Can You Fry Sugar?

Last updated on August 15th, 2022 at 03:30 am

Carnivals are known for their “fried sugar” foods. Funnel cakes, twinkies and oreos along with many other desserts can be deep fried for a crunchy and sweet treat. 

As if these aren’t enough, the lingering question still remains, can you fry sugar?

You can fry sugar, but it is actually more challenging than frying other foods. To fry sugar, you need a solid piece like a sugar cube that can hold together when it is being fried. But, if you are craving something sweet and fried, then you can fry sugar all by itself. 

The whole idea of fried sugar sends off major unhealthy vibes. But, maybe you are wondering what it tastes like or just want to try to see if it can be done. But, don’t throw a spoonful of sugar into a pan of heated oil. This isn’t going to end up as an edible snack. 

To fry sugar, you need to place it in a lot of oil. Because of this, the sugar needs to be solid enough so that it won’t fall apart. What you need is a sugar cube. If you are willing, you can make your own! All you need to make a sugar cube is sugar, egg, flour, cornflour, and salt. 

Combine the sugar with a small amount of water and mix into a paste and then form it into a shape. It doesn’t really matter what shape since it is going to be fried anyways, so it can just be a round ball.

Put it in a container to let it sit overnight. Once it is formed and you are ready to fry the sugar cube, dip it into some egg and then the flour. Repeat this process again to make sure that there is a tight seal around the sugar so that it doesn’t leak through while it is frying. 

Heat enough oil in a pan to cover the sugar cubes. Fry them for about one minute or until they are golden brown and then remove and place on a paper-towel lined plate or baking sheet. Because they will be very hot, wait for another minute before eating the fried sugar cube. 

Once it has cooled you can then enjoy your fried sugar. So, although it is extremely unhealthy, you can fry sugar.

Want to deep fry some food without heating up your whole house?

Can You Deep Fry Dough Balls?

Dough can be made into all sorts of foods like bread, doughnuts, etc. If you are someone with a  sweet tooth, but also like a crunchy layer coating the dough, you probably want to try to roll up some dough into balls and fry them in oil. 

But, can you deep fry dough balls?

You can deep fry dough balls for a crispy and sweet-flavored treat. Pretty much anything can be deep fried including many desserts. At carnivals, dough-like desserts are fried to create delicious funnel cakes and elephant ears.

Although it isn’t the most nutritional snack, fried dough balls can satisfy your hunger whenever that sweet craving strikes. Their crunchy outer layer pairs perfectly with their soft sweet interior for a yummy dessert. 

To deep fry dough balls, you need the following ingredients:

• Flour – 1 ½ cups (350 g)
• Sugar – 6 tbsp (100 g)
• Baking powder – 1 tbsp
• Salt – ¼ tsp
• Butter – ½ cup (120 g)
• Eggs – 2
• Vegetable oil – 4 cups
• Reserved flour for dusting
• Reserved sugar for coating.

The utensil you need to have on hand are:

• Pastry wheel/knife
• Hand mixer with dough hooks
• Large mixing bowl
• Rolling pin
• Food thermometer
• Slotted spoon
• Paper towel
• Large pot

Once you have gathered together all of your ingredients and utensils, you are ready to begin making fried dough balls. The whole process is quick, simple, and easy to do. 

Follow these steps to make fried dough balls:

1. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, and eggs.
2. Mix these ingredients with a hand mixer until combined.
3. Transfer the dough onto a floured work surface.
4. Roll the dough out until it is about ½ in (1 cm) thick.
5. Cut the dough into rectangles with a knife or party wheel.
6. Roll the dough into balls (optional) 
7. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot until its temperature reaches about 350F (180C).
8. Add the dough balls to the oil and fry for about 2 minutes or until they are golden brown.
9. Remove the dough balls from the oil and place on a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
10. Once cooled, serve and enjoy your delicious fried dough balls.

As you can see, you can deep fry dough balls. This sugary treat should be eaten in moderation, but it can be a great dessert. 

Dip them into some raspberry syrup or chocolate and you have a yummy dessert that the entire family will enjoy.

Does Sugar Melt Or Burn?

Sugar is sweet and we love to eat it. It’s added to foods and desserts to make them taste sweeter. Since sugar is widely available and tastes so yummy, it is used in many cooking and baking recipes. 

But, what we want to know is, does sugar melt or burn?

Sugar actually doesn’t melt. Instead it decomposes when it is heated. The term for this is called “apparent melting”. If it is heated too long it can burn however. 

There is a science behind the process of sugar melting. Sugar is a highly soluble ingredient. 2000 grams of sugar can be dissolved in one liter of water. Because of the way it reacts, it is used in many sweet recipes. 

One chemical reaction that can happen to sugar when it is heated at high temperatures is melting. But, according to recent studies, it actually doesn’t “melt ”. Instead, heating sugar produces a phenomenon known as “apparent melting”. 

Instead of melting, sugar crystals produce a reaction called “inversion” in which glucose and fructose, the two components of sugar, decompose. This then causes the sugar to caramelize.

So, the structure of the sugar changes the longer it is heated. This is when the sugar starts to “melt”. If the heat is increased even more it will eliminate water molecules in a reaction called “beta-elimination” leading to the formation of hydroxymethylfurfural. 

The sugar will then darken in color and will taste more like caramel. If you heat the sugar too much, nothing but carbon will remain and it will become burnt. The inversion reaction that happens when sugar is heated makes them hygroscopic, meaning that they are able to absorb a lot of water molecules. 

This makes it perfect for preparing soft desserts keeping the sweets moist even when it is exposed to air. So, sugar doesn’t melt, it simply decomposes and it can burn if it is heated too long.

Final Thoughts

So, heated sugar doesn’t melt, it decomposes. Most of the time, sugar is made into a dessert such as dough balls and then fried. Dough balls are easy to fry and are a yummy treat. 

But, you can also fry plain sugar cubes. So, in answer to our question, yes, sugar can be fried.