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Trying to get a mirror glaze smooth on a birthday cake took me three hours and a whole bottle of corn syrup.
I finally got it right by heating the glaze to exactly 113 degrees and pouring it from two feet above the cake, so has anyone found a less dramatic method?
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jakeb813mo agoMost Upvoted
Honestly, the corn syrup might be part of the problem. It makes the glaze way too sticky and thick. I always use light corn syrup, or even better, swap half of it for clear glucose syrup. It gives you a thinner mix that sets just as shiny. You shouldn't need to pour it from such a crazy height. Try warming it a bit less and pouring from just above the cake, then use a bench scraper to smooth it.
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jessica7073mo ago
Agree with @jakeb81 about swapping the corn syrup. I've had even better luck using all clear glucose syrup, which is much thinner. Heat it only to about 105 degrees and pour from just six inches up, then tilt the cake stand to help it flow over the sides smoothly.
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I actually read a blog post from a pastry chef who said the same thing about glucose syrup. She claimed it's the only way to get that glossy finish without the glaze being too thick or sticky. @jessica707 your tip about heating to 105 degrees makes sense, I think a lot of people overheat the glaze and then it sets too fast or gets clumpy. I tried the glucose syrup trick last weekend on a lemon cake and it worked way smoother than corn syrup ever did. The pour was so much easier to control and it didn't leave those weird cloudy streaks. I was surprised how much of a difference it made for the final look.
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