{"id":30564,"date":"2022-02-14T19:34:57","date_gmt":"2022-02-15T00:34:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bakeschool.com\/?p=30564"},"modified":"2023-06-21T13:52:14","modified_gmt":"2023-06-21T17:52:14","slug":"sprinkles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bakeschool.com\/sprinkles\/","title":{"rendered":"All about sprinkles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Learn everything you need to know about sprinkles, including the different types you can buy, what each type is used for, and even how to make them (if you dare).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Different<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Who doesn't love to decorate baked goods with sprinkles? Sprinkles are the easiest way for a baker to make a dessert look cute or finished without having to put much effort into it. Sprinkles can hide a lot of \"defects\" too. Find out all about the different types of sprinkles, what to use them for, and even how to make them!<\/p>\n\n\n[feast_advanced_jump_to]\n\n\n

Types of sprinkles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are 6 basic types of sprinkles that you can buy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Jimmies<\/strong>, also called sugar strands because they look like broken pieces of spaghettini. They come in all colours<\/li>
  2. Nonpareils<\/strong>, also called 100s or 1000s, tiny round, and colourful, roughly the size of seed beads<\/li>
  3. Quins<\/strong>, also called shaped sprinkles or confetti, are matte, colourful, and flat, like sequins (thus the name), but they come in a variety of shapes (stars, hearts, snowflakes, etc.)<\/li>
  4. Drag\u00e9es<\/strong> or sugar pearls also called edible pearls, very hard, smooth, round pearls with a very hard texture (they can be very difficult to bite through) and they are larger than nonpareils<\/li>
  5. Sanding sugar<\/strong>, is fine, sparkly, and basically looks like colourful fine sugar crystals<\/li>
  6. Sugar crystals<\/strong> are slightly larger than sanding sugar, with a pearly, opaque colour.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    \"Different<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    What's in them<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    As you can probably guess, sprinkles are mostly made of sugar. Sugar is the primary ingredient on sprinkle labels and so it is listed first. Other ingredients in commercial sprinkles include wax, food dyes, oil (vegetable and\/or palm), cornstarch, flavours (natural and\/or artificial).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The wax is a coating on some sprinkles which makes them shine and can also stops them from absorbing moisture and prevents (or slows) colour leeching and bleeding into batters. If you've ever seen a sprinkle cake where the sprinkles are more like splotches of colour throughout the cake, it's likely that the sprinkles were unwaxed or the batter was just very wet. The wax could also prevent (or slow) clumping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Momofuku<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Imitation versus real chocolate sprinkles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    With chocolate sprinkles, beware of imitation chocolate sprinkles that contain no chocolate nor any cocoa products whatsoever. These are often sugar sprinkles dyed brown. Again, there's nothing wrong with artificial colour and flavour, but artificial chocolate sprinkles taste nothing like chocolate, and worse: they tend to melt into a pink puddle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Imitation<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    I now buy Dutch chocolate sprinkles, which is the main ingredient in fairy toast (buttered toast sprinkled with chocolate sprinkles). The Dutch chocolate sprinkles are made with real cocoa powder so they taste better. Honestly though, I would pick chocolate shavings over chocolate sprinkles if I had a choice...<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Chocolate<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Where to buy them<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    If you want to buy sprinkles, they usually have the basics at grocery stores, and some stores will carry a variety of seasonal Wilton sprinkles and sprinkle mixes. Try your local craft shop, which might have a baking section. Michael's stores carry a few fun mixes of Wilton sprinkles, for example. Here are some brands to seek out when you are shopping for classic sprinkles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n