ROYAL GOURMET RECIPES

Steps:

• Place confectioners' sugar, water, powdered egg whites and vanilla in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer on high speed 5 to 7 minutes until stiff peaks form and icing is fluffy and glossy.
• For each color of icing, place 1/2 cup icing in bowl. Stir in 3 to 4 drops food color until evenly distributed and icing is smooth. Add additional drops food color until icing is of desired color. (Keep remaining icing covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying.)
• To ice cookies, place cooling rack on foil-lined baking sheet. Spoon icing onto cookies using a teaspoon. Cookies can also be iced using a new small paintbrush. Place iced cookies on cooling rack to dry.
• Use contrasting icing colors to decorate iced cookies, if desired. Place small amount of contrasting icing in small resealable plastic bag. Snip off tiny piece of the corner of the plastic bag. Create design by squeezing contrasting icing onto cookies. Allow iced cookies to dry thoroughly before stacking.

Steps:

• In a deep bowl, add meringue powder and warm water.
• Beat this for about 1 minute until you have a white and frothy mixture.
• Add powdered sugar, corn syrup and vanilla extract and start mixing at medium to medium-high speed.
• Continue mixing until your icing becomes thick and peaks start forming, as shown in this picture. This usually takes about 5 minutes of mixing at high speed.Note: This icing is at the “thick consistency stage.” You can add some water to thin it out if you need your icing to be thinner. Please remember that a little water goes a LONG way. Add only 1/4 tsp water at a time and make sure to mix properly again.
• You can now color your icing with gel colors. Use a toothpick to add gel colors into your icing.
• Mix with a spoon until the color is fully blended into your icing.Note: The color of your icings will get deeper and better the longer they sit.
• This icing dries very quickly, if exposed to air. Make sure you store it in a plastic container with a tight lid.
• Also, cover your entire container in saran wrap.