Have you always wanted to know how sugar cubes and rock sugar are manufactured or why there is white and brown sugar? You’ll find the answers to these and many more frequently asked questions right here.
Our sugar is produced by entirely natural processes in the sugar beet. We shred the beet at the factory and use hot water to extract the sugar. This produces a syrup, which we purify and boil until sugar crystals form. No additives are needed at all to extract 100% natural sugar from the sugar beet. This means that the pure white colour is not the result of chemical bleaching, but entirely due to purification.
The sugar production is highly sustainable as the entire sugar beet is used. We use it not only to manufacture sugar, but also use the leaves, the body of the beet and the water. The beet leaves, for example, remain on the field as fertiliser and the water that we extract from the beets during processing is fed back into our production process. We recycle the beet body into animal feed in the form of pressed pulp or dried pulp. Sugar production is sustainable from a holistic perspective: 80% of the value chain remains in the growing region. The transport routes are also short, which protects the environment and keeps the costs low. And every job in sugar production creates nine further upstream and downstream jobs, e.g. in the forwarding industry, among suppliers and tradespeople. So it is completely true to say: From the region, for the region!
Refined sugar describes the finest quality of sugar that is produced in a variety of crystal sizes. The different grain sizes exhibit a wide variety of attributes: The finer the granule, the more soluble the sugar, which is particularly good for some kinds of batters, such as sponge cake. Coarser granules, on the other hand, are particularly good for crispy pastries. Diamant finest Sugar, Diamant fine-grain Refined Sugar and Diamant medium-grain Refined Sugar are sold in retail outlets, but other grain sizes are also available for the food industry.
Pure sugar products, such as refined sugar, sugar cubes, nib sugar, brown sugar, icing sugar, rock sugar or cane sugar, have an unlimited shelf life under normal conditions (temperatures of 20 ± 5°C and a relative humidity of max. 65%). Therefore, it is not necessary to add a best-before date, so this information is not printed on our packaging.
Sugar is a foodstuff that only contains one ingredient, namely sugar itself, so it does not require a list of ingredients.
Neither animal products nor animal additives are used at any point in the sugar production process. Therefore, our Diamant sugar products are foodstuffs with a 100% plant origin and can be classified as vegan and vegetarian.
You can't sweeten more sustainably than with regional beet sugar. Beet sugar usually only travels 50 km from field to factory. It does a lot for biodiversity and better farmland. Cane sugar is made from sugar cane, which is mainly grown in tropical countries such as Brazil, Cuba, India, and Mauritius and has to be transported halfway around the world. In addition, the environmental and social standards in these countries are often not as high as here in Germany.
The new beet sugar packaging is not only 100 % recyclable – it even consists of 20 %sugar beet fiber. This is currently only available from Diamant. Thanks to the sugar beet fiber content in the packaging, the ecological footprint is reduced by 16 % Making Diamant beet sugar even more sustainable. In addition, 100 % of the paper comes from sustainable forestry or agriculture.
Neither animal products nor animal additives are used at any point in the sugar production process. Therefore, our Diamant sugar products are foodstuffs with a 100% plant origin and can be classified as vegan and vegetarian.
Diamant Icing Sugar is made from sugar that is ground to an extremely fine consistency.
No, Diamant Icing Sugar is not sweeter than granulated sugar. This impression may arise because the sugar is finer and dissolves faster in the mouth. But because Diamant Icing Sugar is made from very finely ground sugar, it has exactly the same sweetening power.
Sugar is moistened, pressed and dried to produce Diamant Nib Sugar. It is then crushed into pieces. This means that Diamant Nib Sugar preserves its shape during the baking process and does not dissolve in the oven, while still being easy to bite into.
Kölner Sugar Loaf consists of moistened sugar that is pressed into a cone shape and dried. In the early days of industrial sugar production in the 19th and 20th centuries, sugar was not yet packaged. Instead, it was usually produced in the form of large sugarloaves which were then cut into pieces. The small sugarloaf we know today is the last remaining relic from these times.
