Cake Fillings and Icings
Australian Green Tree Frog
The Green Tree Frog is normally found throughout the eastern and northern parts of Australia living on crickets, small spiders and their specialty being cockroaches. Starting off as a tadpole the frog thrives in still clean water areas in creeks, swamps, water tanks, etc growing to around 8-10cm.
Helpers
1 gill = 1/2 cup
Scant = Not quite full measure
Unless specified otherwise, all temps are in Fahrenheit
Flour = Unless otherwise stated, "flour" refers to plain flour.
All oven temperatures are based on the standard wood oven, gas oven and electric oven.
Special Recipes
Old Handy Hints & Ideas
Almond Paste
Ingredients
14 oz. icing sugar
6 oz. ground almonds
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons sherry
A few drops of lemon juice
Method
Sift icing sugar, mix with almonds, beat egg yolks, sherry, and lemon juice together, add to sugar and almonds, make into a stiff paste, divide into 3 or 4 portions. Dust board with icing sugar, roll one portion out for the top of cake, the remaining portions for the sides, smooth over and leave for a few days before use. Before covering the cake with almond paste, brush over with the white of the egg.
HANDY HINT- For a crystal clear beer glass, wash with warm soapy water using non soaped steel wool. Rinse with hot water and dry on your dish rack. (from old papers)
Butterscotch Icing
Ingredients
2 cups golden or maple syrup
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
Chopped nuts
Method
Boil syrup, butter, and milk together till a soft ball is formed when tested, cool slightly without stirring and pour while warm on cake. Chopped nuts may be added while icing is still soft.
Caramel Frosting
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons milk
Vanilla essence
A few chopped walnuts
Method
Heat butter, sugar, and milk slowly to boiling point, boil exactly 9 minutes (238oF), remove from fire, stand till bubbles cease, then beat till thick, add vanilla, spread quickly over cake, using hot wet knife, sprinkle with chopped walnuts. NOTE: This frosting is sufficient for the filling of a sponge sandwich as well as for the top.
BRINE FOR PRESERVING BUTTER -3 gallons of water, enough salt to float an egg, 1 oz saltpetre, 1/4 lb sugar. Boil 15 minutes, skimming well. When cold, strain. (From old pages. Interest piece only)
Caramel Icing
Ingredients
2 cups brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk
Method
Boil all ingredients together for 5 minutes, remove from fire, stir till the consistency of honey and pour over cake. This icing will keep and may be used as required.
Caramel Icing
Ingredients
1 cup brown or white sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup milk
sifted icing sugar
Method
Place sugar, butter, and milk into a saucepan, stir over fire till boiling, boil 1 minutes, beat well, adding sufficient icing sugar to make a spreading consistency.
HANDY HINT- Tea stains can be easily removed from cups by filling with water and adding a tablespoon of Bleach. Leave overnight, empty, rinse well and then wash normally with your other crockery.
Coconut Icing
Ingredients
2 lb. icing sugar
1/2 lb. coconut
1 teaspoon melted butter
Milk
Essence
Method
Mix sugar, coconut, butter, and enough milk to make into a dry dough, add any required flavouring, roll out like a dough and place on cake.
Massage kerosene into a fresh body bruise to reduce the pain, swelling and dark appearance. Apply immediately also to sprained ankles for reduction in swelling and pain. (From old pages. Interest piece only)
Clear Icing
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
Method
Boil sugar, water, and vinegar till a golden brown, remove from fire and allow to stand until mixture ceases bubbling, pour over top of cake, mark through shape of slices with a buttered knife as the icing cools.
Fondant Icing
Ingredients
1/2 lb. crystal sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 lb. glucose
1/4 oz. gelatine
3 to 4 lb. icing sugar
Method
Place crystal sugar in a saucepan and moisten with water, bring to boil, when sugar is dissolved add glucose, boil to 230oF, soak gelatine, remove saucepan from gas and add gelatine to mixture, thicken with as much icing sugar as can be stirred in, pour into a basin, add some of the icing sugar and work up into a thick dough, adding more icing as this is done. When mixture begins to break and flake sufficient icing sugar has been added, roll out and cover cake. For decorations and sweets work 1 oz. copha into the icing.
TO SALT BUTTER-Wash the home made butter thoroughly to free it from the buttermilk and to every pound allow 1/2 oz of salt. Work in well, and let it remain till the next day. then break it up and work well till all the moisture is out of it. Make a mixture of 4 oz salt, 2 oz of white sugar, and 1/2 oz saltpetre. Blend thoroughly, and allow 1/2 oz of this mixture to every pound of butter. Pack firmly in earthenware jars or perfectly clean kegs. Put a layer of salt on top, and cover from the air. (From old pages. Interest piece only)
Frosting
Ingredients
3 egg whites
1/2 lb. castor sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
Method
Beat egg whites stiffly, add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat well, add lemon juice and beat for 5 minutes after all the sugar is added, spread portion of mixture over cake with a knife, place remainder into a bag and ornament the top, using a plain forcing pipe, place in a moderate oven to set until a pale brown.
Fruit Syrup Glaze A
Ingredients
1/4 oz. gelatine
1/4 pint fruit juice
2 oz. sugar
Method
Dissolve gelatine in a little of the fruit juice, boil the remaining syrup and sugar, pour on to gelatine and stir till dissolved, do not boil. Melted red currant jelly forms the best glaze for fruit tart.
HANDY HINT- Stainless steel will brighten up, when rubbed with a moist course rag, that has been soaked in vinegar.
