1

ICINGS
Icing, also called frosting, is a sweet glaze made of sugar that often also contains butter, water, egg ,
milk, cream, chocolate, cocoa, cheese, or flavorings and is used to cover or decorate baked goods, such
as cakes or cookies. Icing can be formed into shapes such as flowers and leaves using a pastry bag. Such
decorations commonly grace birthday and wedding cakes. Chef's color dye (food coloring) is commonly
added to icing mixtures to achieve the desired color. Sprinkles, coloring mist, edible images or other
decorations are often used on top of icing. Icing can be applied with a utensil such as a knife or spatula,
or it can be applied by drizzling or dipping (see glaze) or by rolling the icing out and draping it over the
cake. The method of application largely depends on the type and texture of icing being used. Icing may
be used between layers in a cake as a filling, or it may be used to completely or partially cover the
outside of a cake or other baked product.

USES OF ICINGS:
1. They contribute flavour & richness.
2. Improve keeping quality by forming protective coatings around the cake.
3. Improve appearances.

Reasons for decorating pastry items with icings:

1. To enhance the product in the eyes of the guest/ customer.

2. To give “ added value” to the basic product
3. To personalize a product for guests/customers like a birthday, anniversary cake or even a cake
designed for sales promotion.
4. To make products different from that of the competitors
5. To create a focal point for an occasion
6. To match a product with the theme of the party
7. To aid in pre-portioning of a product like gateaux, tart etc.
8. To provide interest, challenge & training for pastry chefs.

TYPES OF ICINGS:
1. Butter icing
2. Butter cream
3. Foam type icing ( American frosting)
4. Flat type icing
5. Fondant
6. Fudge type icing
7. Royal icing
8. Glace icing

1. BUTTER ICING – As the name suggests this icing is made by using butter or its substitutes. It is mainly
popular for its easy handling property, ease of making, the moistness provided to the cake & above all
taste that can be altered & flavoured as required. The icing is prepared by creaming icing sugar & butter
together in 2:1 ratio which also can be varied to obtain desired consistency. This is mainly used in rich &
light cakes, also used over biscuits & for fillings.
2

RECIPE -

1. Icing sugar – 150 gm

2. White butter – 75 gm
3. Flavour & colour – as required.
 Sieve icing sugar, cream butter till smooth.
 Add icing sugar and cream till light and fluffy.
 Add colour and flavour as desired.

2. BUTTER CREAM – Butter cream is a soft creamy cake topping, it is also richer in texture as compared
to butter icing. Butter cream is necessarily less sweet and its typical creamy texture is due to sugar used
in its cooked state. The excessive fatty rich taste is cut down as the butter content is cut down by the use
of egg yolks and water. However butter icing is not suitable for making firm decorations like flowers,
figures etc.
RECIPE –
1. White butter – 250 gm
2. Grain sugar – 125 gm
3. Egg yolks – 4 nos
4. Water – 75 ml
 Cook sugar syrup to 1100 – 1160 c (soft ball stage)
 Pour the syrup over the partially whipped egg yolks beating continuously
 Beat till cool
 Cream in butter little at a time
 Flavour with vanilla
It also can be flavoured with custard, lemon curd and can be used as filing.
It also can be made with stiffly beaten egg whites instead off egg yolks, which is known as “Meringue
type” or “French type” icing

3. FOAM TYPE ICING – Sometimes called boiled icings also. This types of icings are simply meringues
made with boiling syrup. Some also contain gelatin. Foam type icings should be applied thickly to cakes
and left in peaks or swirls. These icings are not stable. This type of icings should be made on regular
basis. Some examples of foam type icings are American frosting, marshmallow icing etc.

AMERICAN FROSTING
1. Granulated sugar – 225 gm
2. Water – 75 ml
3. Egg whites – 1 no
4. Vanilla essence – as required
 Boil sugar and water to 1160C (soft ball)
 Stiffly whisk the egg whites
3

 Let the bubbles of boiled sugar subside then pour this onto egg whites from a good height, beating
continuously till soft peaks are begin to form
MARSHMALLOW ICING -
1. Lump sugar – 450 gm
2. Corn syrup – 225 gm
3. Egg whites – 600gm
4. Water – 800ml
5. Agar agar – 30 gm
 Soak agar agar in water then boil to dissolve and passed through a cloth.
 Add sugar to that solution and boil again, when the temperature reaches 225 0F ad corn syrup, do
not stir to avoid graining
 Stiffly beat the egg whites and add the previous solution to this in a steady stream and beat
continuously
4. FLAT TYPE ICING – these are also called as water icing are simply mixtures of icing sugars and water,
sometimes with corn syrup and flavorings added. They are mostly used as coffee cakes, Danish pastries
and sweet rolls. Flat icings are warmed up to 1000F for application and are handled like fondant.

5. FONDANT – Fondant is sugar syrup, which is crystalissed to a smooth creamy white mass. When
applied it gets up into shiny, non-sticky coating. On preparation, when excess of glucose or cream of
tartar is added to prevent enough crystallisation in order to get a too soft and syrupy icing.]

6. FUDGE TYPE ICING – These are thick and rich with a strong chocolate flavor. Other flavors, such as
almond, peanut butter or mint, are often added. Using both butter and shortening, corn syrup, sugar
and a variety of other ingredients, fudge icing can be somewhat time consuming to prepare, but the
finished product is stable and can be refrigerated and used at a later time. They can be used on cup
cakes, layered cakes, cake loafs, gateaux, puddings etc. it is very stable and hold up well on the cakes
and help to store it for longer period. Stored icing must be covered tightly to avoid drying and crusting
on surface.

