Cooking For Engineers

[peaches]

Hi,
I am teaching a baking class for some kids,and a question came up that I gave a answer to but they still are confused. Some people said to give you guys a try,so here it goes. The question is from a recipe thats on recipe tips.com they use one recipe to make a frosting and the same to make a glaze,(by adding more liquid). The question is if you are making this depending on how much liquid you add can make it a frosting or a glaze,how do you know what you are suppose to be making a frosting or glaze for a baked good? My answer was it all depends on what you make and how you want it to turn out. Still they are not clear. One made a cake and frosting ,but when made the frosting the icing it was runny...she didnt know what to look for to stop. Others in the class made the frosting recipe for sugar cookies and fell into the same problem...they didnt know what to look for in the frosting .Frosting type or glaze. I have seen recipes that never show u the picture and I guess this can be confusing. Any suggestion,will be very helpful

[kgb1001001]

In general terms at room temperature a glaze would be pourable while a frosting would have to be scooped out or spread with a spatula. However, there's a million things that can affect the outcome -- the simplest being the temperature of the food you're frosting or glazing. I've seen many frostings ruined by putting them on incompletely cooled cakes, thus making them inadvertently into glazes. Humidity also affects this - if you make frosting following a recipe that works for someone in the southwest, you'll find it becomes a glaze if you follow the same recipe in the southeast.

[peaches]

Yes, we touched base on what u said. Really the question is when they make it,this rec. from rec. tips.com by adding more liquid they can produce a glaze and by adding more powder sugar a frosting. They are confused when a rec. is written like this what way should it be made....glaze or a thick frosting. I told them it really depends on what u are making. But that doesnt help.

Thanks

[Dilbert]

peaches -

"But that doesnt help."

it if does not help, it should help.

as you noted, a thin 'frosting' becomes a 'glaze' - other considerations apply....hard / soft / etc.

if there is no indication / picture to 'the baked goods recipe' and no words to describe what the end effect is supposed to be, neither a glaze or a frosting is incorrect.

a bit like chicken stew and chicken soup - how much liquid is involved?

the same basic ingredients can be used for a glaze or a frosting - more liquid = runnier/more flowable = a glaze,
less liquid/more powdered sugar = thicker = not runny = spreadable, smearable.

so far as I can figure, this is not a question about the recipe for the sugary topping but more about what the baked good is supposed to be - frosted or glazed....

[ktexp2]

I would glaze something like pound cake and frost something like a birthday cake or sugar cookies...is that what you are asking? Although gingerbread is pretty good glazed; or donuts. But they can be frosted too

I think if you give them the donut reference they'll get it. Most kids have heard of glazed and frosted donuts!

When I was learning to bake, around 11 or so, I found it a little frustrating working with recipes similar to what you describe; I really needed some specifics when it came to ingredients and quantities. Not sure how old the kids are, maybe they just need more experience!

[JulieB]

In leu of a pix. . .most likely bundt or pound cakes. . .monitor thickness of the frosting with a spoon. If there is too much liquid it will roll off the spoon. Blend slowing to avoid clumps, et al.

[karzz]

You should test with different temperature at what temperature the frosting sticks. Also upto which temperature it remains as glaze. So, after some experiment, I think you and your kids students will be able to address the best combination.Keep it up.