Page 5 - Icings, Glazes and Recipes
Icings, glazes and frostings don't just taste delicious, they also have the added effect of protecting the food underneath from drying out. Glazes are glossy thin coatings usually made up of icing sugar, a small amount of water and corn syrup, and sometimes fat (butter or cream). The corn syrup and fat prevent the sugar from producing coarse crystals. In addition, the corn syrup attracts moisture, filling the gaps between sugar particles with a shiny glass-like surface. A simple icing or frosting is made by whipping air into a solid fat such as butter, cream cheese or vegetable shortening, making a creamy, light mass. Using icing sugar will ensure the icing isn't grainy.
If you'd like to learn more about different kinds of icings, check out our guide to Cake Decorating. Otherwise, if you'd rather just get cooking, take a look at these two recipes for some interesting ways to use sugars and syrups!
This first recipe is so simple you can make it in minutes. It is a creamy delicious pudding that has a crispy crust. I included a recipe for apples to accompany it and make it extra special, but you could just eat it with ice cream. It has a Spanish flavour, in order to celebrate our new Spanish ingredients.
I discovered this honey cake when reading Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros. I used a leathwood honey, which gives the cake a very forthright character. It also keeps very well. You can ice it with a lemon icing if you wish, but I like the taste of honey.