The Essential Guide To Baking

SHORTENING: Emulsified shortening, margarine, or butter may be used in buttercream icing. Use

an emulsified shortening if you want a pure white icing. Use margarine or butter if you like

the flavor (the icing will have a pale yellow color). Butter is an excellent ingredient to use

in a chocolate flavored buttercream icing.

MILK: Use milk in a buttercream icing to enhance the flavor. Milk may also be used to thin

heavy icing to a spreadable consistency.

WATER: Use warm or cold water in buttercream icing. Sometimes warm water will cause shortening;

especially butter or margarine to separate. Add water slowly.

CREAM: Heavy cream is delicious in buttercream icing. Cream must be fresh because it imparts a

flavor and color. Cream will also cause the icing to break down quicker than milk or water.

Cream is very good in chocolate buttercream icing.

EGG WHITES: Use only fresh, clean egg whites in boiled icing. If using frozen egg whites make

sure they come to room temperature.

COCOA: Use fresh, lump free cocoa in buttercream icing. When the cocoa is lumpy, push through a

sifter.

CHOCOLATE: Use fresh unsweetened baking chocolate in buttercream icings. Chocolate will absorb

odors and flavors. Store chocolate tightly sealed, in a cool, odor free place.

Melt unsweetened baking chocolate over a water bath using very low heat, or better yet in a

micro−wave oven. Add the melted chocolate slowly to buttercream icing.

FRUIT: Small amounts of crushed, fresh fruit may be substituted for the liquid in buttercream

icing. Use a flavor of the same type as the fruit. (apricot flavor added with crushed apricots,

etc.) Care must be taken that the buttercream does not separate when crushed fruit is added to

the mix.

SALT: Salt enhances the flavor of icings, but is not needed and very little, if any, should be

used.

SPICES: Cinnamon is a good spice to use in buttercream and fondant icing. Use just a tiny amount.

FLAVORS: Flavor icing the way you like. Most flavors are concentrated, so taste as you add and

don't over−flavor.

CORN SYRUP: Use light corn syrup in both buttercream and boiled type icing. Corn syrup makes

the icing smooth and gives it a healthy shine. When a formula calls for glucose... corn syrup

will usually do fine.

COCONUT: Fresh, moist coconut is a very good covering for both buttercream and boiled icing.

Lightly toasted coconut is also good to sprinkle on freshly iced items.

NUT−MEATS: Chopped nut−meats is a good covering for buttercream icing. Sprinkle nut−meats on

the icing while still wet and sticky. Use only nut−meats that have been stored properly. Taste

nut−meats before using because they go rancid very quickly when not stored properly.

Icing Techniques And Tricks