In this small quaint town, there are few people that you don’t run into on a daily basis. It’s been a culture shock, a climate shock, and definitely a culinary shock since moving to this northern Canadian burg. And while there are moments where I long for my urban desert home, there are also moments of sweet and utter bliss. One of those moments happened when I met Pat.
Pat is a sweet old lady who lives just a few houses down from me. She’s a fun witted grandma with a few stories to tell. She belongs to the same Church as I do, and when you have less than 30 members in your area, you get to know them really well. Pat’s husband passed away last July, and all of her children and grandchildren have long since moved away. She’s been having trouble getting around on her own these days, so she’s moving closer to her family. We have been assisting Pat in packing up her house and finding little treasures along the way.
We stumbled across an old trunk that was filled with love letters, hand-made baby blankets and booties, knick-knacks, and a plethora of hand written recipes. My heart began to beat faster as I ran my fingers through them, and I could see Pat become excited when I asked her about them. She hasn’t cooked much since her husband passed, and it was something she loved to do. She graciously gave me a stack of intriguing recipes and I couldn’t wait to dig in.
The first one that really caught my eye was this Fluffy Brown Sugar Icing.
What I love about old recipes is the way they are written.
Pat wrote: “drops like a hair from spoon” as to know when the brown sugar mixture is ready. It was interesting, and I had to see what she meant.
Plus… hello… FLUFFY BROWN SUGAR ICING!! How could you not want to know what that tastes like?!
Sure enough, the mixture of brown sugar, water and corn syrup becomes thick like a rich caramel and when dropped from a spoon makes tiny (even smaller than pictured) strands that resemble hair.
Then you: “Pour hot syrup in a thin stream into egg whites, beating constantly.”
I thought for sure this wouldn’t work. Maybe I am just really novice when it comes to egg whites, but I assumed pouring a hot liquid into them would almost immediately deflate them.
But no, it didn’t.
In fact, it held it’s shape and gained a glossy shine.
It was amazing, and the taste is stellar. It’s like a fluffy caramel marshmallow frosting.
I dipped many things into that Fluffy Brown Sugar Icing. Chocolate covered graham crackers, pretzels, and peaches. The peaches won in my book. My husband just rolled his eyes said, “Oh, now peaches need frosting?!”
But seriously, this icing would be amazing when paired with just about anything… even a spoon.
Thanks for letting me introduce you to Pat. I have several more recipes that I can’t wait to share with you!
UPDATE: Here are some more of Pat’s Recipes: Cherry Nut Bread and Very Nice Chocolate Frosting
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Fluffy Brown Sugar Icing {Pat’s Recipes}
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup corn syrup
- 4 egg whites
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Mix brown sugar, water and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil. (Be careful, as it will rise, so make sure the sides of your pan are taller). Let it boil at medium to medium high until the syrup drops like a hair from spoon (approximately 10 minutes). Remove from burner and set aside.
- Meanwhile, beat egg whites until stiff.
- SLOWLY pour the hot syrup in a THIN stream into egg whites, beating constantly. Beat until icing holds peaks, then blend in vanilla.
- Let cool to room temp, then store covered in the fridge until ready to use.
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lauren
Thank you so much for the sweet story and sweet treat 🙂
Deb
Thank you for the recipe, but the story touched my heart. So sweet.
Angie Hilbert
I just made this and it totally flopped. I boiled the corn syrup for ten minutes as directed and it smelled like it was burnt. I was stirring this as it boiled and I didn’t boil it on high. Then I added this mixture to the egg whites and all the corn syrup mixture sank to the bottom of mixer bowl and got rock hard. I dumped out as much of the frosting that would come out and I’m soaking my mixing bowl. Hope the rest comes out! Where did I go wrong?
Shawn
Hi Angie, sorry to hear that it didn’t work out too well for you. Did you make sure to boil the brown sugar and water with the corn syrup? Keep it at a medium/high heat and I would also recommend stirring it regularly while it boils so it doesn’t burn on the bottom. Try whipping the egg whites after the sugar drops like a hair from the spoon, and pouring it slowly in a thin stream while it beats. Hope that helps! 🙂 Thanks!
