chocolate frosting

[nicolekaplan]

i need a recipe for some plain old, kid friendly, non refridgerated-stable, chocolate frosting. not ganache, nothing fancy, the kind that your 4 year old would love, but also not the kind based mostly on 10x and butter. i have tried tons of recipes and nothing has been good so far. please help

[lisa_antonia]

I really like Abagail Johnson Dodge's "Fudgy Frosting" recipe. It's used on a great banana cake in her book "The Weekend Baker."

adapted from the weekend baker.

6oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped (Bakers squares have worked best for me, for texture.)

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

1 cup evaporated milk

6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut in 2 pieces

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp table salt

melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. meanwhile, combine the sugar, evaporated milk, butter, vanilla, and salt in a blender- no need to blend at this point. When the chocolate is melted, give it a stir and scrape it into the blender. Cover the blender with the lid and blend on high speed until the mixter darkens and is very thick (about 2 minutes) Youll also hear the engine working harder when the frosting is sufficiently thick. Scrape the frosting into a clean bowl and set aside at room temperature. When the frosting is cool, cover with plastic wrap until the cake is ready to frost.

[mzrb]

I know you said no ganache...but have you made a whipped ganache? it's where you get the ganache all nice and cool, but not solid, obviously and then whip it up. Flo Braker's recipe in her book is good, but I also just make my favorite ganache (i include the addition of a tbspn or two of softened butter) and whip it up. It's stable, it's insanely chocolatey but light and yet appeals to the finickiest of eaters I know, my 4-yr-old.

I, too, searched for a long time to avoid the weird-textured 10x icings, etc.

Am also a fan of the Rosie's bakery (out of Cambridge MA) chocolate icing recipe, which involves merely melted chocolate and sweetened condensed milk and a blender. Also nicely stable. Would you like me to look it up for you? (Am away from my bookshelf at the moment).

[alanamoana]

nicole, i have an idea of what you're really after...but...i've never really found a "traditional" american recipe that i've really been satisfied with.

the chocolate buttercream recipe (chocolate buttercream - italian method) from bo friberg's "professional pastry chef" is really delicious...just omit the salt. basically a pate a bombe base with chocolate and butter added. very rich, not too fancy...definitely something a four year old and an adult would love.

one reason i prefer chocolate buttercream over american icings is the fact that buttercream doesn't crust over the way most other icings do. but maybe that's what some people love about the 10x icings

if you don't have the book or would like me to pm you the recipe, let me know.

[arriba!]

I am also a fan of whipped ganache--I know, not what you seek, but I agree with above posters that American chocolate icings are just not what I like. I use Dorie's bittersweet ganache recipe, let it cool then whip. The children in the family lick it off cupcakes or whatever I put it on. Not too sweet, not too chocolate-y, not gritty and not hard--it is just right!! It can be made in advance and re-whipped when necessary. Who needs cake when one has this wonderful topping?

[sugarseattle]

my trick is always to hybridize...like make a ganache and then a cocoa frosting and mix them together...you'll have less cream so it will be more shelf stable, but you'll get a little bit of the flavor. also, you could make a water ganache which gives very nice clean intense chocolate flavor.

[miladyinsanity]

I have no idea how shelf-stable this is but the egg yolks are cooked with the chocolate mixture.

ETA: Just fixing the link.

Edited August 3, 2007 by miladyinsanity (log)

[arriba!]

Dear Ms. Insanity--that looks WONDERFUL!!! Have you ever made it? Maybe that is your blog? I would love to see a sliced section of that. The chocolate sounds great but I guess would require refrigeration because of the egg yolks?

[Becca Porter]

I believe this is exactly what you are looking for. I have used it for years out of the magazine. The cake is pretty awesome too.

It is really the best. You'll love it. The chocolate cupcakes in this post are made from this recipe. Let me know if you try it!

[miladyinsanity]

Dear Ms. Insanity--that looks WONDERFUL!!!  Have you ever made it?  Maybe that is your blog?  I would love to see a sliced section of that.  The chocolate sounds great but I guess would require refrigeration because of the egg yolks?

←

Nope, not yet made it and it's not my blog--though I'm flattered that you might think it is. I might make the frosting tomorrow, depending on how things turn out.

Well, it says simmer the mixture for a minute or two (egg yolks and chocolate) until thickened, so I think it'd be the butter that's beaten in that'd be the worry?

[bripastryguy]

Nicole,

1:1

1 pound Fondant (pouring) to 1 pound shortening....

*Do not melt fondant, you will be using it straight out of the bucket

I know the tendency is to use Sweetex refined shortening but it will be to soft especially in the summer. Use all-purpose, a well known and readily available is BBS. Yes you can use the no Trans Fat brands, decrease weight of shortening and do dont introduce heat that puppy or you're lookin at a liquidy mess.

Coat the bowl of appropriate mixing bowl with half of the shortening then add the fondant piece by piece using the paddle. Once all the fondant is added switch to the whip attachment all whip for a few minutes at high speed to build volume. Can now be lightened further with the addition of light cream (must be refrigerated), non-dairy topping (self stable), whip to desired consistency. If you desire a gloss or shine add a premium oil (flavor anyway you want-hazelnut, sesame, soy....) and gently mix until glossy-Becareful not to whip air into it--air pockets

This can now be stored in a cool dry area in a contaner with an airtight lid.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

add 4-5 ounces Chocolate (pref.....unsweetened, 72, whatever u want) to 1 cup melted frosting then whip into 2 pounds Frosting.

Cupcakes with this frosting are best used within 2 days, ofcourse best the first day

[arriba!]

Bripastryguy--how does that taste?

[bripastryguy]

Not bad at all. my customers have said that they enjoy it, not too sweet and not that mouth coating shortening taste either