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seven-minute frosting

MAKES ENOUGH FOR ONE 9-INCH 4-LAYER CAKE OR 12 JUMBO CUPCAKES

1¾ cups sugar

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

¼ cup water

6 large egg whites

1. In a small, heavy saucepan, combine 1½ cups sugar, the corn syrup, and water. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. (Rub a bit between your fingers to make sure there is no graininess.)

2. Raise heat to bring to a boil. Do not stir anymore. Boil, washing down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water to prevent the sugar from crystallizing, until a candy thermometer registers 230°F, about 5 minutes. (Depending on the humidity, this can take anywhere from 4 to 10 minutes.)

3. Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2½ minutes. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup sugar. Remove the syrup from the heat when the temperature reaches 230°F (it will keep rising as the pan is removed from the heat). With the mixer on medium-low speed, pour the syrup in a steady stream down the side of the bowl (to avoid splattering) containing the egg white mixture.

4. Beat the frosting on medium until cool, 5 to 10 minutes. The frosting should be thick and shiny. Use immediately.

candied lemon, orange, or grapefruit peel

MAKES 1½ CUPS

You can use the same technique to make candied lemon or orange peel. The technique for candied grapefruit peel is slightly different (as detailed below) because more pith—the bitter white layer between the outer peel and the flesh of citrus fruit—must be removed.

8 oranges, or 10 lemons, or 6 grapefruits

6 cups sugar, plus more for rolling

1. Cut the ends off each piece of fruit, and cut the fruit in half lengthwise. Insert the tip of a knife carefully between fruit and pith about ½ inch deep, turn the fruit on the other end, and repeat, following the shape of fruit and keeping the skin in one piece.

2. Using your fingers, gently pull the fruit away. Reserve the fruit for another use.

3. Place the citrus peel in a 6-quart pot; fill with enough cold water to cover, about 3 quarts. Place over medium heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes. Drain the citrus peel; soak in cold water until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes.

4. Using a melon baller, scrape the soft white pith from the peel, being careful not to tear or cut into the skin. If you’re making candied grapefruit, after scraping the pith from the peel, simmer the peel for 20 minutes more, and repeat the technique to remove the remaining pith.

5. Slice each piece of peel into thin strips lengthwise, about ¼ inch wide if garnishing a cake or ½ inch wide if rolling in sugar.

6. Place 6 cups sugar in a saucepan with 3 cups water; stir to combine. Place the pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all the sugar has dissolved and the syrup comes to a boil, about 8 minutes. Add the citrus strips to the boiling syrup; reduce heat to medium-low. Using a pastry brush dipped in cold water, wash down any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan. Simmer the strips until they become translucent and the sugar syrup thickens, about 40 minutes. Allow the strips to cool in the syrup for 3 hours or overnight. When they have cooled, proceed to step 7, or store the strips in the syrup in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 3 weeks.

7. When cool, remove the strips with a slotted spoon. Using your fingers, wipe off the excess syrup; roll the strips in sugar. Dry on wire racks.

NOTE There are two variations of this method. In the first, use a vegetable peeler to remove only the outer skin from the fruit, and skip the first 5 steps. Slice the peels to the desired width, simmer in sugar syrup as in step 6, then follow the remaining step. This technique produces thin, translucent peels that make great garnishes for ice cream and cakes. The second variation results in wider, more opaque peels: After the outer skin