Kel
Angie – it sounds like your sugar went too long and got to the hard crack stage. Check out this site, which can help you with timing and temperature.
http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/candy/sugar-stages.html
Basically, this frosting is similar to Italian Meringue, with the exception of using the brown sugar and corn syrup. It makes amazing, shiny, silky frosting that stands up to being kept at room temperature, and pipes beautifully.
Hope it helps!
Andrea Garcia
Same thing just happened to me. Totally bombed this recipe. After doing some research I’ve read it’s best if egg whites are at room temp. AND keep an eye on your caramel. Glad to know I wasn’t the only one who this didn’t come out for.
gerry
This is the method for making divinity, a delicious old-fashioned treat. The only difference is that for divinity, you use white sugar and boil the syrup a bit longer (you’ll need a candy thermometer). Either pecans or walnuts are folded in at the very end of the process. If you can make this frosting, you should be able to make divinity. Here’s a standard divinity recipe from Betty Crocker: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/divinity/6bd6e6d7-fd23-47e2-a120-facc19bca138
Kari
This looks wonderful! I am always looking for frosting recipes without butter since I have dairy allergic boys. I tried the recipe tonight (to top some fruit!) and burned the sugar. 🙁 What temperature do you keep the burner at after the sugar boils?
Shawn
Hi Kari, I didn’t use a thermometer so I don’t know the exact temperature, but once it came to a boil I left the heat at a medium high and stirred it somewhat frequently because I was afraid it might burn too. Seemed to do the trick. 🙂 Hope that helps!
Kari
Thank you! Nailed it today! I lowered my heat this time and it only took about 5 minutes before mine passed the hair test. The frosting has a wonderful caramel favor and is so good! Thanks again for the help with the recipe!
Tina
Oh dear. This was an utter failure for me. Over cooked the sugar, possibly over beat the eggs and ended up with marshmallow textured silly putty. I will try again, but not today. I do love the story!
Shawn
Hi Tina, So sorry to hear that! Try to cook the sugar first, set it aside, then whip the egg whites. Stream in the sugar mixture and blend in the vanilla while the beaters are still going on the egg whites. Once it’s incorporated you should be good. The frosting has a light and fluffy texture, similar to marshmallow fluff, and can be piped in a frosting bag! Hope this helps! 🙂
Kerry
Hello I tried this recipe for the first time today to go on a cake I bake because it sounds yummy but I must say it was a utter failure for it had a marshmallow taste to and very very lite I put it in my cake and drizzle some chocolate over it and all that icing is running of with the chocolate…Can tell me why that happened???….
P.s it wasn’t thick enough to go in a piping bag.
Carrie @Bakeaholic Mama
This looks amazing! I love brown sugar frosting, but I have not had one like this! I can’t wait to try it.
Wendy
I loved your story! The recipe sounds wonderful and I can’t wait to try it. Thank you for sharing it. It is so nice that you reached out to this lovely woman and brought some joy into her life. So much can be gained and learned by spending time and talking to those experienced in life and any reason is a good reason to take a drive down memory lane and tell their stories. Have fun with the recipes!
Pamela S
Does anyone know if maple syrup could be used instead of the corn syrup? Or at least partially?
Kj
Or maybe honey?
Shawn
Hi Pamela & KJ, I’m not an expert at corn syrup, but I did a little research and came across this article from David Lebovitz and he reckons that if the corn syrup is to be cooked to a high temperature (as it is in this recipe) to not substitute it with anything else. Things like honey and maple syrup can easily burn and would not yield the best results. That being said, you could always give it a go and see what happens, then report back and let us know how it turned out! 🙂 Best of luck!
Shawn
Oh, and here is the link to the article in case you wanted to check it out!
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/01/why-and-when-to-use-or-not-use-c/
Pamela S
Thank you!
Diana
Slight correction on using maple syrup at high temperatures, it does not burn if you cook it down; that is how it is made, by reducing tree sap by boiling . Here’s a link about maple syrup: http://vermontmaple.org/?doing_wp_cron=1375877048.7591791152954101562500
Because maple has a stronger flavor when it’s reduced, I think it would compete too much with the brown sugar flavor.
