Basic Icing
MARZIPAN
750gm icing sugar
200gm ground almonds
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons glycerine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Few drops almond essence/ vanilla essence
Sift the icing sugar into a large bowl. Remove a cupful for kneading. Stir the almonds into the icing sugar and make well in the centre. Mix together the yolks, glycerine, lemon juice and almond/vanilla essence and pour into the well. Stir with a knife until stiff.
Use the reserved sugar to dust a work surface and knead the marzipan for 3-5 minutes, adding more sugar to prevent sticking. Knead until smooth and pliable.
Use immediately or wrap in plastic and store in an air tight container in a cool place (not the fridge) for up to 3 days. Roll out on a surface dusted with icing sugar to use.
ROYAL ICING
7 eggs white
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1.75kg icing sugar
Put the eggs white in the bowl of an electric mixer. Stir in the sugar. Beat on slow speed for 4 minutes for ‘soft peak’ or 5 minutes for ‘firm peak’.
‘Soft peak’ will be the first consistency reached and is used for coating cakes and piping with tubes. When lifted from the bowl with a spatula the peak will stand up but droop slightly at tip.
For ‘firm peak’ icing, beat until the icing has a definite peak that will not fall when shaken.
(Makes enough to cover a 22cm [9 inch] cake, make decorations and cover a board)
SUGAR PASTE
5 tablespoons gelatin
125 ml liquid glucose
1 tablespoon glycerine
1 kg icing sugar
Sprinkle the gealtine over 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Leave until the gelatine is spongy. Place the bowl in a pan of hot water and stir until the gelatine is spongy. Place the bowl in a pan of hot water and stir until the gelatine has dissolved. Add the glucose and glycerine and stir until melted. Cool for 1 minute.
Sift the icing sugar into a large bowl. Remove a cupful for kneading. Make a well in the centre of the icing sugar and pour in the gelatine mixture. Combine with a wooden spoon, then use a dry hand to knead until the icing has a dough-like texture, adding a little of the reserved icing sugar if necessary. Turn out onto a work surface dusted with icing sugar and knead until smooth and pliable, adding more icing sugar as necessary to prevent sticking.
Use immediately, or wrap in plastic and store in anairtight container in a cool place (not the fridge) for up to 3 days. Roll out on a surface dusted with icing sugar to use.
BUTTER CREAM
½ cup cream wel/ shortening
½ cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
4 cups icing sugar
2 tablespoons fresh milk
In large bowl, cream well and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add vanilla essence, mix well. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed, scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk, beat at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Keep icing covered with a damp. Cloth until ready to use. For best result, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerator in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Re-whip before using.
CREAM CHEESE ICING
300gm cream cheese
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
2 cups icing sugar
In large bowl, beat cream cheese, orange juice and zest with electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add icing sugar. Continue beating until icing is smooth and creamy.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
14 oz Dark Chocolate (chopped)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
In large saucepan, heat whipping cream just to boiling. Do not boil. Remove from heat, add chopped chocolate and stir untill melted and smooth. If mixture is too tick, add 1 to 2 additional tablespoon whipping cream.
