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Frosting or Icing
Frosting or Icing
How Much Frosting or Icing Do I Need to Cover and Decorate my Cake With?
Go to my Weddng Cake Charts answering this question!
In addition to sugar, frosting can contain a combination of other ingredients including butter,
milk, water, eggs and various flavorings. It can be cooked (as with boiled icing) or uncooked
(as with buttercream), and can range from thick to thin. There are so many choices. The
flavors, colors and consistencies should compliment what's inside; one should not
overpower the other. Some are cooked, while others can be uncooked, and many can be
purchased ready-made from a baking supply store online. Make sure you understand the
storage requirements of each.
The goal in frosting or glazing a cake is to put it on smoothly, while keeping the cake
crumbs out. It also adds a protective shield that preserves freshness in a baked dessert.
Usually two layers of frosting are put on: a crumb coat or a thin layer and a final coat.
Sometimes a third icing coat can be applied, if necessary.
After finishing the cake, it will stay fresh at least a couple of days, depending on the type of
icing and filling used. Once cut, keep the cut edges of the main cake covered with plastic
wrap or waxed or parchment paper. If it contains any perishable items, the cake MUST BE
refrigerated, and can only stay out of refrigeration for no more than two hours for food safety
reasons.
SARAH SAYS: I personally think cake is better the next day after serving, but maybe that
has something to do with the "naughty-ness" of cake for breakfast!
If you have additional questions, please post them in our CraftyBaking.com Forum, and
we will be happy to answer them.
QUESTION: Is it an icing or a frosting?
SARAH SAYS: Here, in the United States, we commonly refer to these sugary spreads as
frostings, but it can get confusing because we also call them icings. In other countries, icing
is the more popular term because confectioners' / powdered sugars are known as icing
sugars!
A handful of culinary dictionaries state that frosting and icing are one and the same, but
most other sources differentiate the two: They define frostings as relatively thick, sometimes
fluffy recipes that are used to fill and/or are spread over a cake. Icings are considered to be
typically white, have a thinner consistency and are usually poured or drizzled over cakes,
forming smooth, shiny coatings.
The main requirement for frosting or icing is that it be thick enough to adhere to the item
being coated, yet soft enough to spread easily. It has three main functions:
1. Frosting contributes flavor and richness to the cake. It also adds interest and
provides a smooth surface for decorating on;
2. Frosting improves the cake's appearance. Special occasion cakes become more
festive with frosting and decorations; and,
3. Frosting improves the keeping the qualities of the cake by forming a protective
coating around it, sealing in moisture and flavor and allowing it to be eaten over a
couple of days.
QUESTION: I have heard the term "crusting" when it comes to icing or frosting. When
does it mean?
SARAH SAYS: Crusting means "a hard crisp covering or surface". When an icing has a
higher ration of sugar to fat, as it dries, it develops a sugar-crust on the outside. This can
happen after the cake is frosted or when the icing sits in the mixing bowl if it isn't covered.
If the icing crusts after applying a "crumb coat" (a thin layer of icing to seal in the crumbs),
this will make it easier to apply the finish coating of icing to the cake.
When the icing crusts after coating the cake - I have more control in the borders I choose to
finish the cake with, especially borders that requires me to slightly drag the tip to the surface
of the cake. If this was an icing that didn't crust - then I must be extremely careful in piping
and not make too many mistakes. When an icing crusts, I can easily remove a piped error
on the cake.
If I don't cover the bowl with an icing that crusts, then I get hard pieces of icing in the bowl
when I stir the icing. Some of this may not smooth-out and thus clog-up my pastry tips. Also,
with hard pieces in my finished icing, I won't get a smooth surface when I ice additional
cake layers.
It's important to discuss crusting as it can affect the way your icing performs. Also, if I use
an icing that crusts, then it has more stability, especially in warm weather. Also, if I am using
an icing that crusts, then I can lightly touch the cake without creating a disturbance to the
finished look.
SARAH SAYS: Make sure the frosting you use spreads easily because it is soft enough to
go on the cake. A stiff frosting will not go on smoothly and you may tear the cake while
doing so, creating a lot of unnecessary crumbs and uneven surfaces. It may be too cold to
spread, so let it warm to room temperature. Some can be thinned with 3 - 4 tablespoons of
corn syrup or milk to thin it down, so it spreads easier. Others may need the addition of
more liquid. Also, make sure the icing is SMOOTH (not full of air pockets) or LIGHT (fluffy)
for icing the cake.
FILLINGS
Anything that goes between the layers of a cake is called the filling. A filling can be inside
the cake, if it's rolled up such as for a Jelly Roll Cake, placed inside of a cupcake or
sandwiched in between two cookies. Some recipes, such as cakes, use more than one type
of filling, such as whipped cream and berries between two layers, or alternating fillings
between different layers, such as ganache between some and buttercream between others.
Some fillings can also be used to cover the outside of the cake, such as Buttercream.
