Royal icing (RI) is for decorating amazing cookies or piping gorgeous sugar decorations.
It is a white icing that can be coloured and flavoured easily and the results when dried are smooth with a matte to satin finish.
Royal icing may be coloured using food colouring ( I recommend Americolor. https://www.cuttercraft.com.au/shop/decorating/colour/americolor-white/ A range of colours also available to purchase on our website) Many colours are available and they produce strong, vibrant colours. RI highlighted with dusting powders or air brushed when dried creates amazing character to your work.
See recipe below. Although, there are many ways to make royal icing, I wanted to use ingredients readily available to the home baker with as little waste as possible. So, I decided to always make a double cookie dough batch and double RI batch, however this can be halved if so desired. See tips and notes under recipe.
Ingredients single batch (I always double this recipe)
4.5 cups pure icing sugar (sifted)
3 egg whites 600g free range
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartare powder
1 tsp lemon, vanilla OR almond flavour
@10 drops Americolor white food colouring
Instructions
Sift or blitz the pure icing sugar and set aside.
Separate the egg whites from the yolks. (use the egg yolks for making Vanilla cookies recipe) https://www.cuttercraft.com.au/vanilla-biscuits/ Place the egg whites into your mixing bowl along with cream of tartare and turn your electric mixture on slow. Mix for a minute or so.
Add the sifted pure icing mixture to the egg whites, spoon by spoon until all is used. Leave the mixer speed on slow the entire 10 minutes of mixing. During the course of mixing, add your desired flavour and also Americolor white food colour gel. (Also stocked at CutterCraft)
TIPS –
- Royal icing made with egg whites may look white, but add white colour for excellent WHITE results.
- If you do not use the white, you will find your icing even after dried will look yellowish, so I highly recommend it
- Use as many drops of white needed for the desired tone.
- Leave your mixer on low speed for best results.
- You are looking for a stiff consistency. You are looking for a thick mix, peaks and holds its own shape completely.
- Best results using PURE icing sugar.
- Do not leave RI in open air as it will begin to crust.
- RI using egg whites can be stored in the fridge for about a week.
- Always mix RI again once removed from sitting in fridge.
- Royal icing made using egg whites are not recommended to be consumed whilst pregnant.
Why do I double my batch?
I found using 3x600g egg whites, sometimes it is too much egg white for 4.5 cups pure icing sugar. Each time I double the batch, it is perfect stiff consistency. Each egg can differ with the amount of egg white and size of the yolk. If you only want to make one batch then just have a small amount of extra icing sugar on hand if you feel it needs it. I always use this much RI too!
You can freeze royal icing if you wish. Place in an air tight container and lay glad wrap on the top of the icing that it is touching. This will eliminate any surface crusting while being frozen. When you want to use it, take it out to thaw before using it. Mix it thoroughly and use as normal.