921. How to Use Icing. Over large cakes pour the icing by spoonfuls near center on top of cake and spread it with a broad-bladed knife dipped in cold water all over the cake as smoothly as possible; set it in a cool oven for a few minutes, then in a dry, airy place, free from dust, to dry. Some icing does not need to be put in the oven, as it dries immediately, as will be seen from the directions given in following recipes. Small cakes are dipped into the icing or into glaze and then laid on paper or tins to dry. If the cake is to be ornamented make a paper funnel as follows: Take a piece of brown paper, not too thick, or white tea paper 12 inches square and cut it through on the bias in two pieces from one corner to the other; take one piece in your right hand, the bias side from you, roll with the left hand, the bias side towards you, and form the paper into a funnel; bend the end where it closes near the top over to the inside, clip a small piece from the end of funnel with a scissors and slip a small tube inside it to the end opening; then put in the icing and bend the top of funnel in all around the same way as 1/4 pound tea is put up in those small funnel-shaped bags; next press the icing down towards the end and commence to squirt it onto the cake. The cake may be ornamented with a border and a harp in the center, or an anchor or any kind of a pattern that may be desired. Flowers and leaves may be bought at any confectionery and pasted on with a little icing.

922. White Icing. Sift 1/2 pound powdered sugar into a bowl, add the whites of 2 eggs and stir 20 minutes; add a few drops lemon juice while the stirring is going on; drop a little icing onto paper; if the icing stands without running it is stiff enough; if it shows the least tendency to run more sugar must be added. This icing is used for ornamenting cake and serves as a kind of paste to stick flowers and leaves onto top of cake.

923. Clear Icing. Sift 1/2 pound powdered sugar into a bowl, add the whites of 2 eggs and stir for 5 minutes; add a few drops lemon juice and stir 5 minutes longer; then spread it over the cake; set the cake for 2 or 3 minutes in a cool oven, take out and let it dry for a few hours in a dry place which is free from dust.

924. White Icing with Wine or Liquor. Mix 1/2 pound sifted powdered sugar with the white of 1 egg and add 3 tablespoonfuls maraschino, Madeira or sherry wine, kirsch, rum or brandy; before this icing is put on cover the cake with a layer of jelly; then put the icing over it and set the cake for 1 minute in the oven; then set it in a dry place which is free from dust to dry. To make pink icing add a few drops prepared cochineal or strawberry syrup. Yellow icing is made by adding prepared saffron. Essence of lemon or the grated rind of 1 orange may be used instead of vanilla flavoring.

925. Almond Icing. Pound 3 ounces blanched almonds with the white of 1 egg in a wedgewood mortar to a paste, mix them with 1/4 pound powdered sugar, the white of 1/2 egg and 1/2 teaspoonful vanilla extract and stir for 5 minutes; dip small pieces of cake into the icing; pour and spread it over whole cakes with a broad-bladed knife. Hazel nuts and walnuts may be used the same way as almonds, as can also pistachio nuts. To the latter add a few drops spinach green.

926. Fruit Icing. Mix 1/2 pound sifted powdered sugar with the white of 1 egg and add 3 tablespoonfuls fruit juice either raspberry, strawberry, currant, pineapple or peach; if lemon or orange juice is used add a little grated rind; spread the icing over the cake and set it for a few minutes in a cool oven; then set it in a dry place which is free from dust to dry.

927. Sugar Glaze. Mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoonfuls water and put it over the fire to get lukewarm; pour over the cake and let it dry, which will take but a few minutes; dip small pieces of cake into it. Glazes of raspberries, strawberries, pineapples, peaches, wine, maraschino or rum are made the same way. Omit the water and use 2 tablespoonfuls fruit juice or wine, whichever kind is wanted.

928. Maraschino Glaze. Mix 1 cup sifted powdered sugar with 1 tablespoonful water and 1 tablespoonful maraschino, let it get warm on the fire and pour while warm over the cake. It will get hard in a few minutes. Rum glaze is made the same as Maraschino Glaze.

929. Orange Glaze. Mix 2 tablespoonfuls orange juice with 1 cup powdered sugar, add a little grated rind, set over a slow fire to get lukewarm and use it at once.

930. Lemon Glaze. Stir 1 cup sifted powdered sugar with 1 tablespoonful lemon juice, 1 tablespoonful water and a little grated rind; let it get lukewarm; then spread it over the cake and set in a dry place which is free from dust to dry.

931. Coffee Glaze. Mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoonfuls strong coffee, let it get lukewarm and use at once.

932. Wine Glaze. Boil 1 cup sugar with 1/2 cup water until it forms a thread between 2 fingers; remove it from fire, add 2 tablespoonfuls sherry or Madeira wine and stir for 1 or 2 minutes; then quickly pour it over the cake and let it stand in a dry place which is free from dust to harden.

933. Boiled Cinnamon Glaze. Boil 1 cup sugar with 1/2 cup water and 1 teaspoonful powdered cinnamon until it forms a thread between 2 fingers; remove it from fire, stir for a few minutes and use at once.

