The term icing is the English translation of the French word «glace» which indicates a glossy «covering» used to make the surface of a cake, meat or vegetable dish brighter.

There are two different types of icing: the so-called kitchen icing and the pastry icing. In the first case it is a syrupy substance obtained by reducing a meat or poultry base, used to highlight the taste of some sauces or to polish the surface of a roast, chicken and game.

The pastry glaze is made of a mixture of sugar and water, sometimes enriched with flavorings, food colors and liqueurs, then spread on a cake to make the surface shiny. The icing can also be prepared with couverture chocolate, fondant, egg whites and lemon juice, the latter, called royal icing, is white and particularly bright.