This is a basic, quick to make icing. Glace icing can be used to coat the top and sides of cakes, muffins, cupcakes, cream puffs, etc.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon butter, melted, optional
• 2-3 tablespoons warm water or milk

Method

1. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl.
2. Add the melted butter and sufficient warm water or milk to make a smooth thick icing that can spread easily onto your baking.

Cooks Tips

Variations - Lemon: Use the grated rind and juice of 1 lemon in place of the milk or water. - Liqueur: Use your favourite liqueur in place of the water. - Mocha: Dissolve 1 teaspoon coffee and 1 teaspoon cocoa in hot water before mixing with the remaining icing ingredients. - Orange blossom: Add 1-2 drops of orange blossom water to the icing. - Orange: Use the grated rind and juice of 1 small orange in place of the milk or water. - Passionfruit: Add the grated rind of ½ lemon and the strained pulp of 1 passionfruit to the icing. Add water if necessary. You can add the pips from the passionfruit if wished. - Peppermint: Add peppermint essence to taste. - Rosewater: Add 1-2 drops of rosewater to the icing. Decorate the top of a cake with fresh rose petals. - Simple Chocolate: Dissolve 1-2 tablespoons cocoa in warm milk or water and allow to cool. Mix in the sifted icing sugar and sufficient extra milk or water to reach the desired consistency. - Spice: Add ½ teaspoon mixed spice to the icing sugar before sifting. Or use your favourite spice or a combination.