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Dessert

Isinglass Frosting

A frosting made from isinglass, powdered sugar, starch, and water.

From an old cookbook · modernised transcription
From a historical cookbook (Internet Archive) · 4 ingredients
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Isinglass Frosting

Ingredients

Directions

Make the frosting

  1. Soak the isinglass in boiling water in a warm place until dissolved.

  2. Once dissolved and free of scum, mix in the powdered sugar and starch.

Frost and set

  1. Allow your cakes to cool, then pour the frosting over them.

  2. Smooth the frosting as little as possible and place in a cool area to harden.

Recipe from a historical cookbook (Internet Archive).

Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.

Explore the science

What each ingredient does

Isinglass
Gelatin-like protein that dissolves in hot water and sets into a firm, glossy coating as it cools.
Powdered sugar
Provides sweetness and bulk, giving the frosting body as it thickens.
Starch
Thickens the frosting and helps it hold its shape while it sets.

The step that matters

Smooth the frosting as little as possible. Working the frosting while it sets can disturb the forming gel network and leave dull or uneven marks, so it should be left to firm up undisturbed in a cool place.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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