The production of sugar cubes involves pressing moistened sugar into suitable moulds and then leaving it to dry again. The moisture makes the sugar crystals sticky, causing them to form stable bonds with the smooth surfaces of the other crystals. Depending on the mould the sugar is pressed into, the sugar cubes are either rectangular or have other shapes, like Diamant Bridge Sugar. Different types of sugar can be used to make sugar cubes, so there are white and brown varieties made by Diamant, as well as Diamant Coffee Sugar Cubes and Diamant Cane Sugar Cubes.
Strictly speaking, Diamant Sugar Cubes are not actually cubes, but cuboids. But the term sugar cube has been a fixed term for decades, regardless of the actual shape: Everyone knows what it means. Research has shown that these cuboids have been made since the earliest days of sugar production. Unfortunately it is impossible to say why this cuboid shape was originally chosen. After all, it would have been theoretically possible to produce actual ‘cubes’.
Diamant Brown Sugar has the same basic ingredient as the white variety: sugar beet. The fine-grained special sugar originates from rock sugar production, which is why the name ‘Kandisfarin’ is also commonly used in German-speaking areas (Kandis = rock sugar in German). It is obtained by re-crystallising the syrup from rock sugar production. The brown hue and aromatic caramel flavour are produced by the caramelisation of the sugar that occurs during heating. Its caramel taste and brown pigments add a characteristic, pleasantly aromatic flavour to spiced cakes, brown cakes, almond biscuits and gingerbread. That is why it is particularly popular for Christmas bakes, although it is just as delicious in muesli, yoghurt and fruit salad etc.
Kandisfarin is another name for Diamant Brown Sugar as it is made from brown rock sugar syrup (Kandis = rock sugar in German).
Diamant Coffee Sugar is made from brown rock sugar syrup. The brown hue and aromatic flavour are produced purely by the caramelisation of the sugar that occurs during heating.
Both products consist of ‘Kandisfarin’, which is extracted from brown rock sugar syrup. Coffee sugar has an even more powerful hint of caramel that harmonises beautifully with coffee specialities, like latte macchiato and cappuccino. It also has a much finer grain size, which means it dissolves even better in drinks and is also ideal for sprinkling on foamed milk floating on top of coffee beverages.
No, it wouldn’t be accurate to speak of a health benefit. Cane sugar is a form of unrefined sugar. Therefore, the crystals are surrounded by a film of syrup or molasses that still contains very small traces of minerals. But the quantity of vitamins and minerals is so low that they do not contribute to nutrient intake in any significant way.
The sweet spreads are only called ‘marmalade’ if they are made from citrus fruit. Preserves made from other fruits are jams or fruit spreads, depending on the fruit and sugar content. These terms are defined precisely in the German Jam Regulation. That’s why you will never find ‘strawberry marmalade’ in the shops.
The Jam Regulation states that products with a sugar content of at least 55%, such as those produced using Diamant Gelling Sugar 1:1, are called jam or marmalade. These products are only called marmalade if they are made from citrus fruit or are sold at local markets, such as farmers’ markets or farm shops. By contrast, preserves made with Diamant Gelling Sugar 2:1 or 3:1 have a higher fruit content and lower sugar content and are called ‘fruit spreads’.
As a rule, you can use any type of Diamant jam sugar with any fruit. It really a matter of taste whether you make, for example, a strawberry spread using Diamant Gelling Sugar 1:1, 2:1 or 3:1. People often choose the jam sugar to suit the sweetness of a particular fruit: Diamant Gelling Sugar 1:1 is used for fruits that are less sweet (e.g. berries or sour cherries), while Diamant Gelling Sugar 2:1 or 3:1 is better for preserves made from very sweet fruits (e.g. sweet cherries or peaches). Diamant Gelling Sugar for Jelly was developed especially to make jellies with an ideal consistency from any kind of fruit juice (also with commercially available fruit drinks).
