Royal icing consistency really depends on the purpose. After preparing royal icing it can be stiff. Here are several ways to adapt and use.
Steps To Follow
Step 1
Coating Cakes
After using our dependable royal icing recipe to make the royal icing, add 1 teaspoon of glycerine to the icing. Don’t add glycerine if you are planning to pipe flowers or do any fine piping such as line work or flooding.
Step 2
Flooding
Add one or two drops of water at a time to your icing. Use a spatula to mix using back and forth motion and up and down motion. Do not beat vigorously. To check for correct consistency, dip your spatula into your bowl of icing. Raise the spatula about ½ or 1 inch above the icing surface. Move the spatula to the right and to the left to create waves. If the waves disappear after 10 seconds, then the consistency is thin enough for flooding. The same consistency can be used for outlines before flooding, or you can make it a little stiffer.
Step 03
Outlining
Use medium consistency. Don’t make it as wet as flooding consistency. However, flooding consistency can be used as well. Both beginners and advanced decorators use medium consistency to outline cookies or other decorations before flooding.
Step 4
Making Flowers
Stiff consistency is ideal. However, depending on the appearance, texture, and types of flowers that you want – stiff, medium, and flooding consistency can be used. Experiment with the consistencies. Have fun.
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Tips
Use appropriate piping tips for each consistency. For example, using a wide piping tip with flooding consistency will create a whole lot of mess. While using a tiny piping tip with stiff icing consistency will either tear the piping bag or the icing won’t come out at all.
