Icing and drip
Ready-to-use drip chocolate, royal icing, confectionery fondant and glazes: all the pourable and glazed finishes, from colorful drip cakes to traditional éclairs.
Types of icing
Ready-to-use choco drip creates the famous drips running down layer cakes, in a variety of colors including gold and silver. Royal icing dries hard: for decorating cookies, making lace and assembling tiered cakes. Pastry fondant, see fondants for icing, coats éclairs, religieuses and mille-feuilles. For a glossy finish on entremets, see mirror glazes.
Making a drip cake
The secret is the temperature contrast: the cake should be very cold (30 minutes in the refrigerator after smoothing) and the drip should be warm but fluid, around 32-35°C. Test a drop on the edge: it should run for 3 to 4 cm, then stop. If it's too hot, the drip runs all the way to the base; if it's too cold, it sets in a thick ridge. Apply the drops around the edge with a spoon or piping bag, then fill the center.
Frequently asked questions
How long does royal icing take to dry?
1 to 2 hours to form a crust on the surface, 12 to 24 hours to dry through so the cookies can be stacked.
Fondant, mirror glaze or drip: what's the difference?
Fondant coats and sets to a matte finish (éclairs), mirror glaze is poured over frozen entremets for a glossy finish, and drip glaze runs down a chilled cake in decorative drips.
Can you color a white drip?
Yes, with an oil-soluble coloring suitable for high-fat preparations, mixed into the melted drip.
