What consistency should royal icing be?
Stiff for piping details, medium for outlines and loose for flooding. Test by drawing a line through the icing and counting seconds.
It depends on what you are doing. Most decorators use three consistencies, all from one batch of icing thinned with small amounts of water.
The three types
- Stiff. Holds a peak. Use it for flowers, ruffles and anything that needs to stand up.
- Outline. Like toothpaste. Pipes a clean line that stays put, forming a wall around the edge.
- Flood. Like thick syrup. Fills the outlined area and settles smooth.
The count test
Drag a knife through the surface of the icing in the bowl and count how long the line takes to disappear. For flooding, many decorators aim for somewhere around 10 to 15 seconds. Faster and it may run off the edge; slower and it won’t level.
Adjusting
Add water a few drops at a time, using a spray bottle or a teaspoon. To thicken, stir in a little more powdered sugar. Keep bowls covered with a damp cloth, since royal icing crusts quickly.
See the decorating steps on the cookie recipes page, or read about keeping iced cookies fresh.