Sugar Glaze
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A sugar glaze is a simple glaze comprising of powdered sugar and liquid. It’s used for glazing donuts, muffins, coffee cakes, pastries, etc.
Use this glaze where you want a thin film of sweetness, something that accentuates the existing textures of the underlying bake. Use a frosting instead if you want to mask the underlying texture altogether, such as in a cake.
Tips
This glaze is effectively just hydrated sugar. We hydrate enough to pour and spread. Then the glaze is allowed to set, by drying out the surface moisture. As such, humidity control is key to extending the shelf-life of this glaze.
Because of the simplicity of this glaze, consider glazing product on day of consumption. This allows for freezing bakes without glazing.
Fat is optionally added to the glaze to increase pliability and softness of the glaze. Adding it will give a glaze like on top of chocolate ring donuts. Not adding it will give a crisper glaze, such as glazed donut.
Recipe
| Ingredient | Baker’s Percentage |
|---|---|
| Powdered Sugar | 100% |
| Water (or milk) | 30% |
| Butter (melted) | 15% |
| Vanilla | 2% |
Notes
Substitute water for milk to add additional flavour. The fat from milk will soften the glaze and make it pliable.
Add butter optionally for flavour and fat. Again, fat makes the glaze soft and pliable when set.
Vanilla is optional and strictly for flavour.
Technique
- Whisk all ingredients together.
- Adjust consistency. Aim for consistency that ribbons, like crepe batter. We want the glaze to spread itself thin.
- Glaze pastries and allow to dry.
- Continually stir and readjust consistency as the glaze dries out.