ICINGS & TOPPINGS
Icings
Icings or frostings are sweet coatings for
cakes and other baked goods. Icings have three main functions:-
1. They improve the keeping qualities of the cake
by forming protective coatings around it.
2. they contribute flavour and richness
3. They improve appearance.
There are seven basic kinds of icings:-
1. Fondant
2. Butter cream
3. Foam Type icing
4. Fudge type icing
5. Flat type icing
6. Royal or decorators icings
7. Glazes
Fondant
Fondant is sugar syrup that is crystallized to
a smooth creamy white mass. When applied it sets up into a shiny, non-sticky
coating.
Fondant is prepared by dissolving 500gms of
granulated or cube sugar in 150 ml of water and 15 ml of glucose and then
allowed to boil gradually till it reaches the soft ball stage 112o-116 oC
(234-240oF) which may be tested by dropping a little syrup in iced water where
it will from a ball under water but lose its shape immediately when it is
exposed to air. The syrup must be cooled immediately and the air bubbles then
subside.
The syrup is, then, poured out into a cold
surface and worked first with a spatula until it turns from a clear liquid to a
white crumbly solid. It is then kneaded by hand until smooth and finished by
being left to ripen in a cool place for at least 12 hours.
The object is to produce minute crystals in a
super saturated solution of sugar giving a
―creamy texture to the finished product.
Uses:
1. For first coating on fruit cakes before
applying Royal icing.
2. For dipping fresh fruits to make confections
for immediate consumption.
3. For casting into moulds.
4. Pastel coloured icing for cakes
Butter Cream Icings
Butter cream icings are light smooth mixtures
of fat and icing sugar. They may also contain eggs to increase their smoothness
or lightness. This icing is very popular and is used for covering many kinds of
cake.
They are easily flavoured and coloured to suit
a variety of purposes.
There are four types of basic kinds of butter
cream:
1. Butter icing is made with butter and icing
sugar which are creamed together to the desired consistency and lightness.
2. a) Simple butter cream are made by creaming
together fat and sugar to the desired consistency, a small quantity of egg
white may be whipped in to obtain the desired lightness.
b) Decorators butter cream is a simple butter
cream used for making flowers and other cake decorations. It is creamed only a
little, because if too much air is incorporated, it could not be able to hold
delicate shapes.
3. Meringue type butter creams are prepared by
first beating egg whites and adding a boiling syrup or just sugar. Soft butter
is then mixed into the meringue. This is a very light smooth icing.
4. French butter creams are similar to above
but the mixture is made with whole eggs, and boiling syrup. This is a very
rich, light icing. N.B. Unsalted butter is the preferred fat for butter
creams because of its flavour and melt in the mouth quality.
Recipe for: Butter icing
1. Beat 125 gms. of butter add 125 gms. of icing
sugar with 30 gm of milk and flavouring. Beat until creamy and smooth.
2. Butter cream or crème au beurre.
Place 2 egg whites and 125gm of icing sugar in
a mixing bowl and whisk until mixture holds shape. Cool slightly. Cream 125 gm
butter until soft then beat in the meringue mixture a little at a time. Flavour
or colour as desired.
Foam type icing
They are also known as boiled icings. They are
simple meringues made with boiling syrup and may also contain gelatine as a
stabilizer. Foam type icings should be applied thickly to cakes and left in
peaks and swirls. These icings are not stable and should be used they day they
are prepared.
Flat type icings
These icings are also known as water icings
and are mixtures of confectioners‘ sugar, water, sometimes corn syrup and
flavouring. They are used for coffee cakes, Danish party and sweet rolls.
They are a simple mixture consisting of five
pounds of powdered sugar 300ml water, 200 ml corn syrup and flavouring as
desired. Egg white may also be added to lighten the frosting.
Fudge Type icing
Fudge type icings are rich cooked icings.
Fudge icings are heavy and thick and they may be flavoured by a variety of
ingredients. They are used on cup cakes, layer cakes, loaf cakes, sheet cakes,
etc.
To store fudge icings they must be properly
covered with cling flim and then kept in an airtight container in the
refrigerator.
To use stored fudge icing, warm in a double
boiler until it is soft enough to spread. They are stable frostings which hold
their shape well on cakes and cup cakes.
