both the FDA and USDA. Consumers can be assured that all materials used in the C&H refining process are fully approved as required by the federal governments strict manufacturing standards.

The natural charcoal we use is made exclusively from the bones of non-European cattle. These healthy bones are incinerated for 12 hours at temperatures reaching over 700 degrees centigrade. This burning process destroys all organic matter (including viruses, bacteria and proteins), leaving only an inert granular substance called natural charcoal that is about 10% elemental carbon and about 90% calcium hydroxyapatite.

Since 1906, C&H has produced the highest quality pure cane sugars. We take pride in the fact that our sugars are 100% pure cane and do not contain fillers of any kind. We do not bleach our sugar. Our brown sugars contain no added flavoring or coloring as the molasses flavor is derived naturally from cane, through crystallization.

We also produce a natural Washed Raw Sugar which is crystallized from pressed cane juice and is not filtered over natural charcoal. Many consumers enjoy this natural turbinado sugar for its crunchy texture and its rich, subtle molasses flavor. Our newest product, C&H Pure Cane Certified Organic Sugar also does not pass through this filter.

I sincerely hope that the foregoing answers your questions and addresses your concerns.

Sincerely,

Connie C. Hunter, C&H Sugar Co.

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KLCCrafts Posted 18 Jul 2012 , 10:54pm
post #15 of 16

I too tried Target's powdered sugar one time, when I didn't have time to go to another store and they did not carry C&H, my normal brand. It was so awful and gritty I threw the whole batch in the garbage and then had to make time to go to another store.

After reading here that the 10X processing is the real issue, I decided to give another brand a try, this time BANAH 10-X Powdered 100% Natural Confectioners' Sugar, which I just found at Walmart. The ingredients read: Cane sugar, Cornstarch.

But this stuff made my BC almost as gritty as the Target brand, so I'm thinking there's something else to the equation and not all 10X will produce good results. Just wanted to warn people so they don't make the same mistake I did. Maybe it's the ratio of cornstarch used? Any thoughts?

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sweettreat101 Posted 19 Jul 2012 , 7:09am
post #16 of 16

I myself think it's the beet sugar. Some people will disagree with me but I have never had success using beet sugar. I have used Sunny Select Pure Cane Sugar with great results maybe it is the ratio of cornstarch.

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