To achieve perfect cooking results, the composition of ingredients in Diamant jam sugar is precisely coordinated for the specified amount of fruit or juice and the cooking time. The jelly may not set properly if the total amount is multiplied and cooked all at once. This is because the water in such a large volume may not evaporate fast enough. That’s why we advise you to use only one pack of jam sugar for one batch.
The preserve might not set sufficiently if you mix different types of jam sugar. In order to guarantee that jams, marmalades or fruit spreads achieve the ideal consistency, each type of jam sugar contains a special pectin (gelling agent) that is precisely matched to the particular use. So the individual jam sugars contain different types of pectin that have different cooking times. If you were to mix different types of jam sugar, the preserve might not contain sufficient amounts of pectin and would not set properly.
Jam with fruit pieces should be mixed with the jam sugar and then left to stand for 3-4 before boiling as this extracts water (in the form of fruit juice) from the fruit. If you were to make the jam immediately using the fruit pieces, they might release their juice after some time, which would liquefy the jam. You should take care to chop cherries in particular into very small pieces as their firm flesh stores a lot of liquid.
Yes, alcohol such as liqueur or brandy are perfect ingredients to spice up your jams and jellies. It should be added at the end of the boiling process and then stirred in. This does not impair the set of the preserve (up to 3 tbsp). If you add larger quantities, you should reduce the respective amount of fruit or juice accordingly and boil the alcohol directly with the fruit (e.g. when adding wine or sparkling wine). We recommend using Diamant Gelling Sugar for Jelly if you are making jelly purely using wine or sparkling wine.
It is said that turning the jars upside down for a few minutes will extend the shelf life of the preserves as the hot jam kills the micro-organisms on the lid and expels the residual air. But you do not have to turn the jars upside down if they are full to the brim as this heats up the lid sufficiently. Furthermore, the heat forces out the remaining air and creates a vacuum that guarantees a long shelf life. But we do recommend turning the jars upside down for about 5 minutes immediately after filling if they are not quite so full.
This is caused by a very normal separation phenomena called synaeresis. Piercing the surface of the jam/jelly with a spoon breaks the gel structure, which causes the incorporated liquid to leak out. This is a natural process that can also be observed in commercial jams/jellies and other foods (e.g. mustard, ketchup, curd cheese). It does not impair the quality of the jam or jelly. There is no way to stop it from happening.
Diamant preserving sugar is the best choice if you want to preserve fruit. The coarse grains dissolve more slowly and prevent the formation of foam.
Jelly is the name for products that are produced with fruit juice and contain more than 55% sugar.
Alcohol generally impedes the setting process as it reduces the effectiveness of the gelling agent pectin. The more alcohol you add, the greater the risk that the jelly will fail to set sufficiently. Certain acids contained in the wine can also impair the gelling effect of the pectin. It is therefore possible that you will achieve good results with one type of wine and poor ones with a different variety. It is best to use wine/sparkling wine with a low alcohol content. Alternatively, you can mix the wine or sparkling wine fifty-fifty with fruit juice, e.g. apple or grape juice, to lower the alcohol content. We recommend using Diamant Gelling Sugar for Jelly if you are making jelly purely using wine or sparkling wine, as this variety sets better due to its composition.
There are different instructions for boiling jelly made with Diamant Gelling Sugar 1:1. Normal juices are boiled for 4 minutes when using 750 ml of juice with 1000 g of Diamant Gelling Sugar 1:1. Juices from fruits that naturally contain a lot of pectin (gelling agent, so currants, gooseberries, apples and quinces) only need to be boiled for 1 minute as they will set much better and faster. Alternatively, you could use 1000 ml of these high-pectin fruit juices instead of 750 ml and then boil for 4 minutes.
The set always depends greatly on the juice you use, so it is possible that some jellies will be firmer and others softer. Certain juices, such as apple juice, redcurrant juice, blackberry juice or quince juice, usually set very well because they contain a lot of natural pectin (gelling agent). But you can rescue your jelly if it has become too firm by stirring a little hot water into an opened jar, or by heating the entire amount with a little hot water or fruit juice until just below the boiling point (do not boil) and pouring it back into the jar while still hot. This does not affect the shelf life. If you prefer your jelly a little softer, you can simply increase the quantity of fruit juice a little the next time round (e.g. 850 ml instead of 750 ml) or reduce the boiling time slightly.
