Due to hot weather, boiled icing is the most common icing used for birthday or wedding cakes in the Philippines. Despite the popularity of fondant icing, some people still prefer boiled icing because it is more stable during the hot weather, lighter and cheaper.
Boiled Icing is also known as Italian Meringue. Meringue is basically whipped egg whites sweetened with sugar. There are different kinds of meringues and the differences lie in the method of preparation.
Sugar in Italian meringue is cooked at certain temperature while French is the easiest for no sugar cooking is required. Swiss meringue, on the other hand, is made by warming the egg whites and sugar together and beaten until double in volume.
Some pointers in preparing meringues:
1. Make sure that the egg whites are yolk free and the mixing bowl and mixer whisk are grease free.
It will affect the foaming property of your egg whites.
2. Egg whites whip best if at room temperature.
3. Cream of tartar helps in making your egg whites stable.
Recipe for Italian Meringue:
250 g sugar
1/3 c water
pinch of cream of tartar
4 egg whites
Procedure:
1. Heat sugar and water in saucepan. Using a candy thermometer, cook sugar until it reaches 220 deg F (105 deg C). At this stage, start beating your egg whites with cream of tartar at medium speed until soft peaks.
2. Once the syrup reaches 240 to 243 deg F* (117 deg C) firm ball stage, turn off fire.
*
better to turn off fire at 240 deg F because it continues to cook, temperature increases by few degrees sometimes.
3. Adjust the mixer speed to low and slowly pour the hot syrup in thin stream.
4. Put back to medium speed once all the syrup has been poured. Beat until the meringue has cooled down and firm peaks form.
5. Cover bowl with damp cloth while icing is not in use. This is to prevent drying.
6. Desired colour can be achieved by adding few drops of food colour.
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