"If you've ever eaten a sugar cookie with picture-perfect, hard icing that still tasted delicious, the odds are you were eating royal icing. Royal icing is a type of frosting that dries smooth and firm, meaning you can pick up a cookie that's been iced and none will come off. While today, it's typically used on sugar cookies, it got its name from its use on the British royal family's wedding cakes in the 1800s."
"Estimations for how long you need to let royal icing dry vary, but you should typically let it sit for at least four hours. Trying to bag, package, or stack the cookies before this time has elapsed will cause the icing to smear, defeating the purpose of your careful decorating. Some people on Reddit even recommend leaving them to dry for an entire day or two, an especially good idea if you live in a humid area."
"If you're in a rush to eat some delicious sugar cookies or take them to a holiday party on the same day, there are ways to make royal icing set quicker. For instance, there are quick-dry royal icing recipes that claim to dry fully in a few hours. The secret seems to be cream of tartar, with multiple quick-dry royal icing recipes utilizing the ingredient. Pair this with the right kind of powdered sugar."
Royal icing produces a hard, smooth finish that allows decorated cookies to be picked up without icing coming off. The icing originated from use on British royal wedding cakes in the 1800s and is ideal for layered, detailed decorations because colors and designs do not smudge once set. Drying time varies but typically requires at least four hours; humid conditions may warrant leaving cookies to dry for a day or two. Quick-dry recipes often use cream of tartar and specific powdered sugar to accelerate setting. A dehydrator can further shorten drying to four to six hours when cookies are fully covered in icing.
Read at Tasting Table
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]