Decorating with Royal Icing is what gives these cupcakes and cookies their charm. It takes practice to figure out what the right consistency is for whatever creations you're working on, but as you can see the results are worth it. I like to practice on parchment or waxed paper with some sort of template underneath that I can trace.
(Colette Peters recipe)
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
½ t. cream of tartar
2 t. water
1 lb. confectioners’ sugar
Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat at slow speed with the paddle until very stiff peaks form and the icing is pure white. Add more sugar if necessary to stiffen the icing, or a few drops of water if it becomes too stiff. If you don’t use it immediately, cover the bowl with a damp cloth to prevent the icing from crusting over. Let royal icing decorations dry at room temperature for at least 24 hours.
Important Tip: Do not over beat or structure will crumble when it dries. It can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Stir icing to restore its original consistency after storage.
Yields 2 ½ cups
It has wonderful pictures demonstrating the procedure from start to finish. It also shows how to use disco dust to add some glitz!
Incredible!
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