French Cream Icing Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a bowl until well combined.
• Cream together white sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in egg yolks and beat until incorporated. Add in whole eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat mixture on medium-high speed until very fluffy, and mixture has lightened in color, 3 to 5 minutes more.
• Slice vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Use the back of a knife to scrape seeds out of both halves, and add seeds to the butter mixture. Set vanilla bean pod aside to use for the frosting. Mix vanilla bean seeds into the butter mixture on low speed until incorporated.
• Add vanilla and almond extracts to the batter and mix on low speed until incorporated. Pour in half of the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Add milk and sour cream and mix until combined. Pour in remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Divide batter evenly between the cake pans and smooth into even layers.
• Place pans into the preheated oven and bake until centers of the cakes spring back lightly when touched, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cakes to cool in pans for 15 minutes before running a knife carefully around the edges of the pans to loosen. Transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
• While cakes are in the oven, begin making the frosting. Add reserved vanilla bean pod to a small saucepan and pour in heavy cream. Place pan over low heat and cook until mixture is just warm, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow mixture to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before placing into the refrigerator until chilled, about 30 minutes more.
• When heavy cream mixture is chilled, finish the frosting. Place 1 cup butter into a large bowl and beat on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Mix in powdered sugar gradually, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Remove vanilla bean pod from chilled heavy cream. Discard vanilla bean pod. Pour heavy cream into the butter-powdered sugar mixture. Add in vanilla extract and salt. Beat mixture on low speed until cream is incorporated, then turn mixer speed up to medium-high and continue to beat until frosting is light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes more.
• Pipe a layer of frosting to the top of one of the cakes and set 2nd cake on top. Frost cake as desired with remaining frosting.

Steps:

• Cook 3/4 cup Presto self rising flour and 1 cup milk over low flame on stove top until thick as cream puff dough. Let cool in small bowl at room temperature. When ready to use, remove film that has formed on top of the mixture.
• In mixing bowl place 1/4 c sweet butter, 1/4 c stick margarine and 1/2 c Crisco. Cream together. Add flour mixture and blend well.
• Add 3/4 c granulated sugar and vanilla. Blend on #7 speed (medium high)for 10 to 15 minutes.
• * For mocha icing add 4 Tbsp cocoa to sugar and mix as above. **Follow directions exactly and use brands specified. Use ingredients directly from refrigerator (butter, margarine, Crisco, etc.) ***To decorate, double the icing recipe and divide out amounts to be colored with Wilton paste colors.

Steps:

• 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.

Steps:

• Place the whole eggs and yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until the eggs are pale yellow and thick, about 5 minutes. (The eggs will hold an indent made with your finger for a few seconds.)
• Meanwhile, pour the sugar and 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and bring to the soft-ball stage, without stirring, 240 degrees F.
• Begin whipping the eggs again on medium-high speed and slowly drizzle in the hot syrup, aiming the syrup between the side of the bowl and the beaters. Continue to whip until both the bottom of the bowl and the mixture are cool, 10 to 15 minutes. The mixture should be thick, but will not form a peak at this point. Beat in the salt.
• While still beating on medium-high, add the butter, a few pieces at a time. As the butter is added, the buttercream may appear to thin out some, but it will thicken into firm peaks once all of the butter is added. Beat in the vanilla extract.
• Use right away or refrigerate in an airtight container overnight. The buttercream may need to be beaten again to smooth out before using.

Steps:

• Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan.
• Bring to a boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar.
• Continue to boil until the syrup reaches a temperature of 240 degrees F (115 C) While the syrup is boiling, beat the yolks with a wire whip or the whip attachment of a mixer until they are thick and light in color.
• As soon as the syrup reaches 240 F, pour it very slowly (in a thin stream) into the beaten yolks while whipping constantly.
• Continue to beat until the mixture is completely cool and the yolks are very thick and light.
• Whip in the butter a little at a time.
• Add it just as fast as it can be absorbed by the mixture.
• Beat in the vanilla.
• If the icing is too soft, refrigerate it until it is firm enough to spread.
• Chocolate: Melt 3 oz sweet chocolate and cool slightly (chocolate must not be too cool or it will solidify before completely blending with the buttercream).
• Blend with about one quarter of the buttercream, then blend this mixture into the rest.
• For very sweet buttercreams, use 1 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate instead of the sweet chocolate.

Steps:

• In a small heavy saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil; cook over medium-high heat until a thermometer reads 240° (soft-ball stage), 3 to 4 minutes. Meanwhile, using a stand mixer, beat egg yolks in a large bowl on high speed until thick and foamy, 8-10 minutes. , Slowly pour hot sugar syrup over egg yolks while beating continuously. Continue beating on high until mixture cools to room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes. , Gradually add butter, a few tablespoons at a time, beating on medium after each addition until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Use immediately.