Fruit Syrup Glaze B
Ingredients
1/4 pint pineapple or fruit juice
1/4 lb. sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Colouring
Method
Boil fruit juice, sugar, and lemon juice till syrup will form a thin thread between the fingers (225oF), any colouring may be added. This glaze should be used immediately.
Cut away from you when using a knife, and keep knives in rack or drawer compartment.
Lemon Cheese
Ingredients
1/4 lb. butter
4 eggs
1 lb. sugar
3 large lemons
Method
Use a double saucepan or a jug standing in a saucepan of water, melt butter in saucepan, add well beaten eggs, sugar, and grated rind and juice of lemons. Stir mixture over gently boiling water for 1 hour, or till it is a thick as honey, pour into clean jars, when cold, seal and label.
Join our SupportersAccess Hundreds of Extra old Aussie recipes
Lemon Cheese
Ingredients
1/2 tin condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
Rind of 1 lemon
1 egg
Method
Beat all ingredients together, allow to stand 30 minutes before use.
TO PRESERVE EGGS IN LIME WATER-3 gallons of boiling water, 1 quart of lime, 1 oz of cream of tartar, 1/2 lb salt. Pour the boiling water over the lime, and leave for 2 days, stirring now and then. Then pour the water off without any of the lime, and mix the salt and cream of tartar into the lime water. It is then ready for use. Put the eggs in each day as they are laid. Be very careful that none of them are cracked. (From old pages. Interest piece only)
Lemon Cheese
Ingredients
4 eggs
2 1/2 oz. butter
10 oz. sugar
2 lemons
Method
Place all ingredients in a double saucepan, and stir till thick, bottle until required.
Lemon Cheese
Ingredients
1 tin condensed milk
2 egg yolks
2 lemons
1 tablespoon sugar
Method
Mix milk, egg yolks, lemon juice, rind, and sugar together, beat well till thick and smooth.
Wipe up spilled grease or fluids immediately.
Orange Filling
Ingredients
1 egg white
2 tablespoons cornflour
1/2 cup water
Juice of 1 orange
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter
Method
Beat egg white till stiff, blend cornflour with water and strained orange juice, adding sugar, stir over boiling water till cornflour is cooked. Remove from fire, add butter and leave to cool.
Orange Frosting
Ingredients
1 egg white
3/4 cup castor sugar
Juice of 1/2 orange
The grated rind of 1/2 an orange
Method
Beat egg white till stiff and gradually stir in sugar, beat over boiling water for 7 minutes till thick and frothy, remove from heat and add strained orange juice. Pour over cake and decorate with grated rind.
EGGS PRESERVED WITH VASELINE-Paste newspaper inside a candle box so that all the cracks are covered. Put a layer of bran on the bottom. Rub the eggs (which must be new-laid) with vaseline, and place large end down on the bran. Do not let them touch. Then cover with more bran, and press down firmly. Ann other layer, and so on till the box is full. Put on the lid, which should be lined with paper, and paste paper round the edges. Store in a cool place. Eggs keep well done by this method; but care must be taken to exclude the air, and the box must be quite filled with the bran. (From old pages. Interest piece only)
Meringue Frosting
Ingredients
1 teaspoon gelatine
1/2 cup hot water
1 egg white
1 cup icing sugar
Essence
Cochineal
Method
Dissolve gelatine in hot water and cool it. Beat egg white stiffly, add gelatine gradually, then sifted icing sugar; whisk till thick, flavour and colour. Add any desire flavouring and colour with cochineal, use as a filling in a sponge sandwich and spread on top and decorate.
Milk Icing
Ingredients
6 oz. icing sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons butter
Cochineal
Flavouring
Method
Sift icing sugar, boil milk and butter together, add icing sugar and beat till smooth, colour with cochineal and add flavouring to taste, pour over cake.
Turn pot handles away from front of gas stove but never over another burner.
Mock Marzipan
Ingredients
1 lb. icing sugar
1/4 lb. finely sieved rich cake crumbs
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon sherry
1 dessertspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons almond essence
Method
Sift icing sugar and add cake crumbs. Beat egg yolk, lemon juice, essence, and sherry together, add to icing sugar mixture, making into a stiff paste, dust board with icing sugar before rolling out, but leave for a few days before using. Brush over cake with egg white before covering it with marzipan.
Royal Icing
Ingredients
5 egg whites
1 1/2 to 2 lb. icing sugar
A few drops washing blue (to whiten)
A few drops of lemon juice
1 teaspoon glucose
Method
Beat egg whites slightly and gradually add sugar, beating well, add blue, lemon juice and glucose. Beat till icing will remain in a point when spoon is drawn up from it. It is important to note that the icing must be thickened by beating and not by the addition of extra sugar, cover with a damp cloth till needed,
HANDY HINT- Don't throw that empty tissue box away, they make an excellent hygienic depository for your used tissues.
Vienna Icing
Ingredients
4 tablespoons icing sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 dessertspoon sherry
Chocolate or vanilla flavouring
Method
Sift sugar, soften butter by warming, add icing sugar and beat till cream and fluffy, add sherry gradually, add chocolate or vanilla flavouring.
Fuchsia & Geraniums in Australia
Join our SupportersAccess Hundreds of Extra old Aussie recipes
Images Acknowledgement
The Glorious Australiana images on this site are from a cd-rom called Images-Australia by ©GUM TREE GRAPHICS. Artwork created by Australians Barry Gardner & Jason Jover. I recommend when looking for excellent computer graphics you request ©GUM TREE GRAPHICS from your retailer.