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Seven Minute Icing
1 egg white (unbeaten) 7/8 cup granulated sugar 3 tablespoons cold water Place all ingredients in top of double boiler. Place over boiling water and beat with dover beater for seven minutes. Spread on top and sides of cake. Instead of granulated sugar 1/2 cup of light syrup can be used and no cold water. This makes a softer icing.
For "Chocolate Icing" use above, adding 1 1/2 squares melted unsweetened chocolate.
For "Coffee Icing" use 3 tablespoons cold boiled coffee in place of water.
A cooked meringue frosting that depends entirely on constant beating over steam. The method is unchanged today; only the equipment names have moved on.
- Dover beaterA hand-cranked rotary egg beater. A hand-held electric mixer on medium-high does the same job, and the seven minutes still applies — beat continuously from the moment the bowl goes over the water.
- 7/8 cup sugarOne cup less two tablespoons, about 175 g.
- The double boilerThe recipe calls for the pan to sit over boiling water. Keeping the upper pan clear of the water itself helps stop the white cooking on the bottom before it whips. A metal bowl over a saucepan works.
- When it is doneSeven minutes of hard beating brings the icing to soft, glossy peaks that hold their shape when the beater is lifted. If it is still pourable, keep going another minute rather than taking it off early. If you want to be sure of the egg white, check with an instant-read thermometer for 160F.
- Light syrupMost likely light corn syrup. Used in place of both the sugar and the water it gives a marshmallowy icing that stays soft and does not crust ➤ useful if the cake is being kept a day.
- Squares of chocolateAn old baking square is one ounce, so 1 1/2 squares is 1 1/2 oz of unsweetened chocolate. Melt it, cool it slightly, and fold it in off the heat once the icing has finished beating, or the fat will slacken the foam.