Three Minute Date Frosting Recipes

Steps:

• Heat 1 1/2 cups sugar, the water, and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Raise heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Cook, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming, until syrup reaches 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. Once syrup reaches 230 degrees, remove from heat immediately.
• Meanwhile, with a mixer on medium speed, whisk egg whites to soft peaks. Whisk in remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Reduce speed to medium-low, and pour syrup into egg whites in a slow, steady stream down the side of the bowl. Raise speed to medium-high, and whisk for 6 minutes. Add vanilla; whisk until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Use immediately.

Steps:

• In a small, heavy-bottom saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar, corn syrup, and 4 tablespoons water. Place over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved, about 4 minutes. Rub a bit of the mixture between your fingers, making sure any graininess has disappeared. Raise heat, and bring to a boil without stirring. Continue boiling, occasionally washing down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water to prevent sugar from crystallizing, until a candy thermometer registers 230 degrees, about 5 minutes. (Depending on the humidity, this can take anywhere from 4 to 10 minutes.) Remove the syrup from heat (temperature will keep rising).
• Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2 1/2 minutes. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. With mixer on medium-low speed, pour syrup in a steady stream down side of bowl (to avoid splattering).
• Beat the frosting on high speed until cool, about seven minutes. It should be thick and shiny. Use immediately.

Steps:

• Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk the egg whites, sugar, water, corn syrup, vanilla, cream of tartar and salt in a large heatproof glass bowl. Set the bowl on top of the pan (do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water). Beat with a hand mixer on low speed until the sugar dissolves and the mixture starts to thicken, 1 to 2 minutes. (If any sugar crystals form on the side of the bowl, brush them down with a wet pastry brush.) Increase the speed to medium high and beat until stiff glossy peaks form, about 7 minutes.
• Remove the bowl from the pan and beat until the frosting cools slightly, about 30 seconds. Use while still slightly warm -- the frosting will firm up and form a hard shell when it cools. Do not refrigerate the frosted cake or the frosting may weep.

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan combine sugar, water and cream of tartar. Slowly bring mixture to a boil, stirring sides of the saucepan with a brush dipped in water to remove any sugar crystals. Cover and boil for about 3 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 245 degrees.
• Beat egg whites with pinch of salt until glossy and peaked. Slowly pour in syrup as you continue to beat the whites. Beat until cool and frosting is soft and fluffy. Fold in vanilla.