If you are a familiar with the world of cake decoration, chances are that you are also familiar with the basic function of icing. Basically, cake icing has three separate and important functions. First, cake icing, of course, makes a cake look nice. Cake icing is the pretty shimmer on the cake, the thing that holds it all together. The second main function of cake icing is to reflect the theme or design of the cake. The cake icing helps to hold together the overall design of the cake. Finally, cake icing can help prolong the cake. Many people don't realize it, but cake icing can help keep the cake fresh.
Cake Icing Can Pull Your Entire Cake Together
Your cake and the cake's icing can help pull together the whole cake. The cake icing should always reflect the flavors and theme of the cake. For instance, if it is winter and you are baking a traditional fruitcake, you will want to make sure that your cake icing accompanies this kind of cake. For a rich and delicious winter fruitcakes, you will probably want to use an icing that involves mulled wine, brandy and sherry. You can use seasonal fruits to complement your cake, including glace cherries, pineapple, dried peaches, nuts and whatever is seasonal in your particular area. The perfect type of icing for a fruitcake would probably be a caramel glaze.
Using Your Cake Icing as the Finishing Touch
Your cake icing is by far one of the most important parts of your cake decoration process because it represents the finishing touch on your cake. However, although like it may seem like one of the easiest parts of cake decorating, putting the icing on the cake can be more difficult than you might expect. First, make sure that you fill the pastry or piping bag properly. If possible, get someone to help you with this important step. Here is a simple tip that can save you lots of grief. Use a tall glass of water and put the pastry or piping bag in the glass of water. Make sure to fold back the top of the bag over the rim. That way, you can use both hands to hold the decorating bag properly. Believe it or not, many problems related to cake decorating have to do with the piping or pastry bag.
Consistency is Key in Cake Decorating
As in other aspects of life, consistency is key when it comes to cake decorating. More specifically, you want to make sure you have established a good consistency in the cake icing. You don't want it to be too thin or too thick. You also want to make sure you have a consistent grip on your pastry or piping bag. As for the icing itself, there are three basic consistencies. The three basic icing consistencies include soft, medium and stiff. Of course, there are also variations on this consistency.
How Do You Know Which Consistency to Use?
So there are three basic icing consistencies that you have to work with: soft, medium and stiff. But how do you know which one you need? Most of the time, it will be obvious and your intuition will probably guide you toward the right choice. But occasionally, you may run into some gray areas. In general, here are some guidelines for choosing the correct icing. Soft icing is usually used to cover the entire body of the cake, or for writing messages. Medium icing is usually used for ropes, borders and decorative puffs and shells. Stiff icing is used to for decorative shapes such as flowers.
Enamel is the protective covering of our teeth. It provides them with an extra layer against plaque and bacteria and gives our teeth their spit-shine appearance. And while enamel is an integral part of our teeth, we are yet to discover if enamel in cookware is. We will now look at the differences and similarities between enamel and cast iron cookware. Manufacturing
Enamel cookware is just cast iron topped with a layer of enamel. We can use enamel cookware faster because we don't need to season it. Rusting is prevented by the layer of enamel. In cast iron, as long as you have the layer of fat stuck to the metal, then it's virtually rustproof.
Seasoning I'm not talking about the preparation where you put pepper, garlic, chopped onions, laurel leaves on the marinade. Seasoning of the cast iron cookware involves removal of its wax cover and then spreading of fatty substances like lard or vegetable oil and then applying heat. This will make the fat stick to the alloy, so that the surface will not eat at the outer part of whatever it is you're frying. Seasoning can also be used for old pans even those with the enamel coating already removed, exposing the cast iron. You just need to scrape the pan thoroughly to make it shine, and then you can proceed with the seasoning steps mentioned above.
Cooking Techniques Enamel cookware can be used to cook anything but foods that need very high temperatures, because the coating is damaged and removed. Cast iron cookware can be used to prepare anything but foods having high acid content because the fatty coating is removed.
Cleaning With cast iron you can only wash it with warm water and apply a few soft scrubs. Great care has to be taken so that the layer of fat is not removed. Heat is able to kill disease-causing microorganisms but another point to consider is that microorganisms thrive, and are preserved in fat. So better make sure that you don't put back the leftovers into the pan, or if you do, to thoroughly reheat the food before serving it. However, with enamel, you can scrub and put a pound of detergent powder in it if you want. No problem. If you really want to make sure that your enamel cookware is spotless, then you may put it in a dishwasher because it won't rust.
Upon examining the things presented above, I have realized that enamel cookware is not just icing on the cake but is indeed an extra layer. Cast iron and enameled cookware complement each other very well. Foods we can't cook in enamel cookware, we can cook in cast iron. With the quality of the material, there is also no dispute because enamel cookware also has an inner cast iron layer. So now we know that enamel in cookware is just like enamel found in teeth. Vital to cooking and as a complement to cast iron cookware.
Both Josephine Gauttier & Rachel Nunez are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Josephine Gauttier has sinced written about articles on various topics from Food And Drink, Cooking Tips and Food And Drink. Josephine Gauttier is the author of the popular eBook "The Art of Cake Decorating". You can learn more about cake decorating at