How to make royal icing

Why buy royal icing when it’s this simple to make? Follow our easy step-by-step guide to find out how to make pillowy white icing for your Christmas cake this year.

How to make royal icing

You will need:

  • 4 large free-range egg whites
  • 900g icing sugar
  • ½ tsp glycerine
  • 1 drop of blue food colouring (optional)

1. Put the egg whites in a mixing bowl. Sift out the icing sugar.

 

2. Carefully stir in the egg whites, a little at a time, until the mixture reaches a thick dropping consistency. Start whisking the mixture until it starts to form soft peaks (this will take 10-15 minutes if using a balloon whisk), then stir in the glycerine (from the baking aisle in large supermarkets).

 

3. If you like, stir in 1 drop of blue food colouring to make your icing extra white.

 

4. Use a palette knife to spread the icing over your marzipan-covered cake, then leave to set.

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