Makes 530 grams/2¼ cups icing
Royal icing is both decorative and useful as an edible “glue” to attach other elements such as candies, edible glitter, and sparkling colored sugar, especially for Holiday Cookies and Gingerbread Folks. Royal icing is easy to make but also can be purchased at cake decorating supply stores.
| powdered sugar | 460 grams | 4 cups (lightly spooned into the cup and leveled off) |
| 3 large egg whites | 90 grams | ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (89 ml) |
Mise en Place
▪ Into the bowl of a stand mixer, weigh or measure the powdered sugar.
▪ Into a 1 cup glass measure with a spout, weigh or measure the egg whites.
Make the Royal Icing
1. Pour the egg whites into the sugar.
2. Attach the whisk beater to the stand mixer and beat on low speed until the sugar is moistened.
3. Gradually raise the speed to high and beat until the icing is very glossy, with stiff peaks that curve slightly when the beater is raised slowly (about 6 minutes). If necessary, scrape down the sides of the bowl. If the icing is too thin, beat in more powdered sugar.
4. Use a silicone spatula to scrape the mixture into a small bowl. Keep the bowl covered with a damp towel.
Store Airtight: in a glass container (plastic is petroleum based and can break down the icing): refrigerated, 3 days. Rebeat lightly before using.
Baking Pearls
It is best to avoid making royal icing on humid days.
The mixer bowl, beater, spatula, small bowl, pastry bag, and decorating tips must be entirely free of any fat, which includes oil and egg yolk.
When piping decorations, be sure to keep the pastry tip covered with a damp cloth when not in use, so that the icing doesn’t harden in the tip.
½ teaspoon/2.5 ml edible glycerine, available in cake decorating supply stores, will keep the royal icing soft longer.
Make This Recipe Your Own
It’s fine to use pasteurized egg whites. Also, meringue powder, available in cake decorating supply stores, can be substituted for the egg white. Replace the 3 egg whites with 30 grams/3 tablespoons meringue powder and 89 grams/6 tablespoons/89 ml warm water. It will keep for up to 2 weeks and does not require refrigeration.
If you want to add food color to royal icing, use only a variety that is free of fat, such as liquid or powdered food color.
For a light chocolate royal icing, add 7 grams/1½ tablespoons sifted unsweetened cocoa powder to the powdered sugar.
If you would like to use the royal icing to paint a thin coat onto cookies (as for Holiday Cookies), thin it with water, a few drops at a time, until when lifted with a spoon it disappears completely back into the surface. Use a fine artist’s brush reserved for this purpose to brush it evenly onto the cookie. Immediately sprinkle with sparkling sugar or edible glitter and attach any other decorative elements. Work quickly, as royal icing dries and hardens very quickly.