Ermine frosting

[medtran49]

Anybody ever tried this? Just watched an America's test kitchen episode where they made this for a for a pretty serious sounding gingerbread cake. They basically made a super thick milk cooked pudding base, let it cool, then used a mixer to beat it into softened butter, then whipped until fluffy. It was mentioned that this frosting might have been the original frosting used on a red velvet cake. It's supposedly not extremely sweet.

 

[caseydog]

Never heard of it. I love gingerbread, but don't know that frosting/icing. TastyR probably knows what it is, and maybe has made it. He is a big ATK fan.

CD

 

[Morning Glory]

I've never heard of it but it certainly has a seductive name!

 

[Morning Glory]

Nigella is a fan! Here is what she says:

I have to say, this method of making buttercream was a revelation to me. I came across it on a website that I am slightly obsessed with, Serious Eats, where it rather undersells itself as “flour buttercream”. On further investigation, I found it is also known as hot milk buttercream or, more gloriously, ermine icing. I know that starting off with a gluey flour-paste doesn’t sound an appealing way to go about it, but this roux method creates the lightest, moussiest buttercream you could imagine. Since the roux has to be completely cold before being whipped into the butter, I’d advise making this part well in advance, then actually finishing off the buttercream once the cakes have cooled.

Her recipe here: Nigella Lawson's Vanilla Cake with Ermine Icing

From the book At My Table: A Celebration of Home Cooking by Nigella Lawson

 

[TastyReuben]

I'm not familiar with it, nor have I seen that particular episode of ATK, but by the description of it, I don't think I'd prefer to regular buttercream. I like thick, rich, heavy, extremely sweet cake frostings.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

I've not come across Ermine Icing either but I found a recipe

Easy Ermine Frosting Recipe | Wilton