Page 52 - 2020 Bridal Planner

THE EVENT
D Frosting REALLY TAKES THE CAKE
on’t know the difference between icing and frosting? FROSTING is a thick, uffy coating, while ICING is a thin glaze that hardens as it cools. This guide to terms used by pastry chefs will help brides navigate the maze of llings, ganache, royal icing and other products when choosing a wedding cake.
BUTTERCREAM FONDANT
PROS:
PROS:
• Not overly sweet.
• Economical.
• O ers a wide range of avors — vanilla, almond, chocolate,
lemon and more.
• Has a versatile texture, from smooth to u y, which is great for
creating swirls and ru es.
CONS:
• Must be kept cool, so is not ideal for warm-weather weddings. • Not as smooth as fondant, so is not ideal for intricate designs.
• Creates a beautiful, porcelainlike nish.
• Can be shaped into ribbons, swags and other decorative
three-dimensional elements.
• If the cake is covered, it will stay fresh for days in the refrigerator.
CONS:
• Signi cantly more expensive than other frostings.
• Not as avorful, and the texture is slightly “chewy.”
• Flaws in the nish are di cult to conceal/repair and may result
in the pastry chef having to start the cake all over again.
This creamy, butter-based frosting is one of the most popular choices for wedding cakes. It blends well with almost any cake type and is the most economical choice per slice.
This sweet, smooth, matte- nish coating is usually rolled into thin sheets and draped over the layers of cake that have been coated with a thin layer of buttercream frosting.
GUM PASTE
While the name sounds a bit unappetizing, gum paste is simply an edible sugar dough. It is generally used to create detailed decorations, such as owers, leaves and gurines.
GANACHE
This rich, smooth mixture of chocolate and heavy cream is more of a glaze than a frosting. It may be poured over a cake for a smooth, glossy surface or used as a avorful lling between layers.
ROYAL ICING
This is usually used to create decorative elements on a cake. The sugary icing dries to a hard nish. Pastry chefs often turn to royal icing to produce beautifully decorated cutout cookies.
WHIPPED CREAM
This uffy frosting offers a lighter texture and fewer calories than buttercream or fondant. Whipped-cream icing must be refrigerated, may cause cake to become soggy, and does not freeze well.
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