Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Royal Icing Lesson

We've moved! Click here for my royal icing recipe.
















82 comments:

  1. You make some amazing cookies!! You don't use any kind of template when doing your designs? I think if I tried to make even the crowns they would not turn out as neat and uniformed at all!!! :-/

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  2. Thank you so much! I don't use a template for this cookie.. just a steady hand! I have used templates for other designs. I make my own on the computer and trace around them using an edible ink marker. Works great!

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  3. Hey what does 1# mean? Thank you!

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  4. Hi Umm,

    #1 refers to the size of the decorating tip. I usually use Wilton tips when decorating my cookies. Here is link to their round tips available for purchase online: http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=3E3111C2-475A-BAC0-53E697EA2D3DE483&killnav=1

    Thanks for your comment! :)

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  5. I think Umm was refering to the 1# confectioners sugar. That's 1 pound of sugar right? Like a whole bag of it.
    Do you really use wilton for that? I bought a wilson set of pearl dust to try but it didn't look like that at all. Does disco dust work the same? It's a lot more expensive.

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  6. Hi C.Boo,

    Yes, it does mean 1 pound. Sorry, I misunderstood the question! Thanks for the correction.

    I do use Wilton pearl dust when painting my cookies. The crown cookies are painted with bronze dust, which always works out well for me. The gold and silver dusts are not my favorite. I've actually not tried disco dust on cookies.

    Thanks for your comment!

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  7. Simply Beautiful! Thank you for the lesson:) I will definitely have to try the "Bronze paint"!

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  8. These cookies look amazing.
    Hoping to try these at home but not sure what meringue powder is.
    Thanks so much.

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    1. Thank you! You can purchase meringue powder at your local craft store. I prefer the Wilton brand. http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=3E30E802-475A-BAC0-559551285A7BCCF2&killnav=1

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  9. What is powdered sugar

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    1. You can find powdered sugar in the baking aisle of your local grocery store. It is also known as confectioners sugar or icing sugar.

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  10. Your video is amazing beautiful love it Amber
    Thank you

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  11. Your video is amazing beautiful love it Amber
    Thank you

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  12. I'm sorry, but i dont't understand the measure of the ingredients. What's 1 # of confection sugar? And What's a 1/2 c of Water.
    If you could explain it to me...

    Thank you very much
    Almudena

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    1. Hi Almudena! 1 # means one pound. I changed the post so that it now has the measurements stated more clearly. The "c" stands for cup. Thanks for your comment!

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  13. Karen from Cookie Meister & Kootenay Cake PopsJuly 11, 2012 at 8:53 AM

    Love your tutorials, I watch them over and over and try to do them myself. I dont have your steady hand but I have fun trying to be as good as you! Thank You so much for sharing your knowledge.

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  14. Thank you for all of your wonderful tutorials. You make the most beautiful cookies. I wish I was talented enough to come up with the same kind of amazing ideas as you. I'm going to attempt to make brush embroidery cookies tomorrow. Hopefully they turn out as great as yours! Thank you, Amber!

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  15. Wow you are so talented. I absolutely love your coockies.
    Thanks for sharing.
    Best regards Linda from Norway

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  16. these are the prettiest cookies i've ever seen in my life! <3 could you please share your recipe for the stiff Royal Icing? hahah i've been wanting to try making those cute cookies with flowers using brush embroidery but am not sure how to go about making the stiff royal icing used for the flowers part... Thank you! (:

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    1. Thank you Ellie! The stiff icing I use for flowers and other details is straight out of the bowl after it's been mixed. It starts out stiff and then I thin it down later if I need to use it for flooding.

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  17. You are an inspiration and cookie decorating muse! Do you ever flavor royal icing with lemon juice? Any suggestions for a steady hand/piping bag pressure? I'm going the store for more powdered sugar now. THANKS!

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  19. thanks for the tutorials.. i really love your cookies.but i have a question :may i use a hand mixer to make sugar icing? because i don't have a stand mixer with paddle attachment..

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    1. Yes! You can use a hand mixer to make royal icing. Just mix it until it's fluffy. Thanks for your comment!

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  20. I live in India and do not have access to meringue powder. Do you have a good recipe for royal icing using egg whites?

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    1. Hello! I don't have a recipe for using fresh egg white, but do you have access to powdered egg white?

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    2. Hi! I'm from Argentina, and we don't have meringue powder either, but we do have powdered egg white. Is it the same amount of meringue powder? Thanks! Your cookies are amazing!

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  21. During my 12 hr shift at work last night I probably spent 50% of it watching your videos! Very impressive, and although I'm mostly making cakes I think I'll be using your techniques for this Christmas for sure!

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    1. Those so funny!! I hope you find my tutorials to be helpful when you're decorating your Christmas cookies :)

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  22. Hello Amber!

