Historic recipe from Malinda Russell's 1866 cookbook "A Domestic Cook Book". Page 15. One of the earliest known cookbooks by an African American author.
This historic boiled icing creates a stable meringue through hot sugar syrup's ability to denature egg proteins at precise temperatures, cooking the eggs safely while creating volume. The hot sugar (likely dissolved in water and boiled to soft-ball stage, 235-240°F) partially cooks the egg whites, stabilizing the foam structure while the continuous beating incorporates air and cools the mixture to a spreadable consistency. The high sugar concentration prevents bacterial growth and creates a glossy, marshmallow-like texture that sets firm as it cools.
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Turn the hot sugar slowly over the egg, beating until it cools
Flavor with extract of lemon
This icing cannot be made ahead. It must be prepared immediately before use and applied to the cake while still warm and spreadable. The icing will firm up within 30 minutes of application and cannot be rewhipped or softened once set.
Once applied to cake, store at room temperature loosely covered with a cake dome or inverted bowl for up to 3 days. Do not refrigerate, as moisture will cause the icing to weep and become sticky. The icing will develop a slight crust on the surface, which is characteristic of this historic preparation.
