Icing made with cooked flour and milk- I have ??'s!! - Page 2

For a moment, I thought that the OP was looking for the French Vanilla Buttercream (not French Buttercream) that is in Toba Garrett's book. They look similar but are different? I don't know. Here's the thread about Toba's buttercream. I have her book, but haven't tried this one. Maybe this was what you originally were looking for.

http://www.sweetcelebrations.us/files/french_vanilla_buttercream_a_la_toba.pdf

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-19577.html

To those who have been using this BC regularly, may I know what is its shelf life in room temp? Thanks in advance!

I found that putting both the flour and the milk in the food processor for a minute BEFORE cooking really helps to combine it well. Then, while cooking, whisk constantly and then once you take it off the stove keep whisking until smooth, then cover with plastic wrap, right on top of the mixture so skin doesn't form. I cool mine on the counter to room temp.

Also, I've left this out at room temp for 2 days on it was just fine.

A trick I learned somewhere for getting flour and milk mixed without lumps is to add a small amont of milk to the flour and mix into a smooth paste with no lumps. Gradually add the remaining milk while continuing to stir, and the mixture should be smooth from the start.

Thanks dandynom!

I just continuously stirred the milk/flour mixture! Also, after cooking, I spread it out onto a plate to cool, then covered lightly with plastic wrap so it wouldn't get hard, crusty edges. ,......

I'd love to try it

After reading all the praises of this type of frosting, I had to give it a try. I am so glad I did! My all time favorite frosting is RLB's silk meringue buttercream which has a custard base and is wonderful. It is a little more time consuming to make, and the final product is very ivory in color, but is my go to recipe. You can add just about anything to it, and it makes the best chocolate frosting. Needless to say, I was skeptical about trying anything else, but I was surprised! I tried Toba Garret's recipe and it was delicious. It is lighter in flavor than the silk meringue buttercream but also has that custard flavor without being too sweet or buttery. (I made it with all butter). It smoothes and pipes beautifully. Also, it has no eggs if that is an issue, and is a much lighter more versatile ivory color. I took it to work and it sat out for about 3 hours before it was gone, and the frosting held up beautifully. It didnt get soft or slumpy at all. Everyone really liked it. I used it as the filling as well, and it cut cleanly and didnt squeeze out the sides. I will be seeing what can be added to it for variety.

To avoid lumps, I heated the milk and sugar in a large glass measuring cup in the microwave until just boiling (watch carefully, boils over easily). Then I poured 2 to 3 Tbsp of the hot milk into the flour and mixed until a very smooth paste. Then I added a few tablespoons more of the hot milk, mixing until completely smooth. Then I mixed the flour into the rest of the milk. I placed the measuring cup in an ice bath and stirred occasionally until cooled. I poured it through a strainer into the mixing bowl, although there were virtually no lumps. Then I completed the buttercream as directed.

It came out beautifully smooth, with no lumps and no food processor! The photo is a quick 5 minute frosting job - just a few times over with the scraper and a quick piping, so I could get out the door and off to work with it (my colleagues are eager to help me dispose of my experiments)! This recipe definitely goes in my file, and maybe the initial mixing technique will help with the lump issues!

I've used this recipe for years, it was my mother's recipe she just called it flour icing. I have had many of the issues othere mention and the only way I found that the only way to get a smooth icing without those little lumps is to mix the flour mixture constantly while it cools. I can remember my father watching baseball and mixing the flour mixture for my mom while she beat the the other ingredients. I've made it with butter, I've made it with crisco, I've made it with a mixture of both but the secret it beating that flour mixture to death while it cools.

cakedout,my mom use chocolate milk for the chocolate version and its very good.

Does the iced cake need to be refrigerated? I'd like to use it on a cake that has to be prepared the day before the event and it won't fit in the refrigerator.