    Your Tutorials are great! I have a question: Is the royal ice hard or a little bit soft or creamy?
    So, after it is dried.

    Thanks for your answer.

    Greetz from Germany

    Bianca

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    1. Thank you, Bianca! My royal icing dries hard, but not so hard that it is difficult to bite into. Thanks for your comment!

      Amber

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  23. Hi Amber again here. I do not and I will not get tired reading over and over and over againg all your inf.. This time I would like to ask you about Color Flow to create the same effect we have with Royal Icing. Have you tried it before? What is your opinion about the product? Again many thanks for the tutorial, for all your responses and for sharing your knowledge, Happy Sunday. Astrid

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    1. Hi Astrid!

      I have used Color Flow, but not for icing cookies. Color flow dries harder than royal icing, so it's a great product for when you need to make icing transfers since there is less chance for breakage. However, I usually just use royal icing with meringue powder for icing transfers anyway. How do you feel about Color Flow?

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    2. I have not used it a lot, just for a few and small things, I like the outcome but I was not sure to use it for icing a cookie with it. But your idea of transfers is great especially because I have almost a complete can and I would like to use it before I throw it away. ;)

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  24. How much icing does your recipe yield? It sounds like a lot more than what I need it for...

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    1. I can usually ice about 2 dozen 3" cookies with this recipe. thanks for your comment!

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  25. Thank you very much for the tutorial.I have a question, can i substitute meringue powder to egg white powder?

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    1. I'm glad you enjoyed it! I have used egg white powder in place of meringue powder. The only difference that I noticed is that egg white powder makes the icing dry a little bit harder than meringue powder does. Also, the egg white powder makes the icing a little bit off-white in color.

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    2. do i need to follow the same measurement , if i use egg white powder? thanks a lot

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    3. do i need to follow the same measurement if i use egg white powder?thanks a lot

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    4. Yes, you can use the same measurement.

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  26. WOW! lovely work, it must take a lot of patience and hard work to acquire perfection in each cookie. I was amazed by each and every one of your creation.
    Thanks for inspiring us.

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  27. WOW! I love each and every one of your creation. It must take a lot of dedication, patience and hard work to create these beautiful and delectable cookies.
    Thanks for inspiring us.

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  28. Do you use warm, cold or room temperature water?

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  29. What is the recipe for the cookie?

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    1. This is one of my favorite roll and cut cookie recipes: http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/martha-stewart-cutout-sugar-cookie-recipe

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  30. Hola amber soy de mexico... me encantan tus galletas, y tengo una duda para hacer el royal icing para decorar con duya y hacer la tecnica con el pincel que consistencias debe de tener el royal icing. Ojala me puedas ayudar gracias y que dios te bendiga

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  31. Oh my!!!! I'm in wow how beautiful all your creations are!!! Too bad your not located in California :( I would LOVE to take one of your classes!! I'm new to making cookies, hope that one day I become talented as you! How long have you been doing this?
    Also was wondering is there a post on how long you can make in advance cookies with royal icing and how long they're good for?

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    1. Thank you so much!
      I've been decorating cookies professionally for about four years.
      I haven't posted anything yet about storing the cookies, but I usually make them up to 4 days in advance of shipping them. I heat seal them in cellophane bags and they stay fresh for up to 2 weeks.

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  32. Do you ever use other flavorings for your icing? If so, for example using an extract, do you find it thins it too much? and you have to adjust alot?

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    1. Hello! I haven't used any flavor besides vanilla in my royal icing, but there isn't any reason why you wouldn't be able to use a different flavor. I use one to two teaspoons of extract per two pounds of powdered sugar.

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  33. Your work is exquisite! Such beautiful craftsmanship is inspiring. My question is: do you have a method for eliminating bubbles in your icing? Thank you.

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    1. Thank you! Sometimes I get air bubbles if my icing is too thin. If I do have air bubbles in the icing after I've flooded the cookie, I'll take a toothpick or a scribe tool and pop them quickly before the icing starts to dry.

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  34. Hi Amber,
    Your work is spectacular. I learnt so much from your tutorials. Q: Do you sell your molds too? Thank you, Monica

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  35. Beautiful work, just got done watching several of you videos. How do you not have any air bubbles in your royal icing? I've played a few times with the flooding technique, but seem to get a lot of air bubbles...am I mixing too much?

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    1. Thank you Krystal!

      I find that I get air bubbles if my icing is too thin. Try thickening it up a little to see if that helps. Also, before filling my bag, I mix the icing in order to release any air bubbles that might be trapped in the bowl. Thanks for your comment!

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    2. Thank you for the response, I had wondered about the consistency. I'll continue to mess with it, and be more aware of it. Again your work is truly beautiful, I look forward to seeing your other creations!

