Gingerbread house icing

[user1465146157]

Hi, I've bought a gingerbread house making kit and it asks you to add an egg white to the icing sugar provided and mix to create the white snowy rooftops.

I'm a bit wary of using a raw egg - is there a substitute that will still work as snow and glue?

Or am I being silly and the egg white is fine? A young child will be eating this - no elderly people but still want to be cautious

Please help if you know! Thanks

You could try using normal icing (icing sugar mixed with a little water) or, if you’re brave, melted sugar

Using egg whites is completely normal for royal icing which is what is usually used for Christmas cake etc. It is much stronger than water icing (just sugar + water). If you’re using the icing to stick the house together the only real alternative is melted sugar as a PP noted, but if it’s just for decoration then water icing will be fine if you’re very sparing with the water.

Alternatively look for vegan royal icing recipes?

thanks all - in the end I melted some white marshmallows and it worked a treat!