Chocolate glaze is often used to decorate confectionery. It is used to fill the surfaces of cakes and pastries, decorate donuts and in the manufacture of sweets at home. The serving of fruits and berries looks spectacular if they are previously dipped in a glaze made of cocoa powder. Chocolate icing is able to fix the appearance of unsuccessfully sliced cakes, smoothing out all the baking irregularities.
In the article, we will consider several options for how to cook icing from cocoa. There are the simplest and easiest ways on the water, a delicious mixture is obtained, there is to brew it in milk or with the addition of sour cream. Mirror glaze looks very impressive on the surface of the cake. This is the most difficult method, but it is this icing that will give the cake a shiny gloss and a mirror-smooth surface. The hostesses will have to tinker with it, but the result is worth the effort.
The main ingredient of glaze
Before you cook the icing from cocoa, you need to purchase its powder. Make it from the dried and crushed remains of cocoa beans after pressing the oil. Since it is considered a departure from the production of chocolate, its price is relatively low.
Its color is brown with a reddish tint. It contains more minerals than solid chocolate. These are calcium and magnesium, potassium and zinc, phosphorus and copper, as well as caffeine, which stimulates the nervous system.
In stores, you can buy cocoa powder with varying degrees of fat content. There is an option with a reduced fat content - from 5 to 8%, and there is - from 14 to 17%. Choose to your taste, however, in order to cook icing from cocoa for the cake, it is better to use a product more saturated with fats, especially if you brew the mixture in water, as in our next recipe.
Simple glaze
For the quick preparation of chocolate coating for the cake, you need 2 tbsp. l cocoa powder, half a glass of granulated sugar or icing sugar, 3 tablespoons of water. How to cook icing from cocoa powder, we will tell you sequentially further:
- in a container mix dry sugar and powder until smooth;
- fill in with water and mix again so that there are no lumps;
- put the pan on a small fire and do not leave the stove, as you need to stir constantly;
- when the sugar has dissolved and the syrup begins to boil, it will be visible in the bubbles, hold the icing on the fire for another minute;
- remove the pan from the stove and let the mixture cool, after cooling it will thicken and will not be too liquid.
However, do not overdo it, since the cold glaze will harden completely and will have to be re-melted!
Butter glaze
How to cook chocolate icing from cocoa, you already know, you can advise using powdered sugar. For such an amount of powder and water, as in the previous recipe, use 150 grams of powder. To make the icing creamy, add a small piece of butter (20-30 grams) at the end and mix the mixture again. Some housewives use lemon juice instead of water. You can squeeze fresh juice from an orange, it will also turn out delicious.
How is icing applied to a cake?
How to cook chocolate icing from cocoa powder in a simple way, you already know. Let's look at the methods of applying it to a baking surface. Since the icing has the consistency of thick sour cream, it is most often poured onto the cake from above and spread over the entire surface with a silicone spatula or the back of a tablespoon. To prevent excess glaze from filling the dish, for such a procedure, the cakes are spread over the wire rack, and a baking sheet is placed below, so that the excess glaze flows into it.
If you use icing for fruit or berry desserts, leave the mixture in a bowl or pour it into a deep bowl. Each piece or a whole berry, such as strawberries, prick on a wooden skewer and dip into the icing. Remove and place in the glass with the stick down so that the coating hardens. Then you can remove it from the skewers and beautifully spread the glazed sweets on the dish.
Use for drawing
Knowing how to cook icing from cocoa without milk, you can use it in different ways. In some types of baking, it is used to create drawings or a congratulatory inscription for the hero of the day. The background can be white chocolate icing or sour cream white.
For such purposes, to cook chocolate icing at home from cocoa you need a thicker consistency, place it in a pastry bag and draw the selected pattern with a thin stream. It can be ordinary strokes or wavy lines along the edge of the cake, or flowers and petals. Here the mistress should already show her imagination.
Preparation of glaze in milk
Let's look at how to cook icing from cocoa and milk at home. You will need these ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder;
- powdered sugar (can be replaced with brown sugar) - 6 tsp;
- 50 grams of butter;
- 4 tablespoons of milk, it is advisable to choose a fat content of 3.2%.
Pour sugar or powder into a stainless steel container, add cocoa powder and mix dry first. Then add warm milk and mix again. Place a pot or bowl on the fire and stir with a spoon until the sugar has completely dissolved. A film should form on top. After that, remove the container from the stove, add the butter, stir until a homogeneous consistency and cool to a warm state.
Only then can the baking surface be glazed. When it cools completely, it will turn into a crispy chocolate crust, which, when cut, will break into pieces.
Condensed Milk Recipe
Next, we will figure out how to cook icing from cocoa, in which condensed milk is used not ordinary liquid milk. Naturally, sugar is no longer added, since milk is already quite sweet.
For cooking you will need:
- 4 teaspoons of cocoa powder with a slide;
- can of condensed milk with a fat content of 8%;
- butter - 30 grams, if it is soft, then collect one dessert spoon.
