Advanced Baking Hpmgt #135

Key Topic Discussion: ICINGS

v Icing, also known as frosting, is a sweet decorative coating used as a filling between the layers or as a coating over the top and sides of a cake.

v Icings have three main functions:

Ø They contribute flavor and richness.

Ø They improve appearance.

Ø They improve keeping qualities by forming protective coatings around cakes.

v There are seven general types of icing: buttercream, foam, fudge, fondant, glaze, royal icing and ganache. See table on handout.

v A good icing is smooth; it is never grainy or lumpy. It should complement the flavor and texture of the cake without overpowering it.

v Buttercream

ü Definition: A light, smooth, fluffy mixture of sugar and fat (butter, margarine or shortening). It may also contain egg yolks for richness or whipped egg whites for lightness. The three most popular styles are: simple, Italian and French.

1) Simple buttercream, sometimes known as American-style buttercream, is made by creaming together fat and confectioners’ sugar to the desired consistency and lightness. Cream, eggs and flavorings may be added as desired. Simple buttercream requires no cooking and is quick and easy to prepare. If cost is a consideration, hydrogenated all-purpose shortening can be substituted for a portion of the butter, but the flavor and mouth-feel will be different. Buttercream made with shortening tends to feel greasier and heavier because shortening does not melt on the tongue like butter. It will be more stable than buttercream made with pure butter, however, and is necessary when a pure white icing is desired.

2) Italian buttercream, also known as meringue buttercream, is based on an Italian meringue, which is whipped egg whites cooked with hot sugar syrup. Softened butter is then whipped into the cooled meringue, and the mixture is flavored as desired. This type of buttercream is extremely soft and light. It can be used on most types of cakes and is particularly popular for multilayered Genoise and spongecakes.

3) French buttercream, also known as mousseline buttercream, is similar to Italian buttercream except that the hot sugar syrup is whipped into beaten egg yolks (not egg whites). This egg yolk meringue, referred to as pate a bombe, is also used to leaven cakes and mousses, especially those in still-frozen desserts. Softened butter and flavorings are added when the sweetened egg yolks are fluffy and cool. An Italian buttercream is sometimes folded in for additional body and lightness. French buttercream is perhaps the most difficult type of buttercream to master, but it has the richest flavor and smoothest texture. Like a meringue buttercream, mousseline buttercream may be used on almost any type of cake.

Ø Baker’s Notes:

§ The temperature of the butter is very important when making buttercream.

§ If the buttercream separates, whip it on very high speed until it comes together. If this is not satisfactory, whip in a tablespoon of chilled butter on very high speed. This should emulsify the buttercream.

§ Consistency is important when working with buttercreams. To frost a cake, the buttercream should be extremely soft to go on smoothly. Don’t be afraid to heat it slightly if it seems too stiff.

§ Buttercream frostings can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator or freezer, where they will harden. To soften to spreadable consistency, chop into chunks and place into mixer bowl, then into hot water until 1/3 to ½ melted. Beat on low speed to return to original consistency.

v Foam Icing

ü Foam or boiled icing is simply an Italian meringue (made with hot sugar syrup). Foam icing is light and fluffy but very sweet. It may be flavored with extract, liqueur or melted chocolate. It is frequently used to ice layer cakes and complements lemon, coconut or chocolate cakes especially well. Foam icing is rather unstable. It should be used immediately and served the day it is prepared. Refrigeration often makes the foam week beads of sugar. Freezing causes it to separate or melt.

v Fudge Icing

ü A fudge icing is a warmed mixture of sugar, butter and water or milk. It is heavy, rich and candylike. It is also stable and holds up well. A fudge icing should be applied warm and allowed to dry on the cake or pastry. When dry, it will have a thin crust and a moist interior. A fudge icing can be vanilla- or chocolate-based and is used on cupcakes, layer cakes and sheet cakes.

v Fondant

ü Fondant is a thick, opaque sugar paste commonly used for glazing napoleons, petits fours and other pastries as well as some cakes. It is a cooked mixture of sugar and water, with glucose or corn syrup added to encourage the correct type of sugar crystallization. Poured over the surface being coated, fondant quickly dries to a shiny, nonsticky coating. It is naturally pure white and can be tinted with food coloring. Fondant can also be flavored with melted chocolate. Fondant is rather tricky to make, so it is usually purchased prepared either as a ready-to-use paste or a powder to which water is added. Rolled fondant is a very stiff doughlike type of fondant that is used for covering cakes and for making flowers and other decorations. As the name implies, it is rolled out to the desired thickness, then draped over a cake or torte to create a very smooth, flat coating.

