Looking for a "crispy" citrus glaze

[Josho]

I'm making a couple of poundcakes, and I'd love to make a lemon or orange glaze for them. I've had a few cakes where the citrus glaze was actually crispy -- almost like a very thin sugar shell, but in shards.

Will any supersaturated glaze do this, or is there a technique to it? Usually, mine only seem to crystallize very slightly (if at all). I imagine humidity has a lot to do with it. But I'd like to guarantee myself a crispy glaze.

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

Josh

[gap]

Josh - I'm not sure if it'll get you as "crispy" as you want but I do something similar for a lemon teacake I do. When the cake is 80-90% baked, I quickly remove it from the oven and brush it with a lemon flavoured sugar syrup. I then return to the oven and let the cake finish baking. During that baking time, the syrup dries out and provides a crispy exterior.

Edited to add: I tend to use quite a lot of lemon syrup so that (1) the crispy shell is noticeable and (2) the syrup also flavours the inside of the cake

Edited May 12, 2011 by gap (log)

[RWood]

I'm making a lemon pound cake for a coffee shop that is based on my chef's aunt's recipe. Once the cakes come out of the oven and are still hot, I poke holes all over the cake. Then I brush it with a mixture of sugar and lemon juice. The mix is juice with lots of sugar so it's not dissolved and kind of slushy. After the cakes cool, they have a crust on them. I sometimes try to do a couple of coats, but as long as the mixture is not dissolved like a syrup, the crusty-ness forms. Gives it a nice crunch.

Edited May 13, 2011 by RWood (log)

[Genkinaonna]

I would imagine you could cook a sugar syrup to a higher temp, so it was more like candy and then drizzle it over, that should make it good and crispy! Almost like the shell on a candy apple...

[Josho]

Thank you, all! I'll give these ideas a try and see if I can perfect a technique.

Thanks again,

Josh

[Lior]

all sounds nice and delicious. I am interested in the results of your experiments.

[CanadianBakin']

I also bake lemon loaf regularly for a coffee house. After it's cooled for 10 minutes I remove it from the pan and thoroughly soak it using 220 grams fresh squeezed lemon juice to 440 grams white sugar. That's enough for two 16" loaves. It takes a few minutes to soak all of it in so be patient. To have the crisp finish I find you have to eat it fresh. Once it's cut and wrapped the crisp lemon coating softens very quickly.

[Josho]

Canadian,

You're absolutely right -- the crust does NOT survive wrapping or standing much at all.

The next batch I make, I'll try your formula on one cake. On the other, I'm going to try a different approach -- a moist sugar/lemon topping that goes on just before baking. Perhaps if I can achieve some caramelizing of the crust, I can end up with something a little more long-lasting. But I doubt it. :-)

Josh

[baroness]

Sugar is natually hygroscopic. Unless you are in a very low humidity area, the crispiness will be fleeting.

[KennethT]

I like the idea of a hard candy, and while making the candy, if you add maybe 25% isomalt, you will add crispy-time, since isomalt is not as hygroscopic as sugar is.