Jam jar covers are made of cellophane and are permeable to air. This allows moisture to evaporate, which may result in the surface of the fruit spread drying out or hardening. Screw caps (twist-off lids) are, therefore, the best option for sealing the jars.
This change in colour is a natural process that does not affect the quality of the fruit spread or jelly. It occurs most frequently in fruit preserves that were made with Gelling Sugar 2:1 or 3:1 as they are more susceptible to these processes due to the lower sugar content. The change is most likely to occur with fruit that is less intense in colour, such as strawberries. The high sugar content of jams and jellies made from fruit/juice and Gelling Sugar 1:1 tends to prevent them from turning greyish. Therefore, we recommend only making small quantities and using them when fresh. The jams will then retain their full fruity flavour as well as a beautiful, fresh colour. Our tip: Store the jars in a cool, dark place or freeze the fruit so that you can make fresh fruit spread whenever you like.
Preserves made in food processors with cooking functions often turn out too runny if you use standard jam sugar. This is because the appliances do not reach the same temperatures as a jam pan on a cooker and do not allow as much steam to escape. Diamant Gelling Sugar 2:1 for food processors with cooking functions is a special product that was developed specifically for cooking in these appliances to make fruit spreads with an ideal consistency, even at lower temperatures and with the lid in place. In order to ensure that the preserves set properly, the composition of the product differs from that of standard Gelling Sugar 2:1, which also affects the price. This is not obvious from the list of ingredients. Although the ingredients themselves are identical, the proportions are not.
Broadly speaking, yes. But the different composition of the product means that the fruit spread will tend to be firmer.
Diamant Gelling Sugar for Jelly is the first jam sugar especially developed for making jelly. It is designed specifically for use with fruit juices and so produces an jellies of perfect consistency and optimised acidity. It preserves the characteristic flavour of the fruit juice. It can be used to make jelly with bought or home-made fruit juice.
In principle, you can use any variety of Diamant jam sugar to make jelly. The Gelling Sugar for Jelly formula contains optimised proportions of gelling agent and acid that are especially tailored for use with fruit juices (and commercially available fruit nectars). This ensures that the jelly has an ideal consistency and acidity level. Furthermore, Diamant Gelling Sugar for Jelly can also be used to process purchased juices and fruit nectars. We would not advise attempting this using other varieties of jam sugar.
The sugar content in both preserves is the same (1000 g). But, because the quantity of fruit juice is higher when using Diamant Gelling Sugar for Jelly (1000 ml instead of 750 ml), the jelly will taste fruitier, slightly less sweet and also a bit more tart.
You can either use home-made juice (prepared using a steam juicer) or shop-bought juice to make jelly.
In principle, at least. This means you can make an aromatic jelly using shop-bought passion fruit nectar, for instance. But because the composition of the drinks differs, the consistency of the jelly may also vary and sometimes be firmer or softer. The taste might also vary: The sweeter the drink, the sweeter the jelly.
If you use less than 1000 ml of juice, the jelly will tend to be firmer. If you use more than 1000 ml of juice, the jelly will generally be softer or more liquid. Therefore, we would advise against multiplying the stated quantities. If you are using elderberry juice, we would generally advise you to use only 800 ml. The composition of this juice (especially its acidity) is so different to other juices that the best results are achieved using a smaller quantity than usual.
There are a variety of reasons why this might occur. Various fruits and their juices have very different compositions and, therefore, affect the consistency in different ways. The juice extraction method (hot or cold), the composition of a commercial juice, the power of the hob and the size and quality of the pans can also affect the jelly’s consistency.
As a rule, jelly becomes firmer the longer it is boiled. If it hasn’t set firmly enough, you can heat it up again and let it boil for 1-2 minutes. However, this does not always apply to jellies that have been made with a different type of jam sugar.