And Lebovitz was talking about candy making when he suggested not using honey:
“When can one not substitute something for the corn syrup called for in a recipe?
For candy making, I strongly suggest sticking to the recipe. If a recipe calls for boiling a sugar syrup, unless specified, stick to using corn syrup. Especially ones cooked to a higher temperature. Honey, and the like, tend to burn when cooked down, so care should be taken to avoid that.
If the recipe calls for cooking a syrup to a relatively low temperature (below 230F, or 110C), you can experiment with other liquid sweeteners, but I can’t advise in each and every case. You’ll just have to try it and see.
Nancy
My husband and I couldn’t wait to put this on cinnamon rolls! The only problem was that we didn’t have corn syrup. We had read elsewhere that you could substitute honey, so that’s what we did. BLEH!!!! The honey burned and now I have this awful leftover taste in my mouth! It looked beautiful though…. We will definitely try this recipe again with the correct ingredients! DON’T USE HONEY! : )
Anne Reveruzzi
My grandmother always made this frosting using pure maple syrup that she brought to a boil until a hair like string formed. She would use this frosting on a maple walnut homemade cake.
Shawn
That sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing Anne! 🙂
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl
Oh my, grab me a spoon and let me eat that icing! YUM!
Serene
Hi Shawn, follow you on pinterest and fb. Thanks for the great story and recipe. Thanks Pat for the lovely recipe.
Heather
I was at Pat’s tonight and she said she would frost a cake or muffins with this stuff. She is pretty touched by this post and all the people who like the frosting.
Susan Mills
I think you should make a scrapbook with the recipes in their original form and the stories behind them. Pictures of you making them. What a beautiful thing. (Make it digital and then you can send one to Pat and her family to enjoy also.) I have a friend who framed the recipes that were used by her mother in her mother’s handwriting. They are beautiful on the wall in her kitchen and such a keepsake.
Wendy
Wonderful idea! I have many recipes passed down to me from my Grandmom and need thought of framing them. Thanks for sharing the idea.
Marie Shanahan
This recipe can’t be called anything but wonderful. 🙂 I even love the name. It reminds us of our Grandmothers! Mine was from Naples, and always smelled like basil and cooked like nothing I have ever seen since – we just adored her!!!
I had a neighbor like this once. An ancient Sicilian lady who taught me all these incredible recipes. One of them being, if making lasagna and if you have run out of ricotta cheese, use cottage cheese. Everybody does it now, but this was years ago and I wasn’t sure it would work, but it did. She also said, you could simply drop cottage cheese by the spoonful into any red sauce, pasta dish with the same result.
And bless her heart, she’s right!!
🙂
Terra
I can’t wait to try this. It looks amazing. I find that the passing of recipes doesn’t happen enough. I have a few from my elders and they are my most treasured and most requested recipes. I am so excited to pair this frosting with…. I’ll let you know what I decide.
Kristen
What did Pat put this frosting on?
Jocelyn @BruCrew Life
That frosting looks down right dangerous! I know that I would not be able to stop eating just with a spoon…although I am totally loving the idea of peaches dipped in frosting. And totally laughing at your husband’s comment because that is so something mine would say too 😉
Tami
Hi Shawn!! I tried to make the frosting again- following your suggestions. How wonderful it turned out!! Amazing:-) thank-you! Tami
Nessa
I have found my true love 🙂
Brenda
This recipe reminds me of the recipes my mom used when I was growing up! Brings back memories and makes me yearn for these old recipes!
Kj
“Oh, now peaches need frosting?!”
–Duh, dude. Duh.
🙂
Donna Barkhouse
Can you put this on a cake as soon as it is ready??
Shawn
The frosting is quite warm once it’s done (from the hot brown sugar mixture), so I would maybe let it cool to room temperature first. That’s just me, cause I like a cool frosting, not a warm one. It’s personal preference I suppose.
Chandra
Can’t wait to try this! Sounds amazing! Thanks Pat for sharing!
