Icing Fondant

Icings are used to finish off baked products; they enlarge the cakes, appeal to the eye and represent the first point of contact between the baked goods and the purchaser. In flat icings sucrose esters act as a dispersing agent, decreasing the average size and improving the distribution of the sugar crystals. This results in a finished icing with;

• a smoother and softer texture
• a prolonged shelf-life

The picture at the right side of the page shows cake covered with icing including sucrose esters (front) and without emulsifier (back). Both cakes have been stored for 6 weeks.

The fudge and butter cream icings, are structurally the most complex. Sucrose esters contribute to their stability in two ways:

• by integrating in the (specialty icing or multipurpose) shortening, a product with good creaming properties is obtained
• it increases air incorporation and stabilizes the shortening-water system, virtually eliminating water separation