White Mountain Chocolate Cupcakes - Frosting

Pair with any chocolate cupcake.

Seven-Minute Frosting

1 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
3 large egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract

Put the sugar, waer, egg whites, and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl or the top of a double broiler with at least 2-quart capacity and beat with a handheld electric mixer on high speed until opaque, white, and foamy, about 1 minute. Put the bowl over, but not touching, a saucepan of barely simmering water or the bottom of the double broiler. The top container should sit firmly over the pan of hot water; be sure to keep the cord of the elecric mixer away from the burner. Beat on high speed until the frosting forms a soft peeak that stands straigh up if you stop the beaters and lift them up, about 7 minutes. The frosting should regiser 160 F on a thermometer. Remove the container of frosting from the water, add the vanilla and almond exracts, and continue beating for 2 minutes to further thicken the frosting.

Use a thin metal spatula to spread the thick layer of frosting, about 1/2 cup, over the top of each cupcake, dipping the spatula gently into the frosting to make swirls. Serve the cupcakes, or carefully cover them and refrigerate. Let sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.

From Cupcakes! by, Elinor Klivans.