Icing for spiced or black honey cake

• 400 g (14 oz) sugar
• 5 egg whites
• 4

Dissolve the sugar in the water and boil to a pasty consistency. Beat the 5 egg whites until stiff, then add the hot sugar mixture in a steady trickle, stirring constantly (ideally two people perform this operation). Colouring and flavouring can also be added. Paint the mixture on to the cake, using a brush, and then dry the cakes in a cooling oven until a skin forms. This type of icing looks a