royal icing...

9 replies

KMR281 · 20/12/2011 13:22

hi, I'll be icing the christmas cake with royal icing, but this is the first time I've made it (normally Mum does it). Do I need glycerine or not? My be-ro cook book says, icing sugar, egg whites and EITHER lemon juice or glycerine.
I've got lemon juice, but no glycerine - what does it do??
ta in advance!

OP posts:

PrettyCandlesAndTinselToo · 20/12/2011 13:28

Are you doing smooth icing or peaked? If peaked then you don't need glycerine.

Friendlymum67 · 20/12/2011 13:28

Softens it I think (dark recesses of home economics lessons coming thro!) but I would say not essential.

HopeTheHeraldAngelsSing · 20/12/2011 13:29

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midnightexpress · 20/12/2011 13:30

Are you using Royal Icing Sugar or just regular icing sugar? I think you can do without the egg whites if you're using Royal Icing sugar. My mum never used glycerine in hers and it was hard so I agree that it must be for softening it.

Original poster

KMR281 · 20/12/2011 13:44

thanks all! Am doing smooth (flat) on the top and peaked around the sides. I will be using tate & Lyle icing sugar, just normal icing sugar.
so, seems ok to use lemon juice and no glycerine then. Ah well, if goes wrong will blame the DC!!

OP posts:

Dumpyandabdabs · 20/12/2011 17:20

Argh am I too late to tell you that glycerine softens royal icing and lemon juice makes it even harder (only really used to tiered cakes). If you haven't done it yet I would just leave it out otherwise you may well need to sharpen youur teeth ;)

Original poster

KMR281 · 21/12/2011 11:30

ok, not done the icing yet. According to my mum, the lemon juice makes the icing really white, and the glycerine keeps it soft, but as the cake won't be hanging around for too long, it may not be essential. ah well. I have fond memories of icing as hard as concrete from when I was a kid, so will just give it a go and see how it turns out!

OP posts:

mashyup · 21/12/2011 11:39

I found a little bottle of glycerine at Waitrose yesterday, after having bought glucose syrup by mistake. Glycerine does make a big difference, nice softish icing instead of concrete. Royal icing sugar has egg white already added, ordinary icing sugar you put the egg white in yourself. My cakes marzipanned but not dried yet, I fed it so much alcohol it is as wet as a pudding! and I forgot to put the nuts in...

mashyup · 21/12/2011 11:40

And the lemon juice cuts through the sickly sweetness of the icing

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