Boiled icing is a dessert topping made by boiling sugar with other ingredients and whisking it with egg whites to create a light, fluffy glaze. It contains sugar, salt, cream of tartar, and water, and is used to top cakes and cupcakes. It is recommended to use it immediately after making it or store it tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to a day.
Boiled icing is a type of dessert topping whose base is mostly made by boiling sugar with other ingredients to form a thick, gooey substance. The boiled ingredients are then gradually whisked together with the egg whites, which incorporates air into the mixture to make a light, fluffy glaze. Frosting is often used to top cakes, cupcakes, and other desserts, but is believed to be too gooey and light to be used for decorative piping or other intricate designs.
The base of boiled icing tends to consist mostly of granulated sugar, with small amounts of salt and cream of tartar. The salt is thought to bring out the other flavors in the glaze and draw more moisture from the other ingredients to make the finished product satiny and easy to spread. Cream of tartar, scientifically known as potassium hydrogen tartrate, is a type of acidic salt that is believed to stabilize and increase the volume of egg whites beaten into the glaze. It is also considered by many to add a smooth texture to icing while preventing the sugar from crystallizing and becoming hard.
Boiled glaze is usually made by combining about 1.5 cups (192 grams) of sugar, a pinch of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar with cold water. Recipes often vary in how much water is required, but can range from about 0.25 to 0.50 cups (32 to 64 grams). The mixture is then cooked on a stovetop over medium heat until soft and thick and reaches approximately 240 degrees Fahrenheit (115.56 degrees Celsius). The egg whites are normally beaten until soft, fluffy peaks are then beaten while the boiled sugar mixture is slowly poured into the egg whites. The whole mixture is beaten until a smooth shiny consistency is obtained.
Since boiled icing tends to become sticky, it is usually recommended to use it as soon as possible. To keep crumbs from mixing with the frosting, recipes may recommend applying large amounts of frosting in the middle of the dessert and then spreading it from the center. This type of icing is often used to create a swirl design on desserts by applying the icing in a thick, even layer and then using the back of a spoon to make various circular motions to form the swirls. While it is recommended that the boiled icing be used immediately after making it for best results, it can also be tightly covered and kept in the refrigerator for up to a day before using. If it’s not tightly covered or stored for more than a day, the icing may start to set and not be spreadable.
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