Boston Cooking-School Cook Book/Chapter 32

by Fannie Farmer

Chapter XXXII. CAKE FILLINGS AND FROSTINGS.

Cream Filling

7/8 cup sugar	2 eggs
1/3 cup flour	2 cups scalded milk
1/8 teaspoon salt	1 teaspoon vanilla or
	1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Mix dry ingredients, add eggs slightly beaten, and pour on gradually scalded milk. Cook fifteen minutes in double boiler, stirring constantly until thickened, afterwards occasionally. Cool and flavor.

Chocolate Cream Filling

Put one and one-fourth squares unsweetened chocolate in a saucepan and melt over hot water. Add to Cream Filling, using in making one cup sugar in place of seven-eighths cup.

Coffee Cream Filling

Scald milk with two tablespoons ground coffee, strain, and make same as Cream Filling.

French Cream Filling

3/4 cup thick cream	1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk	White one egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Dilute cream with milk and beat until stiff, using an egg-beater. Add sugar, white of egg beaten until stiff, and vanilla.

Strawberry Filling

1 cup thick cream	White 1 egg
1/3 cup sugar	1/2 cup strawberries
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat cream until stiff, using an egg-beater, add sugar, white of egg beaten until stiff, strawberries mashed, and vanilla.

Lemon Filling

1 cup sugar	1/4 cup lemon juice
21/2 tablespoons flour	1 egg
Grated rind 2 lemons	1 teaspoon butter

Mix sugar and flour, add grated rind, lemon juice, and egg slightly beaten. Put butter in saucepan; when melted, add mixture, and stir constantly until boiling-point is reached. Care must be taken that mixture does not adhere to bottom of saucepan. Cool before spreading.

Orange Filling

1/2 cup sugar	1/4 cup orange juice
21/2 tablespoons flour	1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
Grated rind 1/2 orange	1 egg slightly beaten
1 teaspoon butter

Mix ingredients in order given. Cook ten minutes in double boiler, stirring constantly. Cool before spreading.

Chocolate Filling

21/2 squares unsweetened chocolate	3 tablespoons milk
1 cup powdered sugar	Yolk 1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt chocolate over hot water, add one-half the sugar, and milk; add remaining sugar, and yolk of egg; then cook in double boiler until it thickens, stirring constantly at first, that mixture may be perfectly smooth. Cool slightly, flavor, and spread.

Nut or Fruit Filling

To White Mountain Cream add chopped walnuts, almonds, figs, dates, or raisins, separately or in combination.

Cocoanut Filling

Whites 2 eggs	Fresh grated cocoanut
Powdered sugar

Beat whites of eggs on a platter with a fork until stiff. Add enough powdered sugar to spread. Spread over cake, sprinkle thickly with cocoanut. Use for layer cake, having filling between and on top.

Lemon Cocoanut Cream

Juice and grated rind 1 lemon	Yolks 2 eggs
1 cup powdered sugar	1 cup shredded cocoanut

Mix lemon juice and rind with sugar and yolks of eggs slightly beaten; cook ten minutes in double boiler, stirring constantly; then add cocoanut. Cool, and use as a filling for Corn-starch Cake, or any cake made from the whites of eggs.

Fig Filling

1/2 lb. figs, finely chopped	1/3 cup boiling water
1/3 cup sugar	1 tablespoon lemon juice

Mix ingredients in the order given and cook in double boiler until thick enough to spread. Spread while hot. Figs may be chopped quickly by forcing through a meat chopper, stirring occasionally.

Marshmallow Paste

3/4 cup sugar	1/4 lb. marshmallows
1/4 cup milk	2 tablespoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Put sugar and milk in a saucepan, heat slowly to boiling-point without stirring, and boil six minutes. Break marshmallows in pieces and melt in double boiler, add hot water, and cook until mixture is smooth, then add hot syrup gradually, stirring constantly. Beat until cool enough to spread, then add vanilla. This may be used for both filling and frosting.

Pistachio Paste

To Marshmallow Paste add a few drops extract of almond, one-third cup pistachio nuts blanched and chopped, and leaf green to color. Use same as Marshmallow Paste.

Prune Almond Filling

To White Mountain Cream add one-half cup selected prunes, stoned and cut in pieces, and one-third cup almonds blanched and chopped.

Confectioners’ Frosting

2 tablespoons boiling water or cream	Confectioners’ sugar
	Flavoring

To liquid add enough sifted sugar to make of right consistency to spread; then add flavoring. Fresh fruit juice may be used in place of boiling water. This is a most satisfactory frosting, and is both easily and quickly made.