CHOCLOATE FUDGE
1. Icing sugar – 170 gm
2. Butter – 100 gm
3. Cocoa powder – 30 gm
4. Milk – 2 tbsp.
 Melt butter on slow flame
 Sieve icing sugar and cocoa powder and add to butter off the range
 Mix well
 Add milk gradually to smoothen out the mixture

7. ROYAL ICING - Royal icing is similar to flat icing, but adds egg whites to produce a thicker icing
which hardens to a brittle texture. Royal icing can be used to make beautiful, artistic decorations
4

because it hardens when dried, but the same property makes it less enjoyable to eat. Royal icing is
used primarily for decorative additions to cakes and for show work such as sugar sculptures.
RECIPE
1. Egg whites – 2 nos
2. Tartaric acid or lemon juice – 1 pinch
3. Confectioner’s or icing sugar – 300 gm
 Place desired amount of icing sugar in a mixing bowl beat in egg whites a little at time until forms
a smooth paste
 Keep it covered with damp cloth to prevent hardening.

8. GLACE ICING – The name suggests its typical characteristic of giving a glace to product. The icing sugar
is sieved and very hot water is mixed to just dissolve the sugar and to get a thick coating consistency:
which can be checked at the back of a wooden spoon. These are thin, watery icings which form a hard,
crisp shell when poured or brushed over cakes and pastries. It is normally used on a light sponge.

RECIPE
1. Icing sugar – 150 gm
2. Boiling water – 2 tbsp
3. Essence and colour – as required
 Sieve icing sugar
 Add hot water and mix to a coating consistency ( consistency also can be altered as per the
requirement)
 Add flavour and colour
 Use immediately to avoid drying up

SOME OTHER IMPORTANT ICING

 MARZIPAN – A thick paste made with ground almond, sugar or sugar syrup and egg whites
mixed together. It is used in making cakes, pastries, especially as a base for the icing for X-mass
cake, wedding cake. It can be colured and flavoured to make petit fours and other decorative
figures like dolls, flowers for cake decorations.

1. 2 cups granulated sugar

2. 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
3. 4 cups ground almonds (or almond meal)
4. 2 egg whites
5. Powdered sugar for dusting

 Prepare a workspace by sprinkling powdered sugar over a marble slab, wooden cutting
board, or large baking sheet. Fill your sink or a large bowl with cold water.
 Place the sugar and 2/3 cup water in a large heavy saucepan and heat gently, stirring,
until the sugar dissolves.
 Add the cream of tartar and turn up the heat. Bring to a boil and cover, boiling, for 3
minutes.
5

 Uncover and boil until the temperature reaches soft-ball stage, 240 degrees on a candy
thermometer.
 Place the bottom of the saucepan in the cold water you’ve prepared, stirring the sugar
mixture constantly until it becomes thick and creamy.
 Stir in the ground almonds and the egg whites, the place back over low heat and stir for
2 minutes more until the mixture is thick.
 Spoon the marzipan onto your prepared work surface, and turn it with a metal spatula
until it cools down enough to touch.
 Coat your hands in powdered sugar and begin to knead the marzipan, working it until it
is smooth and pliant.
 Your marzipan can now be used immediately or stored by wrapping it in plastic wrap
and keeping it in an airtight container.

 FRANGIPANE – A pastry cream used in the preparation of various desserts, sweets, cakes and
pan cakes. It is made with milk, sugar, flour, eggs and butter mixed with either crushed
macaroons or with ground almonds.

 GANACHE – Ganache is mixture of chocolate and cream, used to make truffles and other
chocolate candies, or as a filling in cakes and pastries. The texture of ganache depends on the
ratio of cream to chocolate: a greater proportion of cream creates a “loose” or “soft” ganache
that is fairly liquid at room temperature, suitable for filling molded chocolates and frosting
cakes. A greater proportion of chocolate creates a “firm” ganache that has the consistency of
thick paste at room temperature, and that hardens upon refrigeration. This type of ganache is
often formed into balls and rolled in cocoa powder to create simple truffles. In its most basic
state, ganache is made by simmering cream, pouring the hot cream over chopped chocolate,
and then whisking the mixture until the chocolate is entirely melted and incorporated. Other
common additions include butter, for a creamier texture, and extracts or oils for flavoring.

 NON DAIRY TOPPING - Nondairy topping is used in place of real whipped cream in or on
desserts. Whipped cream is a dairy food, but nondairy topping contains no dairy products at all.
Nondairy topping and whipped cream are very similar in appearance and somewhat similar in
taste. Most people who enjoy whipped cream also like nondairy topping although the dairy
product is often richer, while the nondairy product is usually sweeter.
Nondairy topping is used in place of real whipped cream in or on desserts. Whipped cream is a
dairy food, but nondairy topping contains no dairy products at all. Nondairy topping and
whipped cream are very similar in appearance and somewhat similar in taste. Most people who
enjoy whipped cream also like nondairy topping although the dairy product is often richer, while
the nondairy product is usually sweeter. You can use nondairy topping wherever you would use
real whipped cream. A pastry bag can be used to pipe fancy-looking finishes on food or
beverages for an elegant touch. While many may prefer the richness of genuine whipped cream,
nondairy topping can be more affordable and provide an option for those who don't eat dairy
due to food intolerances or personal reasons. Always read labels on nondairy topping products,
however, as some may contain the milk protein, casein, which is typically listed as sodium
caseinate.

----------------------------------------------------------