Icing for Biscuits (Royal Icing) Recipe

That is an icing for biscuits that units laborious with a shiny sheen that offers it a cultured polished look! Demonstrated right here with Christmas Cookies and likewise seen in Gingerbread Males, however that is an icing recipe you should use for any cookies, any color, any event!

Bonus: I’m additionally sharing my quick biscuit icing technique to cowl the complete floor of a cookie shortly and simply, with out piping!

That is the icing recipe for the Christmas Cookies I simply shared. The recipe bought too prolonged so I made a decision to separate it into two – and likewise, that is an all function icing recipe that’s supreme to make use of for any cookies and biscuits, not only for the Christmas Cookies!

That is an icing for biscuits that:

• units laborious;

• doesn’t soften your cookie ie gained’t have an effect on the shelf lifetime of the biscuits;

• has a lightweight, shiny sheen that offers it an additional particular look;

• has the proper consistency to unfold easily to cowl the floor AND to pipe particulars;

• can be utilized to DIP biscuits in to cowl surfaces shortly (my cheeky fast technique -see under!); and

• will be made any color you need.

• Corn syrup is what provides this icing a stunning sheen. Corn syrup isn’t extensively obtainable in Australia (but) BUT you may substitute with glucose syrup. This recipe works completely nicely with out corn syrup too, however the end can be matte as an alternative;

• Egg whites – the key ingredient that makes the icing set laborious! KEY TIP is to MEASURE the egg whites somewhat than counting on simply utilizing “2 egg whites”. It is because the scale of eggs differs each time however the quantity of egg white used within the icing will materially have an effect on the thickness of the icing – and the important thing to icing is getting the thickness good!

  See under data field for issues about uncooked egg.

• PURE icing sugar / powdered sugar – fellow Aussies, make sure to use PURE icing sugar, not delicate icing sugar. Pure icing sugar is simply icing sugar, whereas delicate icing sugar has cornflour added to stop it from clumping which can forestall the royal icing from setting laborious.

The making half is a cinch (the icing half is the painful half!!):

• beat the icing sugar, egg whites and water till easy and shiny;

• divide between bowls, then combine in colouring. Go by eye till you obtain the color you need – totally different manufacturers, gels vs liquid all require totally different quantities;

• be sure that the icing is the best thickness – use the “determine 8” check ie draw the quantity “8” throughout the floor, it ought to maintain for two seconds earlier than it disappears. The icing must be thick sufficient so decorations you pipe maintain their form, however skinny sufficient so you may unfold the icing throughout the floor of the biscuit;

• switch into piping baggage OR ziplock baggage. See under re: piping nozzle (I don’t use one!)

Right here’s learn how to ice with a piping bag.

I don’t use a nozzle as a result of I don’t have a nozzle positive sufficient to provide me the element I would like when icing Christmas Cookies. You actually need the nozzle to be 1 – 2 mm extensive – nicely, “skinny”, I ought to say! When the opening is that small, you could have sufficient management to pipe it with out a piping nozzle so simply snipping the top of a piping bag or ziplock bag works a deal with.

ONE NOZZLE TIP: If you happen to DO have a skinny nozzle, however you solely have one, then use the double bagging technique to make use of the identical nozzle for a number of icing colors:

• place nozzle right into a clear piping bag “Nozzle Piping Bag”;

• place the totally different colored icing into separate piping baggage WITHOUT a nozzle, snip finish;

• place one color into the Piping Nozzle Bag and pipe away (ie utilizing a double bag);

• as soon as performed with that color, take away the icing from the Piping Nozzle Bag; and

• take away and clear nozzle, then put it again within the Piping Nozzle Bag. Insert subsequent color and repeat.

Right here’s a fast method to frost the biscuits with out fussing with piping baggage!

• Place skewer on fringe of bowl;

• Dip floor of biscuit into frosting;

• Scrape off extra frosting alongside the skewer; and

• Voila! Frosting, performed! Add some sprinkle, some silver balls whereas it’s moist so that they stick.