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  36. HI Amber,
    you are so talented! I love your cookies and videos! I was hoping you could help me with a few questions... first, how do you get your icing to dry matte? Ive made and decorated with the icing dozens of times and it always dries with a sheen. I do like the sheen but I would like to sometimes have them look matte. Next, this may have something to do with how I like your cookies looking matte... but when my icing is colored it almost looks like a clear-color... as an example: almost like a tinted lip gloss verse a lipstick. I can't see the cookie underneath it but it doesnt look like yours. Last, what kind of food coloring do you use and what colors? They're beautiful! Thank you so much for reading this and I look forward to your response!

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    1. Hello!

      Would you mind telling me what royal icing recipe you are using? That might have something to do with why the icing looks clear and shiny. I use the Wilton gel paste garden color set to get those antique looking colors. You could also add a touch of black to the colors that you are currently using for the same effect. Thanks for your comment!

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  37. Thanks for this recipe, i want to ask how we can store this icing for 3-4 days? It's stiff royal icing good for making lines or strips on cupcakes?

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    1. You can store the icing in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. I would recommend sticking with buttercream to make lines on cupcakes. Thanks for your comment!

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  38. Hi Amber,
    Your cookies are spectacular, thay have such a finesse.
    Can you tell me please about your brushes? and where to buy them?

    Thank you Monica

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    1. Hi Monica! I use the square tip brush from the Wilton set for my brush embroidered cookies. You can find these at most craft stores in the cake decorating aisle. There is also a link to purchase them online in the tab at the top of this page labeled "my favorite decorating products".
      For tiny hand painted details, I use a size 0,00 or 000, which you can find in the artist brush aisle in the art supply store. Thanks for your comment

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  39. Hi Amber,

    Can you please tell me what kind of brushes do you use?
    Keep up your lovely work.
    Thank you Monica

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  40. Hi. I just made the recipe but it was runny and not stiff after I mixed all the ingredients. Did I do anything wrong? Is 5 Tbsp of meringue powder too much?

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    1. Hi! The icing should be stiff after it has been mixed. 5 Tablespoons of meringue powder is the correct amount for one pound of powdered sugar. Did you mix the ingredients on medium low speed for 5-7 minutes?

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  41. Hello Amber. I did mix the ingredients but it was not stiff. I may have done something wrong. I will retry and let you know. Thank you for replying.

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  42. Have you tried Pipe Dont Paint? it is amazing as you can pipe onto plastic and then after it dries transfer it onto the cookies or cake....i have recently used it to decorate teapot shaped cookies for my daughters birthday party and the stuff is brilliant!!! i got it online from www.pipedontpaint.com.au

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  43. Hi Amber i Am french and im in love for your art ...I pend a looooong Time seeing your blog and your vidéos on YouTube its FABULOUS
    CAN i have your cookie's recipe please please please
    Thank you so much (^_^)

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    1. Hello! I'm so glad you like my work. I haven't yet posted my cookie recipe, but I will soon. For now, here is a link to one of my favorite sugar cookie recipes: http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/martha-stewart-cutout-sugar-cookie-recipe

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  44. olá...oi sou nova nesse assunto por isso não entendo nada gostaria de saber e entender oque é crosta de gelo?tem alguma coisa a ver com gelo mesmo?desculpe a minha ignorancia mas gostaria de entender quero muito aprender a fazer cookies...obrigada

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  45. olá... gostaria muito de entender oque é crosta de gelo ?tem alguma coisa a ver com gelo?gostaria muito de fazer cookies so´não consigo entender essa tal de crosta de gelo por favor se puderem me ajudar desde já agradeço...

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  46. Hi Amber, thanks for the tutorial. Your cookies are so very nice. I do not usually make cookies and I hope you have a recipe on here for your fine cookies. Want to try it for Christmas. Thank you for your time.

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  48. Love your work and have watched all your tutorials. I was just wondering if when you leave your cookies to dry overnight after the first layer of icing, do you cover them somehow? Or just leave them uncovered to dry? Thanks!

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    1. Hello! I leave the cookies uncovered overnight to dry. The moisture from the icing will keep them from going stale. I make sure to finish decorating them the next day and wrap them up in the evening. They shouldn't stay out uncovered for more than a day. Thanks for your comment! I'm glad you like my work!

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  49. hey!!! you are soooo great!!!!
    really its fantastic!!!
    i wanna try this out but to make royal icing i dnt have access to meringue powder...what can i use as a substitute??

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    1. Thank you!! You can substitute dried powdered eggwhite in this recipe if you don't have meringue powder. You can also use fresh eggwhite, but I don't have a recipe for that. Thanks for your comment!

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  50. What type of icing do you use to make the flowers on the cookies?

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  51. what kind of icing do you use to do the flowers on the cookies?
    by the way all your work is amazing!

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