934. Chocolate Glaze. Melt 2 tablespoonfuls grated chocolate in the oven and mix it with 2 tablespoonfuls sugar syrup; mix 1 cup sugar with 1 tablespoonful water, add the chocolate, set it over a slow fire to get lukewarm and use at once.

935. Cinnamon Glaze. Mix 1 cup sifted powdered sugar with 1 teaspoonful cinnamon, add 2 tablespoonfuls water, set it over a slow fire, stir until lukewarm and use at once.

936. Cold Sugar Glaze. Mix 1 cup sifted powdered sugar with 2 tablespoonfuls cold water and add 1 teaspoonful lemon or vanilla extract; spread glaze over the cake and set it for 1 or 2 minutes in a cool oven to obtain a glaze; then remove and set in a dry place which is free from dust to dry. Note. Instead of water any kind of fruit juice syrup, wine, rum or Cognac may be used. If lemon juice is used take 1/2 water, 1/2 juice and a little grated rind. For orange use a little rum and 2 tablespoonfuls orange juice. For coffee use instead of water 2 spoonfuls strong coffee. For chocolate stir in 2 tablespoonfuls grated chocolate or cocoa the same way, or melt the chocolate in the oven and then add it to the sugar.

937. Boiled Chocolate Glaze. Place a small saucepan with 1/2 pound sugar, 1/2 pound grated chocolate and 1/2 pint water over the fire and stir and boil till it forms a thread between 2 fingers; remove from fire and stir until a thin skin forms on top of glaze; then use it at once; spread it evenly all over the cake and set for a few minutes in a cool oven. If the glaze should become too cold before it is all used return it to the fire and repeat again. The glaze when done should shine like a mirror.

938. Transparent Glaze. Boil 1 cup sugar with 3/4 cup water until it forms a thread between 2 fingers; remove it from fire, stir for a few minutes and then quickly use; dip small pieces of cake into the glaze, pour over large pieces and spread it apart; let it dry in an airy room which is free from dust.

939. Rose Glaze. Boil 1 cup sugar with 1/2 cup water till it forms a thread between 2 fingers; remove at once and add 2 tablespoonfuls rose water and a little prepared cochineal, to color it to a delicate pink; stir for a minute and then pour it over the cake. Small cakes may be dipped into the glaze and set in a dry place which is free from dust to dry.

940. Spinning Sugar. Put 3/4 pound loaf sugar in a small copper kettle, add sufficient cold water to half cover the sugar and stir until it is melted; then place the kettle over a strong fire and boil the sugar to a crack (the 6th grade); add a few drops vinegar, remove the kettle, dip it for a few minutes into cold water and let it cool off a little; if the sugar is spun when too hot the threads will be too thin and lumps will form; then place the kettle in a pan of hot water, or on the side of stove, to keep the sugar warm; take a large knife in the left hand and hold it out straight before you; take a silver spoon in the right hand, dip it into the sugar without touching the bottom of kettle and let some of the sugar run off from the spoon; then spin long threads back and forth over the knife from right to left; after a considerable amount of sugar is spun in this way take it from the knife, lay on clean paper and spin the rest in like manner; when all is spun form the sugar into pompoms, garlands, bouquets, etc. Half the sugar may be colored with cochineal to a delicate pink. The sugar should be spun in a place free from draughts and in clear and dry weather. This sugar is used for decorating and trimming dishes.

941. Boiling Sugar. Put 1 pound sugar into a kettle with 1/2 pint water and let it stand for a few minutes; then put it over the fire to boil; while the boiling is going on dip a small brush into cold water and wipe off the sides and edge of kettle; the different grades the sugar goes through in boiling are as follows: 1st grade, broad run; 2d grade, small pearl; 3d grade, large pearl; 4th grade, the small blubber; 5th grade, the large blubber; 6th grade, to a crack; 7th grade, caramel; boil the sugar for a few minutes and dip the point of a spoon into it; if the sugar falls in large drops from the spoon it has reached the 1st grade; continue the boiling for a few minutes longer; dip your first finger into it and press the finger against the thumb; then open the fingers and if the sugar forms a thread between the 2 fingers it has reached the 2d grade; after boiling a little longer dip in a spoon and if a pearl hangs onto a long thread of the spoon the sugar has reached the 3d grade; after a few minutes longer boiling take a little in a spoon, blow it and if the sugar falls from the spoon in blubbers it has reached the 4th grade; after a few minutes longer take a little of the sugar between your fingers and quickly dip into cold water; if the sugar can be formed into a ball it has reached the 5th grade; after a few minutes longer dip the finger into the sugar and then quickly into cold water; if the sugar can be broken it has reached the 6th grade; then set the saucepan in cold water; if it boils a few minutes longer it will have reached the 7th grade, or caramel. The principal care in boiling sugar is to use the exact amount of water. With too little water the sugar will curdle before it has boiled enough. If too much water is used the sugar will have to boil too long and will turn yellow. It should boil quickly and only for a short time. It will then stay white.