HELP! My icing stinks!

by Eve
(Lawrenceville Ga USA)

We are making gb houses at work & have made our own icing....with shortening & powdered sugar. It looks & tastes great...but is not getting hard. What do I do?

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Nov 29, 2010
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royal icing
by: Anonymous

I have another royal icing recipe that is really easy to make and sets well.

beat one egg white with a wooden spoon lightly
add 1.5 cups of sifted icing sugar a table spoon or so at a time, when it is at piping consistency stir in 4 drops of lemon juice.
add colouring as desired.

so easy and works perfectly

Dec 20, 2008
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Don't use shortening
by: Jana

The reason your icing is not getting hard is because you used shorting which basically is what you use to make "buttercream" icing. Royal Icing is what is used for glue for gingerbread houses. A simple recipe:

3 egg whites, room temperature
1 lb. confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

Combine ingredients, beat at high speed for 7-10 minutes. Yields less volume than royal icing made with meringue powder.

Royal icing is a hard drying icing. Please keep covered with a damp cloth. Humidity will greatly effect this icing. Grease will greatly effect this icing. Be sure to wash all utensils with a good dish soap.

You can also make this recipe with dried egg white, or what is known as Meringue Powder which you can get at cake decorating stores--but the egg white recipe will work just as well.

And lastly, some people have used melted chocolate to 'glue' gingerbread together with good results(you could buy chocolate chips at any grocery store and follow the direction for melting the chocolate).

Hope this helps

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