how do you make icing?

Answer 1

There are many different types...so here we go:

Royal Icing:
Royal icing is very versatile. It is pure white and dries very hard, so it is perfect for making flowers and bows and delicate piped work. It can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 weeks. You should stir the icing to restore its original consistency after storage, but do not rebeat. Royal icing does not work well in high humidity.
5 tablespoons meringue powder (found in cake decorating stores)
1/2 cup minus 2 tablespoons water
OR
2 egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons water
1 pound confectioners' sugar
Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat slowly until they are all blended. Then beat at medium speed until the icing forms stiff peaks, about 5 minutes. Add more sugar if the icing is not stiff enough, or a few drops of water if it is too stiff. Use immediately or cover the bowl with a damp cloth to prevent drying when not in use. Allow at least 24 hours for royal icing decorations to dry, at room temperature.

French Buttercream:
10 egg whites
15 ounces sugar
2 1/2 pounds unsalted butter, at room temperature
Special Equipment: 5-quart mixer with bowl and whip attachment, rubber spatula
*Cook's Note: Make sure to have a completely clean and dry mixing bowl when you start your process. Any fat or liquid at all in the bowl will stunt the protein development of the albumen (egg white protein) and you will not have a proper meringue at the end. The results could be disastrous.
Start whipping egg whites slowly in the mixer until foamy. Increase the speed of the mixer and slowly start adding the sugar until all the sugar is incorporated. Once all the sugar is in, increase the speed of the mixer even more and whip until the mixture is shiny and stiff. You now have a meringue. You know when your meringue is done when you pull out the whip, hold it horizontally, and if you have what looks a "sparrow's beak" on the end of the whip.
Replace the whip, turn the mixer on medium and start adding the butter a bit at a time. Once all the butter is incorporated, turn the mixer on high and let mix; depending on the weather, the buttercream could take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes to form. You will know when it has formed when you hear the motor of the mixer start to slow down and whine a little bit; also, when you first add the butter, your meringue will break down and look weird and this is what you want. When the buttercream is done, the mixture will be homogeneous, consistent, and tasty.
Remove the buttercream from the bowl and transfer to an airtight container. Buttercream can be kept at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for a 1 to 2 weeks, but always use warm buttercream when icing a cake. To warm up the buttercream, put it back in the mixer using the whip or the paddle, and apply direct heat with a propane torch you can find at any hardware store.

Basic Buttercream:
1 cup unsalted butter or margarine, room temperature (use vegetable shortening when pure white icing is needed)
1/2 cup milk, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla or other desired flavoring
2 pounds confectioners' sugar
Combine all the ingredients in large mixing bowl and mix at slow speed until smooth. If stiffer icing is needed, or if the weather is very warm, add a little extra sugar. This recipe is enough to cover and fill a 9 by 13-inch sheet cake or 2 (9-inch) layers.

Fluffy Boiled Icing:
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 egg whites
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
In a heavy saucepan combine sugar, water and cream of tartar. Slowly bring mixture to a boil, stirring sides of the saucepan with a brush dipped in water to remove any sugar crystals. Cover and boil for about 3 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 245 degrees.
Beat egg whites with pinch of salt until glossy and peaked. Slowly pour in syrup as you continue to beat the whites. Beat until cool and frosting is soft and fluffy. Fold in vanilla.

Frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick butter)
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream, or more if necessary
1 (16-ounce) box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Your favorite cake recipe
1 cup chopped nuts, optional
To prepare frosting, melt butter in saucepan over medium heat and stir in brown sugar and cream. Bring to a boil, then transfer to a mixing bowl. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat with a handheld electric mixer until it reaches a spreading consistency. At this time it may be necessary to add a tablespoon of heavy cream, or more, if frosting gets too thick. Just be sure to add cream in small amounts because you can always "add to," but you can't take away. Frost your cake and sprinkle the top with chopped nuts, if desired.
Cook's Note: To fix "runny icing," add additional powdered sugar until the consistency is right.

Whipped Cream Icing:
1/4 cup cold water
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chill mixing bowl and beaters for at least 15 minutes before using. Place water in a small microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over water and allow to soften 5 minutes.
Dissolve gelatin by microwaving for 3 minutes, stirring after every minute. Remove from microwave and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes; gelatin must be liquid but not warm when added to cream.
Remove bowl and beaters from refrigerator and pour in cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat together just until beater marks begin to show distinctly.
Add gelatin mixture to cream, pouring in a steady stream while beating constantly. Beat until stiff peaks form. Use immediately.

Answer 2

Regular White Icing (Add Butter to make Buttercream Icing)

2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1 dash salt (may substitute or omit)
1/4 cup butter (for the Buttercream Icing you would add the butter to the recipe)

Mix powdered sugar and vanilla.
Add milk teaspoon by teaspoon until desired consistency.
Dash salt.
Note: Do NOT pour in the milk.
Trust me.
Do this as instructed, or you will have to keep adding sugar until you get a good consistency, and then you will end up with enough icing to cover surplus amout of cakes!
(If you are icing everything in your home, then go right ahead).

Answer 3

Like this!

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting


1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups confectioners' sugar
6-8 tablespoons water, depending upon thickness you want

With electric mixer on high, beat butter until fluffy. Beat in cocoa powder and vanilla on low. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, alternating with water, until desired thickness is achieved. For thinner frosting use more water. For thicker frosting, use less water.

OR THIS

SNOW WHITE BUTTERCREAM ICING

This buttercream icing has an ideal consistency for frosting cakes. It has a firm quality making it good for wedding cake decorations and flat surface or flower nail flowers. Air dry decorations for 24 hours.

2/3 cup water
4 tablespoons meringue powder
12 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1-1/4 cups shortening
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla flavoring
1/4 teaspoon butter flavoring

Combine water and meringue powder; whip at high speed until peaks form. Add 4 cups of sugar, one cup at a time, beating after each addition at low speed. Alternately add shortening and remainder of sugar. Add salt and flavorings; beat at low speed until smooth.

YIELD: 7 cups icing. Recipe may be doubled or cut in half; however, if cut in half, yield is only 2-1/2 cups.

Answer 4

If you want the most delicious chocolate frosting try this:

In a saucepan, put 1 cup heavy cream, and 1 1/4 cups of sugar. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 6 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and add 5 quares of Baker's unsweetened chocolate. Stir to blend and add 1/2 cup butter, and 1 tsp. vanilla. Chill until mixture thickens.

Answer 5

Do you mean Butter Cream?
American:
Shortening and Powdered Sugar:
Very Sweet and gritty but Pure White
French
Egg Yolk Meringue and Butter
You can adjust the sweetness but it has a light yellow color
Italian and Swiss
Egg White Meringue and Butter
Again you can adjust the sweetness but it will never be pure white

Answer 6

This website gives you tons of different types of icing recipes. I am glad I found it - now I will use this!!!!:)

http://www.martinsburg.com/wv.recipes/frost.html

Answer 7

Shortening, powder sugar, vanilla flavoring and food coloring.

Answer 8

powdered sugar and a little water

Answer 9

i think my grandma always did powdered sugar and milk.

Answer 10

powdered sugar and water is the base. then add whatever