Description
Sweet magic happens when royal icing meets baking creativity, blending powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water into a silky smooth masterpiece perfect for decorating cookies. Delicate yet precise, this classic confectioner’s technique will elevate your desserts with professional-grade elegance you can master at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 large egg whites (room temperature)
- 600 grams (21.16 ounces) icing sugar, sifted
Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 teaspoon glycerine
- 1 squeeze lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
- Whisk egg whites in a pristine, spacious mixing vessel until they become frothy and slightly aerated.
- Sift confectioners’ sugar incrementally into the egg whites, incorporating each addition with gentle, methodical stirring to prevent lumps.
- Continue mixing until the consistency transforms into a smooth, glossy substance that elegantly drips from the whisk but maintains structural integrity.
- Employ an electric mixer at medium-high speed for approximately 7-10 minutes, creating a voluminous, brilliant white mixture with defined, sturdy peaks.
- Introduce glycerine and delicately fold into the icing using a silicone spatula, ensuring uniform distribution without deflating the meringue-like texture.
- Transfer the pristine icing onto your confectionery creation using a flexible palette knife, employing smooth, sweeping motions for an even application.
- For a whimsical, winter-inspired aesthetic, create textured peaks and valleys across the surface using the knife’s tip.
- Allow the decorated dessert to rest uncovered in a cool, dry environment for 8-12 hours, permitting the icing to solidify and develop a delicate, matte finish.
Notes
- Pasteurize egg whites by using powdered egg whites or heating them to 160°F to eliminate salmonella risk.
- Adjust consistency by adding more powdered sugar for thicker icing or a few drops of water for thinner spreading.
- For vegan options, replace egg whites with aquafaba (chickpea liquid) which creates similar glossy, stiff peaks.
- Store royal icing in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, stirring before each use to maintain smooth texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 123
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Fat: 0.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg