Frostings

Buttercream cocoa frosting

½ cup (115 g) butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar or confectioner's sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
About 5 tablespoons lukewarm milk

Method Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, and add gradually powdered sugar and cocoa; add a tablespoon of lukewarm milk in between, when needed. Add vanilla extract, and mix until smooth; do not over-mix.

Easy milk chocolate frosting

8 oz (225 g) milk chocolate
½ cup (115 g) butter
4 tablespoons coffee

Method In a doubler boiler melt milk chocolate and butter. Add coffee, and mix well.

Frosting with cocoa, icing sugar, coffee and butter

½ cup (115 g) butter
1 tablespoon hot espresso coffee (or ½ teaspoon instant coffee powder dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water)
8 oz (225 g) icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)
1¼ tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Method
1. Melt the butter in a sauce pan and remove from the heat.
2. Add coffee, mix with icing sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla.
3. Stir until smooth.
Please note that frostings made with chocolate are usually better than those made with cocoa!

Frosting with chocolate, icing sugar, butter and egg

3 tablespoons (40 g) butter
3 ½ oz (100 g) dark semi-sweet chocolate (40-45% cocoa)
1 egg (salmonella free)
3 ½ oz (100 g) icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)

Method
1. Melt butter and chopped chocolate in a double boiler.
2. Beat the egg with icing sugar and mix with the chocolate and butter mixture.

Frosting with chocolate and heavy cream

½ cup (1.2 dl) heavy cream or whipping cream
7 oz (200 g) sweet dark chocolate

Method
1. Heat the heavy cream or whipping cream in a sauce pan.
2. Remove from heat, add finely chopped sweet dark chocolate, and stir until smooth.
3. To test it, transfer a tablespoon of the frosting into a chilled cup and place in the fridge for 15 minutes. If it is too thin, add some more melted chocolate. It it is too thick, add a few tablespoons of cream, stir until smooth, and test it again.

Frosting with chocolate, syrup, butter and coffee

6 tablespoons (85 g) butter
8 oz (220 g) semisweet dark chocolate
2 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 tablespoon hot espresso or very strong coffee

Method
1. Mix butter, chopped chocolate, syrup and coffee and heat in a double boiler until melted.
2. Stir until smooth.
3. Let it cool somewhat before use.

Frosting with chocolate and shortening

6 oz (170 g) sweet dark chocolate
2 oz (55 g) vegetable shortening

Method
1. Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt it with vegetable shortening over simmering water.
2. Let the mixture cool until it gets viscous, and spread it evenly over the tart.

Frosting with chocolate and sour cream

7 oz (200 g) semisweet dark chocolate
7 oz (200 g) sour cream

Method
1. Bring the sour cream to room temperature.
2. Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt it over simmering water.
3. Remove the chocolate from the heat and add gradually sour cream while beating.
(Submitted by Lise Preston, Brisbane, Australia)

White mountain frosting

3 cups white sugar
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (optional)
4 egg whites
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method
1. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan.
2. Cook until candy thermometer reaches 242 degrees F (115 degrees C) or until a teaspoon of mixture dropped into cold water forms a ball when removed from water.
3. Add cream of tartar and a pinch of salt to the egg white, and beat them until stiff.
4. Add hot syrup in a slow stream, beating constantly.
5. Stir in vanilla.