Aaarrgghh! Royal icing on xmas cake is rock hard!

[workatemylife]

So it is the only foodie disaster of the holidays, but it is a longlasting one. Cake is fine, covered with marzipan and royal icing. But the iced cakuncovered for three days after icing (oops) and the royal icing is rock hard. We need a chisel . Is there a rescue? Pick it off as we eat each slice? Try to break it off and re-ice? I tried putting a cup of hot water in the tin to see if the steam helped, but not use. Grrrrr.

they a breadknife? or a tree saw? I would think picking off each slice as you go would work best

Not much help but if you made it try adding a little glycerin to the icing next year as it keeps it from getting too hard.

Lesson learned! Dd knocked over the glycerin as we made the icing so we did without. Not a good idea. So the power tools might be the only option

That's what I actively set out to achieve with my Royal Icing, and I never manage it - I'm very jealous. That's the sort of icing my mother used to make - would crack your fillings but tasted wonderful.

I thought it was meant to be?? Now I'm v confused. You can add glycerine while making up, as it says on the packet, but I suspect nothing can unharden it as it is.

Nobody else seems to mind! Clearly it is possible to worry too much. Next christmas I'll be here asking why it didn't harden!

I like my icing to be like that

I think that's half the fun- trying to chip your way into Christmas cake that most people don't even want to eat anyway, and you'll only manage a tiny slice of.

I took one round to MIL and reminded people that they didn't have to eat it, I was perfectly fine with it being ornamental.. I think 3 small slices were eaten in the end - much prettier as an ornament anyhow