Olwyn Mary wrote:

"Bruce Fletcher (remove dentures to reply)"
wrote in message


Whilst struggling to interpret an American recipe I came across this
handy translation guide:
http://marycontrary.tripod.com/food/charts.html
--
Bruce Fletcher
Stronsay, Orkney UK

I did happen to notice, on further study of the tables, that it does not
mention the main difference between U.K. "icing sugar" and North
American "confectioners sugar".

Icing sugar is pure sugar, very finely ground. Confectioners sugar has
a small amount of cornstarch added, supposedly to avoid lumping. This
means that it will not make real royal icing,(the kind which sets like
concrete). Nowadays, if I want real royal icing I can go to my local
import shop and buy icing sugar. In past years, I had to take regular
sugar and grind it really finely, a small amount at a time, in my
blender. Mind you, my dh says he prefers the American kind, it makes it
easier to cut the Christmas cake (yes, Gillian, I still make one, old
family recipe, complete with marzipan, royal icing, piped flowers on
top, the whole bit).

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans

Olwyn Mary

want to hear of the last Christmas cake I made?? Disaster all the way.

Jim and I were together, unmarried, but SOs. WE lived in Maryland. We
were invited to Miami for the Christmas holiday to be with the old MIL
and the rest of the tribe. I thought I would make a real English
Christmas cake. I made it in November, marinated it faithfully; I had
all the ingredients to make marzipan and icing ( I don't like it hard,
so always added a smudge of glycerin..my Mum's trick.).

Well we arrived in Miami; it was about 85 degrees, hot as hell...and we
were in the RV in the front yard. Her house had no A/C...just open windows.

At the right time I made the marzipan, and slathered the stuff on the
cake. I then made the icing, and put that on the cake. In my family we
had Father Christmas and Trees on the cake; I had bought some, and
decorated with that. It really looked good, and my Mum would be proud of me.

I took it into the old lady's kitchen, and it sat there for a few hours
until they were ready to eat it. (No-one EVER was in time for a meal in
that place),,maybe why I hate Miami.

By the time we were ready for the cake, I took the inverted tin off the
plate.....you guessed it, the whole damn stuff had slid off the cake and
was puddled around the cake.

That is the last Christmas cake I ever made!! About 23 years ago.

Gillian