Lisa
New. Favorite. Website. 😀
Tami
Hi! I was so excited to try this icing; and like you, I thought it wouldn’t turn out. I got a lil afraid that I had boiled the sugar mix to much. I took it off the stove when it had the strands and added it to the egg whites that were whipped up and waiting….however, it did not get fluffy when they came together:( Do you know what I am doing wrong? I am going to try it again:) I did leave my egg whites out at room temp- do you think that matters? Thank you Tamixo
Shawn
Try using cold egg whites, and keep the egg whites beating while you SLOWLY stream the brown sugar mixture into the bowl. Once it holds it’s shape (shouldn’t take very long) you are golden! 🙂
Stephanie
This is recipe is a rif on an Italian meringue… It won’t matter if the egg whites are cold or room temp.. You will actually get better peaks from room temp egg whites. Just don’t pre-whip the whites.. They will become fluffy as you whip in the sugar syrup… With white sugar, this is the basis for an Italian buttercream 🙂
Harriet
I tried this today and I am not impressed. It’s too soft for a layer cake. Do you think throwing in butter as if it were an IMBC would work?
TIA
Harriet
Answered my own question. Nope. Doesnt work. Threw it away
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
Thank you, Pat, wherever you are! I am dying to try this this icing!
M.E. Bellamy
This recipe is extremely similar to meringues. The only difference is, you pipe the “frosting” for meringues onto parchment paper and dry them out in the oven!
Julianne @ Beyond Frosting
Yes! This sound oh so good. I love a good frosting!
Shawn
Thanks Julianne! 🙂
Diane (createdbydiane)
Looks so yummy. I just love old recipes, how sweet of Pat to share this beauty with you. My favorite frosting is a boiled sugar method whipped into egg whites and the consistency is so super creamy, I will be giving this a try for sure!!!
Shawn
Thanks Diane, she is a sweet lady, almost as sweet as this frosting! 😉
Jaclyn
Shawn this looks ridiculously good!! I want to drink that entire glass of it :)!
Shawn
Haha, that could easily be done!
Shannon
Hi! We are making this frosting for my daughters 21st birthday celebration and putting it on choc fudge cupcakes! And we are wondering if it will hold up at room temperature over night?? Thanks for your recipe and response! Shannon
Jennifer
also wondering if it can stay at room temp for a night, I have no space in my fridge for a cake, but would love to try it
Kristen
This frosting looks amazing! I love old hand written recipes. I have some of my grandmother’s best recipes that she hand wrote and I plan on framing them and hanging them in my kitchen. They are a treasure!
Shawn
What a fantastic idea Kristen! I have so many that Pat gave me, I am trying to figure out a proper way of storing them. Thanks for that tip! 🙂
Deborah (Debbie)
Kristen…I have recipes from my Grandma and Great Grandma…that’s what I was thinking of doing too…wouldn’t that be wonderful?!
Diane
That’s a Wonderful memory & plan 2 frame her own writing of the receipe. 🙂
Heather
This is awesome Shawn! Does Pat know you did this post? Send it to her!
Shawn
I tried to send her the link, but I am not sure she knows how to get her emails! haha!
Sarah in CA
Oh this sounds really good. i have been making “White Mountain” frosting since childhood. Another name is 7 minute frosting. I don’t use corn syrup but cane sugar syrup instead. Now i will switch it up using brown sugar. Tthanks for the new twist on an old idea.
Shawn
That sounds fantastic Sarah! I love the name “White Mountain” so fitting! 🙂
Aunt Charley
My mother made White Mountain Frosting anytime a recipe called for white frosting. DELICIOUS!!!! Thanks for the memory. Would you mind sharing the recipe? I would love to make it and don’t have Mothers recipe. [email protected]
Lori in Ohio
My mother used to make 7 minute Frosting. The recipe is in ‘The Joy of Cooking’ Cookbook. If you don’t have it email me and I will send it to you. There are 5 variations White l & ll , Lemon, Orange,
& Sea Foam (adding caramelized sugar) If you don’t have this cookbook you need it.
