My Tussle with Royale Icing

Oh yes I did. Last Monday night I whipped up some sugar cookie dough, and bought some colorants for royale icing that would transform my plain Jane cookies into some hopeful sunrise cookies for election day.

I was inspired by all the Obama cookies I found online and in particular the one I featured in my election night menu ideas post. Plus, with an invitation to an election party featuring “Real American Food” I figured some sugar, white flour and dye was in order.

Faith and I were chatting about sugar cookie recipes when she asked if I’d be decorating them. I explained my idea and she said something along the lines of “good luck.” Yeah, I needed it and apparently didn’t have much. My tussle with the royale icing was perhaps the time during election day when I was most nervous about the results. This isn’t a sign, is it? I wondered to myself.

Luckily the people at the party we attended were too excited and tipsy to noticed the snags and drips by the time dessert came out at 10:30. I can tell you that they tasted great and by then I knew that the taste was the true sign.

I wish (kind of) that I had photos of the mess I made, but my hands were covered in blue and red dyes and the kitchen was dusted in powdered sugar. It wasn’t an ideal photography studio.

Having a victory party this weekend? Consider the iced sugar cookie, but be patient and practice first! And take photos!

Royale Icing
makes enough to decorate 4 dozen 3″ cookies

3 egg whites
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
gel confectioners’ color

Whip the egg whites and lemon juice until they begin to shape up, but stop before they start to show peaks. Add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating during each addition.

To color the icing, you won’t need much. To begin, dip a toothpick into the color, then mix it into the icing. Keep adding bits of color in this manner until you get the right shade, using a new toothpick with each addition. Blend the icing well with a spatula. If you are using red, I recommend a “no-taste” red.

Cookie Decorating:
• Wilton’s Icing Colors
• Wilton’s Guide to Decorating Cookies

Sugar Cookie Recipes:
• Cookies for a Lot of People (from Mekuno Cooking)
• Sugar Cookies (from Gourmet)