Royal Icing Recipe
with Egg White or Meringue Powder

As royal icing is the holy grail of the baking world it is essential to include a royal icing recipe in your repertoire.

If you want to create professional looking cookies then you need to master the intricacies of how to make and pipe royal icing.

No other frosting is as versatile or gives the same finish. It can be used for piping borders and edges and making piped flowers. It can be thinned and used for flooding to make pictures or to cover your cookies completely. It can also be used as a glue to stick decorations on to your cookies.

Because it sets hard it is also ideal for covering cookies intended as gifts and doesn't need to be refrigerated.

There are several different methods and we have a recipe for making royal icing with or without egg white, by hand or using a mixer.

Here we will show you:

How to make royal icing using meringue powder or Actiwhite

How to make royal icing by hand using egg white

How to pipe icing

How to make a piping bag

Many people think that royal icing is difficult. I can assure you it is not. Once you know how to make royal icing, the rest is easy. It just takes a little practice. Even if your piping is not perfect. No one will notice. They will be too busy thinking how clever you are.

Royal Icing Recipe with Meringue Powder

This royal icing recipe is made using meringue powder. It gives a large quantity of icing and is ideal for those not wishing to using egg white.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons meringue powder
• 6 tablespoons warm water
• 4 cups / 500 g / 1 lb sifted confectioners / icing sugar

Chocolate Royal Icing

Add 1/3 cup cocoa

Method

1. In a large bowl with your mixer on medium speed, beat the meringue powder and 6 tablespoons of warm water. Reduce your beater to low and gradually beat in the confectioners sugar until blended. Turn your mixer up to high and beat the icing until it is very thick and smooth and thick peaks form. This will take about 5 - 7 minutes.

2. If the icing is too thin add more confectioners sugar, if too thick add more water. The icing is the right consistency for piping if peaks form when the beaters are lifted out.

Royal Icing Recipe using Actiwhite or Powdered Egg White

Powered egg white needs to be reconstituted so follow the directions on the packet. It is important that the powder is fully dissolved. The last thing you want are lumps in your icing.

Ingredients

• 3 rounded teaspoons Actiwhite
• 70 ml / 2 fl oz cold water water
• 4 cups / 500 g / 1 lb sifted confectioners / icing sugar

Method

1. You will need a small glass container with a lid. Place Actiwhite and cold water into the glass container, replace lid and shake until it is well mixed together. Let it stand for 20 minutes.

2. Place the sifted confectioners sugar into a large bowl of an electric mixer and add the Actiwhite mixture. Beat until the icing becomes firm and fluffy. This may take a few minutes.

Royal Icing Recipe with Egg White

Using egg white is the traditional way of making royal icing and can be made by hand or with a mixer.

By Hand

This is an easy royal icing recipe which is made by hand and only uses basic ingredients which you should have in your pantry and is ideal if you only need a small amount of royal icing.

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ - 1 ½ cups pure icing / confectioners sugar
• 1 egg white
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Method

1. Separate egg white from yolk, and place egg white in a small glass bowl with the lemon juice.

2. Add a couple of teaspoons of sifted confectioners sugar to the bowl and beat well. Beat the icing vigorously with a knife.

3. Gradually add more confectioners sugar, beating well after each addition until the icing has reached the desired consistency.

Using a mixer

• 3 large egg whites
• 4 cups icing / confectioners sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• Juice of 1 lemon

Method

1. Beat the egg whites, confectioners sugar, lemon juice and water with an electric mixer on low speed until blended.

2. Increase the speed to high and beat until the icing is stiff and glossy. Add more water or sugar to achieve the correct consistency.

The amount of confectioners sugar given in these royal icing recipes is a guide only. Adjust the sugar and water as necessary.

Add the sugar gradually, a little at a time, until you have the desired consistency.