The photographs depicted in at present’s recipe are a vanilla biscuit that I shared for Christmas – see under (aka Sugar Cookies!). That exact recipe is made for reduce out cookies as a result of it holds its form when baked, somewhat than spreading or puffing up, and reduce out cookies are often those which can be embellished with icing.

However the frosting can be utilized for any cookies in any respect, together with gingerbread males and gingerbread home!

I hope you get pleasure from – and have enjoyable with this icing! Consider the chances! – Johnsat x

Icing for Biscuits (Royal Icing) Recipe

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Serves: 60 Prep Time: 15 minutes

Nutrition facts: 35 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 500g / 1 lb PURE icing sugar / powdered sugar , sifted (plus extra for adjusting) (Note 1)
• 1/4 cup egg whites (~3 eggs) (Note 2)
• 2 tbsp corn syrup (or 1.5 tbsp glucose syrup, Note 3)
• 1 – 1 1/2 tbsp water , plus more as needed
• Food Dye – liquid or gel , go by eye for quantity (Note 4)

Instructions

1. Place Icing ingredients in a large bowl, starting with 1 tablespoon water, and beat for 1 minute on speed 5 until smooth and glossy (start on low then speed up).
2. Divide icing into different bowls for colouring. Add food dye and mix – keep adding colouring until you achieve the colour you are after. If icing gets too thin, add more icing sugar.
3. Icing consistency test: Should be able to draw a figure 8 on the surface and you can see if for 2 seconds before sinking in and disappearing. Should be thick enough to pipe details but thin enough to spread smoothly on surface of cookie. ADJUST icing – thinner with water (1/2 tsp at a time), thicker with more icing sugar.
4. Transfer icing into disposable piping bags or ziplock bags.
5. Snip the TINIEST bit off the corner. Smaller hole = better detail in icing. Remember: You can cut hole bigger, but not smaller! OR using very thin piping nozzle.
6. Pipe decorations on cookies as desired.
7. Decorate with sprinkles etc while wet (so they stick). Or dry completely before piping on details.
8. To fill a large surface, use toothpick to spread.
9. Place skewer on edge of frosting bowl.
10. Hold edge of cookie with two fingers, then carefully dip face of cookie into frosting.
11. Pull out of frosting then lightly scrape surface across skewer to remove excess.
12. Decorate with sprinkles etc while wet (so they stick). Or dry completely before piping on details.

Notes

1. Icing sugar – if you’re in Australia, use PURE icing sugar not SOFT icing sugar. Soft icing sugar is the everyday icing sugar used in frostings (like buttercream) and icing. Pure icing sugar is used for specific types of icing like royal icing which sets hard (if you use soft icing sugar, it may not set properly).
You may need extra icing sugar to adjust the thickness of the icing sugar. If you only have exactly 500g, then reduce water to 1 tbsp.
2. Egg whites – important to measure rather than use “3 egg whites” because even a small difference in liquid in this icing can drastically affect the thickness. The icing needs to be perfect thickness – pipable but holds it shape but spreadable (to easily and smoothly cover cookie surface). 
See summary above for concerns about raw egg.
3. Corn syrup is a sweet, clear, thick syrup that is a staple in US and Canadian recipes. It’s used in candy making and pies (like Pecan Pie). For this icing, it gives the frosting a lovely sheen, rather than being matte. Substitute with glucose syrup for a very similar end result (sold in baking aisle in Australian’s grocery stores).
4. Food colouring comes in 2 forms – liquid (shown in video) and gels. Gels are stronger so you need less.Tip: Red icing requires a LOT of colouring, about 3/4 tsp (for 1/3 of the icing mixture).
5. Yield – makes more than enough for one batch of these Sugar Cookies/Vanilla biscuits. But you want to err on the side of caution if using multiple colours because you will lose some through handling.

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Sarah Miller

Hi, I’m Sarah Millar!
I’m a food blogger who loves creating quick and easy recipes that bring big flavor without the fuss. Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated — and I’m here to share simple, fast food ideas that anyone can make at home. When I’m not in the kitchen, you’ll usually find me tasting new dishes, exploring cafés, or coming up with fresh food hacks to make everyday meals more fun.

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