Orange Frosting

Grated rind 1 orange	1 tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon brandy	Yolk 1 egg
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice	Confectioners’ sugar

Add rind to brandy and fruit juices; let stand fifteen minutes. Strain, and add gradually to yolk of egg slightly beaten. Stir in confectioners’ sugar until of right consistency to spread.

Gelatine Frosting

21/2 tablespoons boiling water	3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon granulated gelatine
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Dissolve gelatine in boiling water. Add sugar and flavoring and beat until of right consistency to spread. Crease in squares when slightly hardened.

Plain Frosting

White 1 egg	1/2 teaspoon vanilla or
2 teaspoons cold water	1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

Beat white of egg until stiff; add water and sugar. Beat thoroughly, then add flavoring. Use more sugar if needed. Spread with a broad-bladed knife.

Chocolate Frosting I

11/2 squares chocolate	Yolk 1 egg
1/3 cup scalded cream	1/2 teaspoon melted butter
Few grains salt	Confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt chocolate over hot water, add cream gradually, salt, yolk of egg, and butter. Stir in confectioners’ sugar until of right consistency to spread: then add flavoring.

Chocolate Frosting II

13/4 cups sugar	4 squares chocolate, melted
3/4 cup hot water	1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Boil sugar and water, without stirring, until syrup will thread when dropped from tip of spoon. Pour syrup gradually on melted chocolate, and continue beating until of right consistency to spread; then add flavoring.

Chocolate Frosting III

2 squares chocolate	3 tablespoons hot water
1 teaspoon butter	Confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Melt chocolate over boiling water, add butter and hot water. Cool, and add sugar to make of right consistency to spread. Flavor with vanilla.

White Mountain Cream

1 cup sugar	1 teaspoon vanilla or
1/3 cup cold water	1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
White 1 egg

Put sugar and water in saucepan, and stir to prevent sugar from adhering to saucepan; heat gradually to boiling-point, and boil without stirring until syrup will thread when dropped from tip of spoon or tines of silver fork. Pour syrup gradually on beaten white of egg, beating mixture constantly, and continue beating until of right consistency to spread; then add flavoring and pour over cake, spreading evenly with back of spoon. Crease as soon as firm. If not beaten long enough, frosting will run; if beaten too long, it will not be smooth. Frosting beaten too long may be improved by adding a few drops of lemon juice or boiling water. This frosting is soft inside, and has a glossy surface. If frosting is to be ornamented with nuts or candied cherries, place them on frosting as soon as spread.

Ice Cream Frosting

11/2 cups sugar	Whites 2 eggs
1/2 cup water	1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Follow directions for White Mountain Cream.

Boiled Frosting

1 cup sugar	1/2 cup water	Whites 2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla, or	1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

Make same as White Mountain Cream. This frosting, on account of the larger quantity of egg, does not stiffen so quickly as White Mountain Cream, therefore is more successfully made by the inexperienced.

Boiled Chocolate Frosting

To White Mountain Cream or Boiled Frosting add one and one half squares melted chocolate as soon as syrup is added to whites of eggs.

Brown Frosting

Make same as Boiled Frosting, using brown sugar in place of white sugar.

Maple Sugar Frosting

1 lb. soft maple sugar

1/2 cup boiling water

Whites 2 eggs

Break sugar in small pieces, put in saucepan with boiling water, and stir occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Boil without stirring until syrup will thread when dropped from tip of spoon. Pour syrup gradually on beaten whites, beating mixture constantly, and continue beating until of right consistency to spread.

Cream Maple Sugar Frosting

1 lb. soft maple sugar

1 cup cream

Break sugar in small pieces, put in saucepan with cream, and stir occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Boil without stirring until a ball can be formed when mixture is tried in cold water. Beat until of right consistency to spread.

Milk Frosting

11/2 cups sugar	1 teaspoon butter
1/2 cup milk	1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Put butter in saucepan; when melted, add sugar anä milk. Stir, to be sure that sugar does not adhere to saucepan, heat to boiling-point, and boil without stirring thirteen minutes. Remove from fire, and beat until of right consistency to spread; then add flavoring and pour over cake, spreading evenly with back of spoon. Crease as soon as firm.

Caramel Frosting I

Make same as Milk Frosting, adding one and one-half squares melted chocolate as soon as boiling-point is reached, and flavoring with one-eighth teaspoon cinnamon.