Rose Williams
Sea Foam Frosting is perfect on a spice cake …
Denise Kellum
Would you share your 7 minute frosting with the 5 variations. My mother has passed away and I don’t have that icing. Thanks so much..
maggie
Hi Lori in Ohio I would love to get the recipes for the 5 variations of the 7 minutes frosting. They sound delicious! thank you very much for sharing.
LaVrena
Hi Lori I would love to get the recipes for the 7 minute frostings if I could. Thank you
Lori
Please share the 7 minute frosting recipes. Send to: [email protected]. Thank you!
Vicky
Would love for you to share the recipes. Thank you so much.
LaVrena
I would love to get the White Mountain frosting recipe if I could. I have never even heard of a frosting that was made with sugar… Thank you so much.
Terri
My grandmother use to make White Mountain Frosting and I’ve wanted the recipe for years. Please, if you would, email me that. It would be a great “Blast from the past!” Thank you in advance. [email protected]
LaVrena
Hi Terri could I get the White Mountain Frosting recipe from you please…. Thank you
Sylvia in Louisiana
Oh, Terri, what a great reminder. And now, of course, I’m going to try THIS recipe substituting Steen’s Cane Syrup for the corn syrup. I bet that’ll knock my socks off! I really love that rich, ever-so-slightly burnt sugar flavor.
Sylvia in Louisiana
Ooops, I got carried away and posted this in the wrong ‘pew’. Meant to reply to Sarah.
Do-over!
Sylvia in Louisiana
Oh, Sarah, what a great idea. And now, of course, I’m going to try THIS recipe substituting Steen’s Cane Syrup for the corn syrup. I bet that’ll knock my socks off! I really love that rich, ever-so-slightly burnt sugar flavor.
Summer in South Dakota
We also have the White Mountain frosting recipe. This looks like it is made the exact same way. I am going to give this a try too!
Karen
Wow. That icing looks amazing, and the story… the story was just perfect. Thank you for sharing!
Shawn
Thank you Karen, I am so glad you enjoyed the story! She is full of great stories, so I can’t wait to share a few more with you!
Chels R.
OMG, really?! I’m dying over this!
Stephanie Daigneault
Awesome! I hope she has a smooth move.
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes
This looks awesome and I love the story behind it!! “Drops like a hair from a spoon”….good tip!
Emily
We just put a brown sugar cream cheese frosting on some peach cobbler cupcakes and it was fantastic. I’m going to have to try this recipe too!
Pam
OK, now you’ve got me dying for the recipe for peach cobbler cupcakes! I had already decided I have to try the frosting, but those cupcakes sound like the perfect thing to try it on.
Sylvia Arnold
My thoughts exactly #peachcobbler cupcakes …. oh yes
Shawn
Wow, those peach cobbler cupcakes sound amazing! Is that recipe on your blog? I couldn’t find it, and now I want to make them!
Abby smith
So I just made a bunch of this (first time and it worked great even tho I forgot to beat the egg whites really well before adding the sugar mix but after I added a lil bit I remembered and began to beat the batter. I mixed it on high for a long time and it worked great and tastes wonderful!!!) and I am not sure if this will hold up well in a fondant covered cake. Do you have any ideas?
Tricia
The same thing happened to me. I didn’t beat the whites long enough. It has a great taste. Will definitely be using this in the future.
Betsy Villalobos
I’m thinking that if you could tell us where to send them, all of us who tried this recipe and have a little story to go with it, we could send Miss Pat little thank you cards and she could read through them and see for herself how many people she has touched with such a simple gesture. What does everyone think? Shawn?
Roberta
Omgoodness, I think that’s a fabulous idea Betsy! I absolutely love it!
Shawn
I do love the idea of this, unfortunately Pat passed away last year. I love to read everyone’s comments on this post, and I’m hoping her family will read them too.
Sherrie
I hope that Peach Cobbler Cupcake recipe gets published!
Kelda
This was a wonderful gesture on her part. These recipes can now be enjoyed many new and old friends.
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel
That’s so sweet she gave you the recipes and so kind of you to help her pack. Can I just eat this with a spoon please?!