ROYAL ICING

Royal Icing has been around for hundreds of years.  It was first used to decorate fruitcakes.  The name “Royal” was given to the white icing after being used on Queen Victoria’s wedding cake.  Royal Icing is made with simple three ingredients, Icing sugar, egg whites and lemon or lime juice.  Now a days we substitute the fresh egg whites to Meringue powder which is a safer alternative.  Where to find a good Royal Icing recipe?  There are so many recipes out there, but my most preferred recipe is the Wilton Royal Icing Recipe , which can be found on the Wilton website. 

  

Things to remember when making Royal Icing

Always make sure that your equipment and tools are grease free!  Over beating the royal icing is the key to a perfect consistency.   Always use pure confectioners which help the royal icing hold up well.  Keep in mind that royal Icing dries very fast so always have a damp cloth covering your icing and if refrigerated have it in an airtight container. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks. 

 

Why use parchment bags for Royal Icing?

Parchment bags have always been used to pipe royal icing.  I remember when I was a kid my mom used parchment bags to pipe royal icing. Ever wonder why?  Well it’s quite simple, When doing delicate string work on cakes the parchment bag tip gives you a perfect finer tip.  Since a smaller amount of icing is used for string work, the parchment bag is easier to control than using plastic bags.  Parchment bags are also very cost efficient and easy to dispose.

Why use Royal Icing over buttercream Icing? 

Royal Icing dries out very hard almost like hard candy.  It is mostly used to make decorations for cakes such as flowers and sting work.  Flowers made with royal icing unlike buttercream icing will last long and will be able to make in advance.  Dried flowers can be stored in an air tight container.  Royal Icing is also used when making ginger bread houses.  It acts as a glue to keep the gingerbread house together.

I hope these key details and information about Royal Icing will help you make a perfect batch!!