Ermine Icing

By á-49368

By KIM SEVERSON

This is an old-fashioned icing, also called boiled-milk frosting. The results are as light as whipped cream but with much more character. It was the original icing for red velvet cake.

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons/40 grams flour
• 1 cup/235 milliliters whole milk
• 1 teaspoon/5 milliliters vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup/ 230 grams unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar

Preparation

Step 1

1. Over medium heat, whisk flour and milk in a small saucepan and heat to a simmer, stirring frequently until it becomes very thick and almost puddinglike.
2. Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla and salt. Pour into a bowl to allow it to cool completely. Put plastic wrap on the surface to keep a skin from forming.
3. Use a mixer to cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium, add the cooled flour mixture a little bit at a time. Continue to beat until the mixture becomes light and fluffy and resembles whipped cream.

YIELD Frosts one cake, with 2 or 3 layers