Sugared Berries

Sugared berries are super easy to make and they are a great addition to any dessert. For this recipe, you only need three ingredients: berries, sugar, and egg whites.

You can make them in the comfort of your own home and enjoy them in many different ways, even just by themselves! 

I love these berries because they easily dress up even the simplest desserts. They really bring a special touch to anything so it is a good idea to have these around.  

Is It Okay To Eat Egg Whites Without Them Being Cooked?

Raw eggs have a bad reputation. When you think about raw eggs the first thing that comes to your mind is salmonella. Of course, I thought so too, but with a little bit of research, I discovered some interesting facts.

Fresh eggs from a quality source are less likely to contain salmonella. Studies have shown that 1 in 10,000-30,000 eggs actually have the bacteria present.

Of course, not everyone has chickens running around their yard or a chance to buy extra fresh eggs. If you fit into that category, your option is to buy pasteurized eggs. 

Pasteurized eggs are gently heated in their shells, just enough to kill potential bacteria without actually cooking the egg. Pasteurized egg whites are opaque, have a slightly cloudy color, and are thickened. 

The USDA recommends these for uncooked dishes such as homemade mayonnaise or Caesar salad dressing. They can be also used for these sugared berries. 

What If I Don’t Want To Use Egg Whites At All?

If you want to skip using the egg whites, that’s no problem! You will have to create a simple syrup which you will use to coat your berries. 

To make the syrup you will need:

• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup water

Combine sugar and water in a saucepot. Simmer for 10 minutes or microwave on high for 1 minute. Allow the syrup to cool down. Dip your berries into the syrup and roll with powdered or granulated sugar. 

Powdered Vs Granulated Sugar

For this recipe, you can use either powdered or granulated sugar to coat the berries. I went with powdered as you can see. Here are some differences that may help you decide what is ideal for you:

• Powdered sugar: This kind of sugar is very fine, so when using this you will probably have to coat the berries twice, as the egg whites or simple syrup can really soak up the powdered sugar. So, it is a good idea to coat the berries once, let them dry a bit, and then apply a second coat if needed. 
• Granulated sugar: This sugar has large granules and it will take just one coat to cover the berries. The granulated sugar will not be too sensitive to this small amount of liquid and will hold up better.

When it comes to appearance, I prefer powdered sugar. It looks really nice and fragile, making the berries even more special. The granulated sugar, as it has larger granules, will look completely different and be a bit more robust. 

Can I Use Other Fruits?

I made this mix with red grapes, raspberries, and blueberries. You can use other berries like blackberries and strawberries, but also large fruits such as pears and apples. 

Tips For Making Sugared Berries

For the most part, I found that I didn’t have too many issues coating the berries, except the raspberries. The raspberries were pretty at first, but they quickly begin to seep juices and got super soft and squishy.

This is because they ripen faster than other fruits, so their lifespan as sugared berries is much shorter. 

Still, these berries are perfectly fine sugar-coated. Here’s a few tips I learned while working on this recipe:

• Rinse your berries and let them air dry. You can do this a few hours to 1 night before. The berries must be clean, dry, and at room temperature. 
• Make sure you beat your egg whites in a deep bowl. This will help you coat the berries better.
• Beat your egg whites until lightly fluffy. If you do not beat your egg whites, they will be stringy and you will not be able to coat the berries.
• Spread the sugar over a shallow dish. This makes it easier to toss the berries gently in the sugar.

How To Make Sugared Berries

Step 1

Assemble your ingredients.

Before coating the berries, make sure to clean them thoroughly and dry them. 

In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until almost soft peaks form.

Step 2

Coat the berries with the eggs whites.

Place the powdered sugar in a shallow dish. Add berries and roll them around until coated. Let the berries dry in sugar overnight.

Step 3

Remove the berries from the sugar and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet or a wire rack. Dry them for another 8 hours.

Enjoy your sugared berries!

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