Royal Icing has been around for a long time. Anyone who has done any cake decorating knows about Royal Icing. Learning to make beautiful roses and leaves, for example, is a skill learned very early. Because it’s made with egg whites, it can seem daunting to someone just starting out. Egg whites that need to be beaten until light and fluffy can be a disaster if all utensils aren’t perfectly free of grease. Even using a flavoring agent that contains oil will ruin the fluffy texture.
Follow some simple rules.
By following a few simple rules and following the recipe to the letter, you will get a wonderful medium that can also be used to decorate cookies. Understanding the use of egg whites in this glaze will be of great use to anyone. Egg whites need all utensils free of fat. There is no way around this, if the goal is to bring them to a glorious height and texture. For this reason, using a glass or metal bowl is essential. Don’t try to beat egg whites in a plastic container because no matter how clean it is, the plastic will always have some residual oils on it. Adding any ingredients that are not completely oil-free will cause the egg whites to deflate. Always use high-quality, alcohol-based extracts. Don’t try to use orange oil as a flavoring, or the result will be a soggy mess. Be very careful when separating the eggs so that the yolk does not get into the whites.
Next step, choose the recipe.
Once all your utensils are squeaky clean, you can choose which recipe to follow. The old tried and true recipe uses 3 egg whites. The egg whites are combined with 4 cups of the sifted icing sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar to help the egg whites hold their shape. Using a mixer, beat ingredients until blended, then beat on medium-high speed 7 to 10 minutes or until very firm. Vanilla or other extract for flavoring is not essential, although it is good. Remember to keep the bowl covered with a damp cloth when not in use or the frosting will easily crust over and be difficult to use.
There is another method of making Royal Icing, using 3 tablespoons of Wilton meringue powder in place of the egg whites, with 4 cups of sifted icing sugar and 5 to 6 tablespoons of warm water. These are combined in the bowl of a mixer and beaten for 7 to 10 minutes or until very stiff. If it’s too stiff, add the extra tablespoon of water. The same rule applies to keeping covered with a damp cloth. Liquid food coloring can be added to tint the frosting, as needed. Remember, being liquid, it will thin out the frosting a bit, so be judicious. Paste colorings may contain glycerin and could deflate the frosting, so avoid them or check labels.
If you make Royal Icing but you don’t need it all at once, you can cover it well and store it for up to a week. Once opened, if the consistency is fluffy, you may need to shake again to bring back the original texture.
How to use royal icing.
Now that you have the frosting done, how do you use it? The best way to use the icing is in a piping bag, using a icing tip. If you use a reusable frosting bag, make sure it has never been used for other frostings or enough grease residue may remain to ruin the frosting. There are plenty of disposable ice packs available these days, making this task easy. If you use disposable bags, you can use icing tips, or you can just cut a small opening in the tip and fill the bag. Once you have filled the bag, close it just above the level of the frosting, grasping it just below the base of your thumb and forefinger. Hold the bag tightly and twist it, creating pressure on the contents. Lower fingers around bag and squeeze to extrude frosting for decoration. Release the pressure to stop the flow. I realize this may sound complex if one hasn’t done it before, but once you get the feel for it, it will work just fine.
There are many types of icing decorating tubes and things available these days that will take the difficulty out of those last few instructions. If you prefer one of the gadgets on the market, do what works best for you.
The best way to decorate cookies is to simply outline or draw designs on them. If the cookies have a shape, like a Christmas tree or a bunny, for example, you can outline the tree and then, using guilloche lines, simulate a garland. The bunny can have ears and paws outlined and an eye added. Use imagination. For finer details, make sure your bag or tube has a very small hole, so the frosting will come out very thin. For quick and easy lining, a slightly larger opening will work well.
Thanks for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you on your own culinary journey.