CHOCOLATE FUDGE FROSTING
Sugar
– 450 gms
Glucose or corn syrup
- 150 gms
Water
- 120 ml
Butter
- 150 gms
Sugar
pwd -
375 gms
Cocoa
pwd -
175 gms
Vanilla
essence -
to taste
Method:-
1. Combine granulated sugar, glucose and water
and boil till 116°C.
2. Sift powdered sugar and cocoa together, cream
sugar/cocoa with butter till light and fluffy and gradually add syrup and
essence and blend well.
3. Use immediately while still warm and
spreadable.
Royal Icing
This icing is the traditional covering for
Christmas and wedding cakes, and is made from icing sugar beaten with egg
whites and lemon juice; a teaspoon of glycerine may be added. In the hands of a
skilled confectioner this can be used to produce perfectly flat smooth surfaces
or piped into intricate borders, patterns or trellis work, which are very
fragile but very hard when set. It is always applied over a layer of marzipan
or fondant.
The recipe for royal icing needed for 6 inch
round or 5 inch square cakes is as follows.
·
Egg
whites
2. No.
·
Icing
Sugar
500 gms
·
Lemon
juice
1 Teaspoon
·
Glycerine
1 Teaspoon
·
Cream
of tartar 2.5
gms
Method:
1. Beat the egg whites with a fork until frothy
2. Gradually beat in 1/2 the icing sugar, using a
wooden spoon (+ Lemon juice and cream of tartar)
3. Beat in the remaining icing sugar with the
glycerine
4. Beat thoroughly until smooth and white, and
having a consistency that stands in soft peaks.
5. Add colouring if required.
6. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and leave it
to stand for several hours to allow bubbles to escape. Before using stir well
with wooden spoon but do not over beat.
The icings mentioned below are similar to
Royal icing.
Sugar paste or Moulded Icing
Beat one egg white and 15 ml glucose gradually
adding 500gm icing sugar to form a still paste. Turn unto a surface sprinkled
with corn flour and knead until smooth. Wrap in cling film and keep and keep in
a plastic bag to prevent it from drying, will keep refrigerated for 6 weeks.
This quantity is sufficient to cover 8 inch round cake.
SATIN ICING
Boil together 50 gms of butter + lemon juice
+dissolved 250 gm of icing sugar and cook for 2 min. Remove from heat and beat
in another 250 gm of icing sugar till stiff. Gradually mix in another 175 gm of
icing sugar and knead until smooth preserve as above.
GLAZES or GLACE
Glazes are thin glossy transparent coatings
that give shine to baked products and help prevent drying. The simplest mixture
for this purpose is a syrup made from 250 gms of icing sugar in 30 ml of water
or milk. They are brushed over small cakes or poured to give a smooth finish.
Syrup glazes may contain gelatin or corn
starch. Fruit glazes, the most popular being apricot are made by cooking them
till they melt and then forcing them through a strainer.
Ganache may also be considered as an icing
GANACHE
A flavoured cream made with chocolate and
fresh cream, sometimes with butter added. It may be used as a sauce, or to
glaze a cake or it may be whipped and used a filling and/or icing. Ganache can
also be made of stiffer consistency, chilled and rolled into truffles or as
topping for petit fours. It was created in Paris round about 1850
Method:
Bring 100 ml of double cream to the boil.
Remove from heat and add 225 gms of plain unsweetened chocolate broken into
even squares. Stir until the chocolate has melted and is thoroughly combined
with cream. Leave until cool but not set then whip until pale, thick and light
or before whipping it may be poured over cakes as chocolate icing.
Toppings are anything that is used to cover a
cake or a pastry and it may be fruits, jam, nuts etc. and Icings are that part
of toppings which are sweet coatings that may be applied to cakes and pastries.
RULES For selection of icing
1. The flavour texture and colour of icing must
be compatible with the cake.
2. In general use heavy frosting with heavy cakes
and light frosting with light cakes. e.g. Angel food cakes with simple flat
icings. High ratio cakes with butter cream or fudge type icings. Genoese sponge
with French or meringue type icing.
3. Use the best quality flavourings and use them
sparingly.
4. The flavour of the frosting should not be
stronger than the cake.
5. Use colour sparingly, light pastel shades are
more appetizing than loud colours.
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