 |
2 pounds powdered
sugar, sifted several times |
|
|
6 tablespoons meringue powder
|
|
|
1 tablespoon lemon
juice |
|
|
1/3 to 1/2 cup
warm water, you might need more for consistency |
1. Stir the powdered sugar with the meringue
powder, then add the lemon juice and slowly add the water until it is absorbed.
You don't want to add it too fast, it may get too watery too quickly.
2. When it is stiff, beat for several minutes,
add water drop by drop to the consistency you wish. If you are using this recipe
for construction or delicate lace work, ONLY beat it with a paddle and do not
over beat. This prevents too much air being beaten into the mixture and it
becoming brittle when dry. I like a medium stiff for building the
gingerbread houses and
for finished piping. For piping onto
gingerbread men, I
like the icing to be a little thinner. It is easy to thin the icing, it is HARD
to make it stiff again
3. Keep this icing covered at all times by a damp cloth, it will dry out quickly
and the lumps are hard to deal with once they form. When piping only keep it in
a grease free piping bag or use disposable plastic or parchment triangles. If
you use a lot of royal icing, it is good to buy a new bag and ONLY use it for
royal icings and meringues.
4. The icing in the photo
for the gingerbread house construction is a medium stiff to stiff icing. I
prefer this to a softer icing for construction. Softer icing will run all over
the place instead of staying put and holding the house together.
OUTLINE CONSISTENCY:
Generally, the consistency that you'll obtain following these
proportions is thick enough to outline cookies:
|
|
5 tablespoons
meringue powder |
|
|
1 pound sifted
confectioners' sugar |
|
|
Scant 1/2-cup
lukewarm water |
|
|
1 teaspoon
flavoring like vanilla, lemon, orange, almond or cherry (optional - Note:
will color icing. Clear vanilla will not) |
Combine all ingredients. This is mixed with the
paddle attachment on an electric mixer for about ten minutes on high speed.
FLOODING CONSISTENCY: “Flooding” refers to
the process of filling in the outline with a thinner consistency. The
consistency of royal icing can be adjusted to make a flooding consistency by
adding more water, just a tablespoon at a time. The way I check for the proper
consistency is to add water a tablespoon at a time until you can lift the paddle
and see the icing dissolve into itself by the count of three. To make flow icing
you need to fill in the cookies after outlining. Fill outlined cookies with a
spatula or a bag using a #5 tip.
Royal icing can be made in different
consistencies is piped with a
pastry bag or decorating
cone. The icing can be thickened or thinned by varying the amount of egg
whites and sugar. A thinner icing (with more egg whites) is best for flooding,
since it spreads more smoothly; a thicker icing (with more sugar) is best for
piping.
STIFF CONSISTENCY:
This is used for piping, run-outs and sticking decorations onto cakes.
It dries very hard and holds its shape when piped. It is made by:
|
|
1 large egg white
(NOTE: If being consumed, for safety,
use egg white or meringue powder equivalent to 1 large egg white)
|
|
|
1-1/2 cups
confectioner's sugar, sifted |
Whisk the egg white in a large bowl with a fork.
Add a quarter of the confectioners' sugar and beat well. Gradually work in the
remaining confectioner's sugar, beating well between each addition until the
mixture holds its shape. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on top of the icing
and cover the bowl with a damp cloth to prevent the icing from drying out. Store
at room temperature.
|
