Decorative Royal Icing

This icing turns hard after it dries.  Perfect for decorating, gluing, and stacking cookies, gingerbread houses, making scrollwork for cake medallions, etc.

Use fresh pasteurized egg whites*or use powdered egg whites (also called meringue powder) and add more liquid.

• 1 egg white (or meringue powder following recipe)
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice (or lime)
• rind of lemon to taste, finely grated and chopped (or lime)
• 1 1/2 -2 cups powdered sugar

Mix all together.  Add paste food coloring for desired colors.  Keep covered while using.  Use whatever works for you to apply.  I use a butter knife, toothpicks and a cake tester.  A pastry bag would deliver a fine product as well.

*SafeEggs.com is a brand of pasteurized eggs sold at Publix Grocery.  Search online for more sellers.  Unpasteurized raw eggs could host salmonella.

I generally work light colors first :  white for angels, yellow for stars, pink for flesh, green for trees, blue for jeans, red for santa, brown for bears, black for leather, etc.