GLAZES
A coating, as of syrup, applied to food is called a glaze. Glaze can be poured, drizzled or
brushed on with a pastry brush on the outside of cakes or cookies or in between cake layers
for different looks, called glazing. Once applied, the glaze sets up very quickly, so you only
have a small window of time in which to use it.
Hand Towels
Ensure fibers are not loose.
It is always recommended to have both a wet towel and a dry towel for just about any cake
decorating project. Doing this helps re-enforce a 'Clean as you go' culture that ultimately results in
cleaner artwork.
Used for:
Cleaning & Storing
CellophaneShop Online
Available in bags, sheets or rolls, cellophane has a lot of convenient purposes. For Chef Yener, one
of the most common uses for cellophane is to make piping bags.
Used for:
Modelling & Moulding
Piping
Cleaning & Storing
Thin Cardboard
A thin card board like the ones that make a white cake box, a post card or a business card.
Used for:
Modelling & Moulding
Flat Tray
A strong flat tray that doesn't bend which is about 2mm or 3mm thick. Can be aluminium or plastic.
Should be light in weight.
Used for:
Cleaning & Storing
Gluing, Joining & Holding
SkewersShop Online
Used for:
Modelling & Moulding
Gluing, Joining & Holding
Contents
1Overview
2List of garnishes
o 2.1Foods and entree
o 2.2Desserts and sweets
o 2.3Beverages
3Garnishes according to cuisine traditions
o 3.1French garnishes
o 3.2Indonesian garnishes
o 3.3Japanese garnishes
o 3.4Korean garnishes
4Garnish tools
5Gallery
6See also
7References
8External links
Overview[edit]
A garnish makes food or drink items more visually appealing.[3][4] They may, for example,
enhance their color,[3] such as when paprika is sprinkled on a salmon salad. They may
provide a color contrast, for example when chives are sprinkled on potatoes. They may
make a cocktail more visually appealing, such as when a cocktail umbrella is added to
an exotic drink, or when a Mai Tai is topped with any number of
tropical fruit pieces. Sushi may be garnished with baran, a type of plastic grass or leaf.
Sometimes a garnish and a condiment will be used together to finish the presentation of
a dish; for example, an entrée could be topped with a sauce, as the condiment, along
with a sprig of parsley as a garnish.[citation needed]
A garnish may be so readily identified with a specific dish that the dish may appear
incomplete without the garnish. Examples include a banana
split sundae with cherries on top or buffalo wings served with celery stick garnish
and blue cheese dressing.[citation needed]
List of garnishes[edit]
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this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may
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Caramel
Chocolate (shaved or curled)
Cocoa powder
Flaked coconut[21]
Confetti candy
Coulis (raspberry coulis, for example)
Edible flowers
Sliced fruit
Gomul
Honey
Maraschino cherry
Mint
Sprinkles
Syrups
Vark
Wafer
Nuts[22]
o Walnut pieces and candied walnuts
Wedding cake topper
Whipped cream
Beverages[edit]
Garnishes for beverages include:
Carrot sticks
Celery stalks (usually with leaves attached)
Pepper
Salt, coarse (applied to the rim of glasses)
Eggnog may have:
Nutmeg, grated
Various fruits are used:
Cherries
Lemon slice, twist, or wedge
Lime slice, twist, or wedgee
Orange slice, twist, or wedge
Pineapple slice or wedge
Strawberries
Watermelon wedge
Cocktail garnish
o Cocktail onion
o Cocktail umbrella
o Green olive
o Mint[23]
o Twist
o Sugar, granulated or powdered
French garnishes[edit]
Classic French garnishes include[24]
For soups:
Croquettes
Potatoes (pommes dauphine,[26] Duchess potatoes or Marquis)
Duxelles – fried onion, mushrooms and herbs[27][28]
Matignon – minced carrots, onions, and celeries with ham stewed in butter and Madeira
Mirepoix – similar to Matignon but diced (cf. minced) with or without ham (or with bacon
substituted for the ham)
Polonaise – Polish-style garnish with melted butter, bread crumbs, chopped boiled egg,
lemon juice and herbs over cooked vegetables
Salpicon – a variety of other diced meats or vegetables
Fritters
Indonesian garnishes[edit]
Indonesian festive tumpeng rice cone, garnished with decoratively sliced chili pepper and cucumber.
Chrysanthemum leaves [32]
Egg garnish – a common topping in Korean cuisine, made with egg whites and egg
yolks.[33][34][35]
Gochu – red chili pepper[36]
o Chili thread – a traditional Korean garnish made with chili peppers.[37][38][39]
Crushed garlic[32]
Green onions [32]
Manna lichen[36]
Scallions [36]
Shiitake[36]
Shredded vegetables [40]
Garnish tools[edit]
Tools often used for creating food garnishes
include skewers, knives, graters, toothpicks, and parchment cones.[41]
Gallery[edit]