In this case, mix the jelly with a little water in a pan and heat it up again, but do not let it boil. Then pour the jelly into the jars while still hot. Next time, you can reduce the boiling time by one minute or add a little more juice, e.g. 1100 ml instead of 1000 ml with 1000 g of jam sugar.
Yes, this is possible if the fruit is puréed. The total volume should then be 1000 g or 1000 ml.
Yes, you can also use Diamant Gelling Sugar for Jelly to process fruit. But the slightly different composition of the ingredients means that the jam will be slightly firmer and slightly more tart than if using Diamant Gelling Sugar 1:1.
No, we would advise against doing that. When using Diamant Gelling Sugar for Jelly, it is very important that you only mix 1000 ml of juice with 1000 g of the sugar. This is the only way to achieve a perfect result because the ratios of jam sugar, juice and boiling time are precisely coordinated.
You should consume fruit spreads made using Diamant Gelierzauber no-cook jam sugar within 14 days, regardless of whether the jar has been opened or not. They are no-cook products that are not heated. This means that no vacuum is produced in the jar that would extend their shelf life. The products must also be consumed fresh because Diamant Gelierzauber no-cook jam sugar does not contain any preservatives and fresh fruit is used to make the fruit spreads.
The brown colour of these types of rock sugar is produced by caramelising the sugar syrup. The actual colour can therefore differ and no two pieces of rock sugar are ever the same.
‘Kluntjeknieper’ are type of pliers that were used in the past to crush large pieces of Kluntje rock sugar. Today, you can use the Diamant Lüttje Kluntje White Cube Candy Sugar if you prefer slightly smaller pieces of Kluntje White Cube Candy Sugar for your East Frisian tea ceremony.
We do not offer our products in aluminium cans at the moment. In order to guarantee the best quality, we have revised the packaging concept and now package Diamant mulled wine magic in practical sachets. This preserves its fresh aroma and makes it even easier to measure out. Our decision was also based on the increased popularity of convenience products and smaller household sizes. Customers can now prepare the smaller quantities of mulled wine they actually need without losing aroma. The new sachets also stop the product from clumping.
Diamant mulled wine magic is a seasonal product that will probably be available from the following retail partners in the coming winter season: Edeka, Globus, Kaufhof, Kaufland, Real and Rewe. Bear in mind that the availability of our products differs considerably depending on the region. So ask your supermarket whether they stock the product.
We continuously adjust our range and develop new products. Sometimes we need to withdraw an item if demand is too low. Diamant ice cream magic is currently no longer produced. We are unable to say at present whether we will resume production in the future.
We continuously adjust our range and develop new products. Sometimes we need to withdraw an item if demand is too low. Diamant syrup sugar is currently no longer produced. We are unable to say at present whether we will resume production in the future.
Palm oil is needed as a bonding agent in Diamant Cinnamon Sugar to prevent the sugar and cinnamon from separating. This means that the oil ‘sticks’ the cinnamon to the sugar. The cinnamon would otherwise collect at the base of the shaker and you would be unable to spread the product the way you like.
Yes, we offer guided tours of our factories in Appeldorn, Euskirchen, Jülich, Könnern and Lage. The tours are organised by the factories themselves, so kindly contact the facility that you would like the visit. You will find the addresses on our website at https://www.pfeifer-langen.com/de/unternehmen/standorte/.
The availability of our products differs considerably, depending on the region. As a rule, we deliver our products to the central warehouses of the retail companies. They decide by themselves in which branches they will place our products. We are therefore unable to state exactly which markets will sell Diamant products in each post code area. Simply ask the store manager whether they can order the product if you cannot find it at a particular branch. You can also purchase our products from our online shop at https://shop.diamant-zucker.de/ or by calling Diamant Zucker consumer service on +49 221 46708515.
The mail-order service Kölner Zuckerbazar that distributed the manuals shut down many years ago. The books are no longer in print and are not available in shops. Pfeifer & Langen has released a variety of free brochures as an attractive alternative. They can be ordered from our Consumer Service department (see our contact details).
