All you need in frostings/icings

[jessiquina]

since there is a considerable amount of people curious about frostings and icings. im going to try to help with this.

frosting- i consider this as a butter/powdered sugar thick and creamy base, flavored with anything you'd like. cream cheese frosting is this type also.

icing- i consider this to be a powdered sugar/water or milk and flavorings. used for drizzling on danish, maple bars

ganache- basically a 1:1 ratio of good chocolate and cream. you can adjust the ratio- but i wont go into that now. can be used to glaze a torte, or when used at a more solid state, you can top cupcakes or use it on cakes.

royal icing- powdered sugar/egg whites. gets extremely hard, can be used to glue a gingerbread house together, or "flood" sugar cookies.

buttercreme- there are a few types. i will familiarize you with the italian buttercreme. egg whites whipped and a cooked sugar syrup pour in. butter is then whipped in with flavorings. used on wedding cakes and lots of other cakes. light and rich at the same time. its my favorite.

RECIPES:
theses are recipes i found on epicurious, or foodtv.com. i have made most of these recipes, others are just ones in my head that i use at work everyday. good luck! hope this helps!

Frosting:

6T soft butter unsalted
3 c. sifted powdered sugar.
a pinch of salt.
1/4c milk
vanilla or other flavoring.

cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. slowly add a third of the milk. add salt. add more milk depending on the desired consistency- you may need more milk. .. try adding a few T cocoa powder for a fudge frosting.

Icing:

sifted powdered sugar, add milk or water to desired consistency while whipping in a mixer. use immediately.

Ganache:

8oz. good quality dark or semi sweet chocolate chopped
1 cup cream

bring cream to a boil. pour over chocolate. use a wisk to bring it together. use warm as a glaze, or leave at room temp to firm up and use as a frosting.

Royal Icing:

1# box sifted powdered sugar
3 egg whites.

combine sugar and whites in mixing bowl. whip on med speed for 5min. adjust consistency by adding small amounts of egg whites.

Italian Buttercreme:

4 large egg whites at room temperature for 30 minutes
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup water
1 1/3 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
4 sticks (2 cups) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces and softened
2 teaspoons vanilla

Special equipment: a candy thermometer
Combine whites and salt in a very large bowl. Stir together water and 1 1/3 cups sugar in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan until sugar is dissolved, then bring to a boil over moderate heat, without stirring, brushing any sugar crystals down side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water.

When syrup reaches a boil, start beating egg whites with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until frothy, then gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat at medium speed until whites just hold soft peaks. (Do not beat again until sugar syrup is ready.)

Meanwhile, put thermometer into sugar syrup and continue boiling until syrup registers 238 to 242°F. Immediately remove from heat and, with mixer at high speed, slowly pour hot syrup in a thin stream down side of bowl into whites, beating constantly. Beat, scraping down side of bowl with a rubber spatula, until meringue is cool to the touch, about 10 minutes in a standing mixer or 15 with a handheld. (It is important that meringue is properly cooled before proceeding.)

With mixer at medium speed, gradually add butter 1 piece at a time, beating well after each addition until incorporated. (Buttercream will look soupy after some butter is added if meringue is still warm. If so, briefly chill bottom of bowl in a large bowl filled with ice water for a few seconds before continuing to beat in remaining butter.) Continue beating until buttercream is smooth. (Mixture may look curdled before all of butter is added but will come back together by the time beating is finished.) Add vanilla and beat 1 minute more.

[jessiquina]

well that was the best i could do. i just wanted to give a general idea to help some people on here askin bout those darn frostings..