v Glaze

ü A glaze is a thin coating meant to be poured or drizzled onto a cake or pastry. A glaze is usually too thin to apply with a knife or spatula. It is used to add moisture and flavor to cakes on which a heavy icing would be undesirable – for example, a chiffon or angel food cake. Flat icing or water icing is a specific type of glaze used on Danish pastries and coffeecakes. It is pure white and dries to a firm gloss.

v Royal Icing

ü Royal icing, also known as decorator’s icing, is similar to flat icing except it is much stiffer and become hard and brittle when dry. It is an uncooked mixture of powdered sugar and egg whites and can be dyed with food coloring pastes. Royal icing is used for making decorations, particularly intricate flowers or lace patterns.

v Ganache

ü While it sounds exotic, basic ganache is made with just two ingredients: chocolate and cream. It can also include butter, liqueur or other flavorings. Any bittersweet, semisweet or dark chocolate may be used. By varying techniques and tweaking ingredients, you can turn basic ganache into a truffle, a glaze, a frosting, a mousse, a tart, a warm drink, or a frozen pop.

Ø Baker’s Notes:

§ The flavor intensifies upon standing, so if you have the time, make the Ganache the day before using.

§ In its most basic form Ganache is simply equal parts chocolate and cream by weight. Other ingredients such as butter and/or egg yolks can also be included together with flavorings if desired.

§ The ratio of chocolate to cream determines the consistency of the product after it cools.

§ For a firmer Ganache add more chocolate; for a softer Ganache, decrease the amount. By not overworking the Ganache when adding flavorings or when softening it, you will preserve the rich, dark color. If you want a lighter and fluffier Ganache, whip in air by first softening the Ganache over simmering water, then whipping at full speed for a few minutes.

§ The emulsification that results in ganache combines the fat in the chocolate (cocoa butter) with the water in cream. To accomplish this, you must first liquefy the fat. Hot cream is combined with the chocolate, melting the fat into liquid form. Stirring breaks down the fat into microscopic droplets, small enough to be suspended within the water.

§ Temperature is an important factor in the emulsification of ganache. If the temperature is not controlled carefully, the result will not be smooth. The optimal emulsification temperature for ganache is 90˚ to 110˚F. If the temperature rises above 110˚F, the cocoa butter gets too hot. Droplets of fat will pool together and rise to the surface, separating from the mixture. When this occurs, the ganache is referred to as “broken.”

§ Ganache can also be lumpy if the chocolate is not chopped into very fine pieces before being combined with the hot cream. If the chocolate pieces are larger than 1/4 inch, they will not melt completely and the resulting ganache will have lumps.

§ After the cream is poured over the chocolate to melt the cocoa butter, the mixture is set aside to warm undisturbed for a minute and then stirred in a slow, circular motion. Steady agitation is essential in reducing the fat to tiny droplets. Care must be taken to resist excessive beating which can bring the temperature of the fat below 90˚F too quickly, producing ganache with a grainy texture.

§ Note: it is possible to repair a broken or grainy ganache.

Advanced Baking Hpmgt #135

Key Topic Discussion: ICINGS

ICING	KEY FORMULA CHARACTERISTICS	TEXTURE
Simple buttercream (American)	Mixture of sugar and fat (usually butter); can contain egg yolks or egg whites	Rich but light; smooth; fluffy
Foam	Meringue made with hot sugar syrup	Light fluffy; very sweet
Fudge	Cooked mixture of sugar, butter and water or milk; applied warm	Heavy, rich and candylike
Fondant	Cooked mixture of sugar and water; applied warm	Thick, opaque; sweet
Glaze	Powdered sugar with liquid	Thin; sweet
Royal icing	Uncooked mixture of powdered sugar and egg whites	Hard and brittle when dry; chalky
Ganache	Blend of melted chocolate and cream; may be poured or whipped	Rich, smooth; intense chocolate flavor

Advanced Baking Hpmgt #135

Key Topic Discussion: TROUBLESHOOTING CHART FOR ICINGS

PROBLEM	CAUSE	SOLUTION
Frosting breaks or curdles	Fat added too slowly or eggs too hot when fat was added	Add shortening or sifted powdered sugar
	Butt too cold when added	Soften butter before adding
Icing is lumpy	Powdered sugar not sifted	Sift dry ingredients
	Ingredients not blended	Use softened fats
	Sugar syrup lumps in icing	Add sugar syrups carefully
Icing is too stiff	Not enough liquid	Adjust formula; add small amount of water or milk to thin the icing
	Too cold	Bring icing to room temperature; heat gently over simmering water
Icing will not adhere to cake	Cake too hot	Cool cake completely
	Icing too thin	Adjust icing formula
	Icing too stiff	Adjust icing formula
	Icing too cold	Soften icing at room temperature before using