Step cooking
In a stainless steel or non-stick pan, cocoa powder and a can of condensed milk are mixed. Circular movements are made only with a wooden spoon, until the powder is completely mixed with a thick liquid. Then put the pan on the stove and over low heat, stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil. When the icing begins to bubble, cook another 1 minute and turn it off.
Leave the pan on the table to cool to a warm state, and then drop the softened butter and mix thoroughly again.
How to cook icing from cocoa and sour cream?
To prepare high-quality and oily glaze, some housewives use sour cream, the fat content of which is at least 20%. You can use the market, bought from peasants.
You will need the following components:
- granulated sugar or icing sugar, it is advisable to use sifted through a sieve so that solid lumps do not come across - 6 tsp. with a slide;
- cocoa powder - 3-4 tsp;
- sour cream - 4 tsp;
- softened butter at room temperature, the presence of which in the glaze will add shine - 2 teaspoons;
- vanilla or vanilla sugar can be added for flavor - 1 pack.
How to cook chocolate icing from cocoa according to this recipe? Extremely simple. All components are mixed in a pan (except oil) and put on fire until boiling. Then stir with a spoon until the mixture begins to thicken. When the icing cools down a little, season it with butter and mix everything one last time. Everything, you can cover the surface of the cake or other baking.
Original recipe with honey and chocolate.
The icing cooked according to this recipe is aromatic and has a rich chocolate flavor, since not only cocoa powder is used, but also chocolate bar. Consider the necessary products to create such a mixture:
- cocoa powder - 2 teaspoons;
- chocolate - ½ of the purchased tile (it is better to take bitter dark chocolate, in which the content of cocoa beans is not less than 72%);
- liquid honey of liquid consistency - 1 tablespoon;
- as much coconut milk;
- for gloss, prepare 50 grams of butter with a 72% fat content.
In a container, grate a bar of chocolate on a fine grater, add cocoa powder. Some recommend sifting it through a sieve. There we add honey and coconut milk and mix until smooth.
Then put the pan on a slow fire and, continuously stirring with a spoon, bring the mass to a boil. Hold on fire until thick and remove to the table. When the icing cools to a warm state, add the butter at room temperature and stir. Use the mixture to decorate the baking immediately, without waiting for it to harden.
Mirror Glaze: Pros and Cons
This type of glaze is used to give a glossy and stunningly smooth surface to baked goods. For chocolate icing, use a grated bar of dark chocolate or make it from cocoa powder. Colored glaze looks beautiful, which is created from white chocolate with the addition of natural or food colors. To make such a glaze a little longer than usual, but the result is worth the effort spent on the preparation. Such a cake can be frozen.
Of the shortcomings, people note that when cutting a cake into pieces, the icing reaches for the knife. It is recommended that you first hold such a cake in the refrigerator for a while, and only then cut it into pieces, and best of all it will turn out with a warm knife. According to people, the glaze turns out to be so brilliant that all surrounding objects are reflected in it, therefore it is not recommended to take pictures with such baking, as there will be glare.
Mirror Glaze Recipe
If you are not afraid of these shortcomings and you still intend to make such a glossy coating for your holiday baking, then read the recipe for how to cook icing from cocoa. You will need the following ingredients:
- 200 grams of granulated sugar;
- 130 grams of cream, the fat content of which is 33%;
- 140 ml of plain water;
- 65 grams of cocoa powder;
- a bag of gelatin - 10 grams.
Soak the gelatin in half the amount of water first. When it swells well and becomes transparent, you can start cooking the remaining products. Take a separate pan and mix sugar and the rest of the water, put on the fire and cook the syrup until it boils. Sift the cocoa powder directly over the pan through a sieve, while constantly and vigorously stir the mixture with a spoon so that no lumps form. It is advisable to call another member of the family for help during this procedure. Boil the mixture for a few more minutes.
Then the work is carried out with another clean capacity. Pour in her fat cream and put on a slow fire. It is necessary to warm them well, but do not bring to a boil. It is very important. Then pour the swollen gelatin to the cream and stir until all the lumps disappear. When a homogeneous mass is obtained, the contents of one and the other container are combined and everything is mixed again, but with a blender. The lowest speed is set. This is necessary so that the glaze becomes even more uniform, without even the smallest lumps.
To harden gelatin, the icing is covered with cling film so that it contacts the chocolate surface. This will not let air in to the glaze. Then we send the mass to infuse in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours.
Cover the cake or other pastries after heating the mixture. This is best done with a microwave or in a steam bath. Stir regularly. If heating is done in the microwave, then act in pulses of 10 or 15 seconds.
Before applying the melted glaze to the cake, strain it through a sieve. Apply a mirror glaze, starting from the center to the edges.
Use our recipes in your home practice and delight guests with the beautiful appearance of their confectionery!