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Royal Icing (no fear) This is called no-fear royal icing, because traditional royal icings include raw egg whites. The recipe uses meringue powder instead, so less fear of salmonella. Ingredients: 3 tablespoons of Meringue Powder Beat ingredients in a mixer for about 7 minutes. Add more water during this step if the icing seems too stiff for your project. If you add water too much later, air bubbles will appear and wreak havoc. Tips: Drape a wet paper towel over the icing bowl so the icing doesn’t dry and crackle. Keeping the icing moist will allow you to take your time with the project. What to do about air bubbles on a decorated piece—pop them quickly with a toothpick. What to do about “peaking” dots (like if buttons have a candy kiss shape)—get the tip of your finger moist (not dripping) with cool water. Gently push the peak down with your fingertip. Act fast, because if the icing begins to dry, the peak will crack off instead of smoosh down. If a decorator bag intimidates you, use a decorating bottle instead. They are inexpensive (about $4 for pack of two) and are washed easily. They can usually be found in the cake supply department of Wal-Mart or a cake decorating supply store.
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