ROYAL ICING
MAKES ABOUT 350 G (12 OZ)
Royal icing sets very hard and can be used for covering cakes, or for piping intricate designs onto a cake. When preparing the icing, you can colour it to the desired shade by tinting it with a few drops of liquid food colouring, bearing in mind that the icing will darken as it dries. It is best to make royal icing just before using. It is difficult to make the icing in smaller quantities than given here, so if you have any left over, store it in a zip-lock bag at room temperature, rather than the fridge. It separates on standing, but can be whipped to bring it together again.
1 egg white
350 g (12 oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar, sifted
juice of ½ a lemon
Place the egg white in a clean, grease-free mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, whisk to form soft peaks.
Slowly add the sifted icing sugar until incorporated, then mix on high speed until smooth and glossy. Add the lemon juice and mix for another minute.