Royal Icing - what is it?

[desperatehousewife]

Nigella says I need it to decorate my fairy cakes - what the f**k is it?

Just mix icing sugar and a few drops of water and have done with it.
You could stick half a glace cherry on there if you are feeling particularly frivilous!

It's this apparently according to my book!

1k (2lbs) icing sugar
5 egg whites
2 x 5ml spoons (2tsp) lemon juice for a firm icing OR
2 x 5ml spoons (2tsp) glycerine may be added to keep icing soft.

1. Lightly beat egg whites with glycerine or lemon juice
2. Sieve icing sugar, add half to egg whites, beat well
3. Add remaining sugar gradually, stirring well until stiff enough to stand in peaks in the bowl.
4. Stick on cake! HTH's

Royal icing has egg white in it, it sets rock hard - as opposed to sugarpaste (icing sugar with water, and sometimes glycerine) which sets soft.

it's really thick and you can roll it out, i think!

royal icing is the stuff that sets hard. I don't often use it - I use glace as sugar free suggests but who am I to argue with Nigella?

You can get Royal icing sugar that you add water to or you can make normal icing sugar royal by mixing it wit egg white - that'll make it go hard.

what they said

I don't think rock hard icing would be very nice on a fairy cake tbh.

just normal icing is best for fairy cakes, and it makes a lovely mess

lots of kids have problems with egg white so if you are making them for others, it's better not to use it

besides, tastes nicer with just normal old icing

thanks everyone. normal icing it is. bloody domestic goddess...humph!

Hi
I use this site \link{http://.cakescookiesandcraftsshop.co.uk}
for all things fairy cake.

There is also some handy info on royal icing here's the link to it:
\link{http://cakescookiesandcraftsshop.co.uk/acatalog/Icing-Your-Cookies-with-Royal-Icing-and-Glace-Icing.html}

I hope this helps
Theresa

Hi
I use this site \link{http://.cakescookiesandcraftsshop.co.uk}
for all things fairy cake.

There is also some handy info on royal icing here's the link to it:
\link{http://cakescookiesandcraftsshop.co.uk/acatalog/Icing-Your-Cookies-with-Royal-Icing-and-Glace-Icing.html}

I hope this helps
Theresa

Hi
I use this site Cake Decorations
for all things fairy cake.

There is also some handy info on royal icing here's the link to it:
\link{http://cakescookiesandcraftsshop.co.uk/acatalog/Icing-Your-Cookies-with-Royal-Icing-and-Glace-Icing.html}

I hope this helps
Theresa

Hi
I use this site Cake Decorations
for all things fairy cake.

There is also some handy info on royal icing here's the link to it:
Royal Icing

I hope this helps
Theresa