I’ve taught many classes over the years and even though each class is unique, I have similar royal icing questions asked at each one. Here are a few of my most common questions. Perhaps I’ll answer a couple of yours.

First of all, what the best royal icing recipe to use?
I have been using this recipe for years and it’s never failed me.
1kg of sifted icing sugar (best quality)
140ml room temp water
2 tbs Actiwhite powder (dried egg white)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Sieve the icing sugar & cream of tartar into your mixer bowl. Mix up 140ml water with 2 tbs actiwhite powder, let this stand for 10 minutes. Pour actiwhite mixture onto icing sugar. Beat for 1 minute at high speed, until stiff peak. Perfect royal icing. I call this my starter icing, as all the different consistencies I use come from this initial batch of royal icing.

Can I flavour my icing?
Lemon juice works well, just add 2 tsp. If you are wanting something different, add a clear water based flavouring. It must be water-based.

What if I do not have a stand mixer?
You can use a hand held mixer but I would half the recipe, as the little motor will battle with a full kilogram of icing sugar. It will also take more than a minute to get the stiff peak.

How do I store my royal icing?
If made with actiwhite, store your icing in an airtight container in a cool dry place. There’s no need to refrigerate.

What is the shelf life of royal icing?
Thick starter royal icing has a much longer shelf life than watered down royal icing. It generally has about a 3-4 week shelf life but if it has a funny smell or looks slightly strange, throw it out.

How many biscuit does 1kg of icing cover?
That all depends on the size of the biscuits and how many colours you use. If you use 2-3 colours on a medium size biscuit, you should flood at least 35-40 biscuits.

My royal icing has bubbles, how do I prevent this from happening?
After mixing up flooding consistency icing with water (the runnier icing) leave it to stand for 10-15 minutes, you’ll notice that bubbles will rise to the top of the icing. Gently pop the bubbles with the back of a spoon. Do not mix up your icing again, carefully transfer the icing into your piping bag. This really helps with those pesky bubbles.

Shouldn’t I store my royal icing in the fridge?
If you have used fresh egg whites, yes store your icing in the fridge. If you have used actiwhite, there is no need to store your icing in the fridge. I suggest storing it in a cool dry place.

I have lots of lumps in my icing, why?
This is because you have left the royal icing to sit out in the open air. Royal icing dries (or crusts over) quickly, to prevent sugar crystals forming, cover your bowl with a damp cloth while working with the icing or keep it in a sealed container.

I can never get my consistency right, it’s either too thick or too thin.
This unfortunately comes with practice.
Flooding icing – Aim for a thick syrup / honey consistency
Piping icing – Aim for a toothpaste consistency
Stencil icing – Aim for a penut butter consistency

It takes 2-3 hours for iced biscuits to completely dry, depending on the size of the biscuit with the help of a dehydrator. Royal icing does dry in the open or under a fan BUT for the best results use a dehydrator. Drying your icing in a dehydrator not only speeds up the drying time but gives a shiny finish to your icing. The faster the icing dries, the shinier the surface will be.

Practice makes perfect and remember to enjoy the journey!