Caramel Frosting II

11/3 cups sugar	1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup grated maple sugar	2/3 cup cream

Mix ingredients and boil thirteen minutes. Beat until of right consistency to spread.

Nut Caramel Frosting

11/4 cups brown sugar	1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup water	1/4 cup English walnut meats, broken in pieces
1/4 cup white sugar
Whites 2 eggs

Boil sugar and water as for White Mountain Cream. Pour gradually, while beating constantly, on beaten whites of eggs, and continue the beating until mixture is nearly cool. Set pan containing mixture in pan of boiling water, and cook over range, stirring constantly, until mixture becomes granular around edge of pan. Remove from pan of hot water and beat, using a spoon, until mixture will hold its shape. Add nuts and vanilla, pour on cake, and spread with back of spoon, leaving a rough surface.

Opera Caramel Frosting

11/2 cups brown sugar	3/4 cup thin cream
1/2 tablespoon butter

Boil ingredients together in a smooth granite saucepan until a ball can be formed when mixture is tried in cold water. It takes about forty minutes for boiling. Beat until of right consistency to spread.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

11/2 tablespoons butter	Few grains salt
1/3 cup unsweetened powdered cocoa	1/4 cup milk
11/4 cups confectioners’ sugar	1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt butter, add cocoa, sugar, salt, and milk. Heat to boiling-point, and boil about eight minutes. Remove from fire and beat until creamy. Add vanilla and pour over cake.

Mocha Frosting

1/3 cup butter	1 tablespoon breakfast cocoa
11/2 cups confectioners’ sugar	Coffee infusion

Cream butter, and add sugar gradually, continuing the beating; then add cocoa and coffee infusion, drop by drop, until of right consistency to spread or force through a pastry bag and tube.

Fondant Icing

The mixture in which small cakes are dipped for icing is fondant, the recipe for which may be found in chapter on Confections. Cakes for dipping must first be glazed.

To Glaze Cakes. Beat white of one egg slightly, and add one tablespoon powdered sugar. Apply with a brush to top and sides of cakes. After glazing, cakes should stand over night before dipping.

To Dip Cakes. Melt fondant over hot water, and color and flavor as desired. Stir, to prevent crust from forming on top. Take cake to be dipped on a three-tined fork and lower in fondant three-fourths the depth of cake. Remove from fondant, invert, and slip from fork to a board. Decorate with ornamental frosting and nut meat, candied cherries, angelica, or candied violets. For small ornamented cakes, pound cake mixture is baked a little more than one inch thick in shallow pans, and when cool cut in squares, diamonds, triangles, crescents, etc.

Marshmallow Frosting

Melt one cup white fondant; add the white of one egg beaten until stiff, and stir over the fire two minutes. Remove from range, and beat until of right consistency to spread. Flavor with one-fourth teaspoon water white vanilla. This is a most delicious frosting for chocolate cake, but will never spread perfectly smooth.

Ornamental Frosting I

2 cups sugar	Whites 3 eggs
1 cup water	1/4 teaspoon tartaric acid

Boil sugar and water until syrup when dropped from tip of spoon forms a long thread. Pour syrup gradually on beaten whites of eggs, beating constantly; then add acid and continue beating. When stiff enough to spread, put a thin coating over cake. Beat remaining frosting until cold and stiff enough to keep in shape after being forced through a pastry tube. After first coating on cake has hardened, cover with a thicker layer, and crease for cutting. If frosting is too stiff to spread smoothly, thin with a few drops of water. With a pastry bag and variety of tubes, cake may be ornamented as desired.

Ornamental Frosting II

Whites 3 eggs	1 tablespoon lemon juice
Confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Put eggs in a large bowl, add two tablespoons sugar, and beat three minutes, using a perforated wooden spoon. Repeat until one and one-half cups sugar are used. Add lemon juice gradually, as mixture thickens. Continue adding sugar by spoonfuls, and beating until frosting is stiff enough to spread. This may be determined by taking up some of mixture on back of spoon, and with a case knife making a cut through mixture; if knife makes a clean cut and frosting remains parted, it is of right consistency. Spread cake thinly with frosting; when this has hardened, put on a thicker layer, having mixture somewhat stiffer than first coating, and then crease for cutting. To remaining frosting add enough more sugar, that frosting may keep in shape after being forced through a pastry bag and tube.

With a pastry bag and variety of tubes, cake may be ornamented as desired.