1 large egg white*
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 lemon, juiced and strained
How to make a cornet, method follows
To make royal
icing: Combine the egg white and powdered sugar in a medium-size
mixing bowl and whip with an electric mixer on medium speed until opaque and
shiny, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and continue whipping until
completely incorporated, about 3 minutes. The lemon juice whitens the royal
icing. The royal icing should be light, fluffy, and slightly stiff. You may need
to adjust the consistency by adding more egg whites if the icing is too dry or
more powdered sugar if it is too wet.
Place the royal icing in a small piping bag or paper cornet.
*RAW EGG
WARNING
The American Egg Board states: "There have been warnings against consuming raw
or lightly cooked eggs on the grounds that the egg may be contaminated with
Salmonella, a bacteria responsible for a type of foodborne illness. Healthy
people need to remember that there is a very small risk and treat eggs and other
raw animal foods accordingly. Use only properly refrigerated, clean,
sound-shelled, fresh, grade AA or A eggs. Avoid mixing yolks and whites with the
shell."
How to Make a
Cornet:
The Cornet: A cornet is a small piping bag made from parchment
paper. It is usually used to make fine decorations.
Cut an 8-by-12-by-14 1/2-inch triangle from a sheet of
parchment paper. Hold the middle of the long side of the triangle between two
fingers of 1 hand. Take the tip of the triangle on the short, wide end and roll
it toward the other tip of that same end while simultaneously pulling it in an
upward motion. The tip of a cone will form where your thumb and finger hold it
on the long side.
Release your grip from the long side, so that you are now
holding the 2 corners where they meet. The paper will already resemble a
partially formed cone. Roll the remaining tail until it is completely rolled
into a cone. There will be 1 point sticking up from the open end. Fold it inside
toward the center, and crease the fold. Now you should have a cornet. To close
the cornet once it has been filled, fold it away from the seam; this will keep
the seam from opening. Use a pair of scissors or a sharp paring knife to cut an
opening at the tip of the cornet to the desired size.
From
Dessert Circus : Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make At Home,
by Jacques Torres, Morrow Cookbooks
