Hello. Having just arrived in Switzerland last week and being the unemployed one in our family , I am stocking up the pantry to spend some of my time trying all those recipes I have never got around to. I am having trouble working out the various local names for different types of sugar however. Can anyone tell me the local names (french or german) for:
- palm sugar
- caster sugar
- brown sugar (the soft sort, not demerara or crystallised)

Any help appreciated, and thanks.

Hello Jen, and welcome! I am afraid that I cannot help you with your query but please be prepared for some funny replies.

- palm sugar
Palmzucker
- caster sugar
Puderzucker
- brown sugar (the soft sort, not demerara or crystallised)
Brauner Zucker or Rohzucker
Hope to have helped

Hahahaha! Funny and unemployed.

Sorry, to explain - there has been a long running joke about 'where to buy brown sugar' on the Forum.

Welcome to the EF,

I used my imagination and looked it up here.

barley sugar - der Gerstenzucker
braun sugar - der Farinzucker
castor sugar - der Streuzucker
crystal sugar - der Kristallzucker
grape sugar - der Traubenzucker

The Swiss names might slightly differ but you get a drift and moreover it is fun to learn the new words

EDIT: You can also change settings into French language

alternatively, have a wonder in the confectionery isle in the shop, they look so different that they stick out like a sore thumb regardless of the name

tried that today at Migros, they are all boxed up so as to keep the contents top secret!

ah... famous Swiss secrecy... they'll probably swap the label too to avoid disclosing too much information

welcome to EF! just wait until Economisto sees your thread... he'll tell you all about brown sugar

I'm not even going to go there with regards to brown sugar!
But
I think 'Puderzucker' is icing sugar rather than caster sugar.

See now you've done it I'm saying nought

As for the soft brown sugar... I've only been in Switzerland since February, but I've been looking and still haven't found it. In Germany I was always able to find both dark and light moist brown sugar at the Asian food stores from "Tate + Lyle" brand... but no luck here so far.