Lets talk icing…

There are so many different types of icing it’s actually quite amazing! Some are made with cream cheese, others with butter and even some made with marshmellows!!

I’ll use this post to detail the main three types I currently use and then add to it as i come across more weird and wacky icings in the future.

Butter Icing
I use this to do my rose piping decoration on cupcakes.

Ingredients
110g (3 3/4oz) unsalted butter
350g (12oz) icing (confectioners) sugar
1-2 tbsp milk or water
a few drops of vanilla extract or flavouring of your choice.

Method
1) Place the butter in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy

2) Sift the icing sugar into the bowl and continue to beat until the two are well combined.

3) Add just enough milk or water to give a firm but spreadable consistency.

5) Flavour by adding vanilla or alternative flavouring. Store in the fridge in an airtight container and re-beat before using.

Chocolate Ganache
This can be used to fill and ice cakes or rolled into balls or used as the basis to make wonderful truffles!

Ingredients

400g of good quality chocolate
300ml of single cream

Method
1) Heat the cream up gently in a pan until it is boiling, stirring continuously.

2) Break the chocolate into chunks into a heat-proof bowl.

3) Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate chunks and stir the two together until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and silky.

4) Place in the fridge to set. Wait for the mixture to be thick yet still manageable before icing your cake.

Royal Icing
This is the icing used for stencil work and piping fine detail

Ingredients
1 egg white
250g/9oz icing (confectioners’) sugar, sieved

Method
1) Put the egg white in a bowl and lightly beat to break it down.

2) Gradually beat in the icing sugar until the icing is glossy and forms soft peaks.

3) Royal icing can be made in advance and stored, but mustn’t be allowed to dry out. Store in the fridge in an airtight container. If it is too stiff after storage it can be re-beaten to soften again.

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