I saw Antonia's Royal Icing mentioned in another post, so I decided to try it to compare it to what I've always used. (never used cream of tarter in my recipe before). I was very surprised to see "This icing can be kept at room temperature in an air-sealed container for literally weeks, with a good re-mixing before you use it again". I've always stored my unused RI in the refrigerator and throw it away after about a week. But I've always been my own teacher - until now, since I've discovered this forum Is it possible to keep it longer? and unrefrigerated? I put some in the freezer the other day to see what happens to it but haven't defrosted it yet.
Thanks for any input!

I personally, prefer to keep it refrigerated and keep only a couple of weeks.

You might check with a food expert (health department or extension service for the real scoop)

I keep mine at room temperature on a sealed air-tight container for up to a week.
I've heard that some people keep it longer and it's still fine, but I don't go over a week.

I'm with bonnie...I leave it in tupperwareish containers and leave it unrefrigerated for one week. Everything in that recipe is "shelf stable" meaning nothing needs to be refridgerated.

You can make your own royal decorations-flowers, ladybugs, baseballs, etc. with any leftover royal icing.

It's made with meringue powder, so there's nothing perishable in it. It lasts for a long time, refrigeration not required at all.

Same here, on the counter in an airtight container for about a week. After about a week it separates a bit, so it just needs a good mixing again, but it doesn't go bad, I just don't like to keep it any longer.

I also keep mine on the counter in an airtight container..........it keeps for a very long time!! As already mentioned, it is made of ingredients that "don't go bad".

I do have to re-whip it before using it again.

I use real egg whites in mine but there is soooo much sugar that no, it won't go bad just sitting out on the counter.

KoryAK, I've noticed in these threads that you use egg whites in both your meringue buttercream AND now your royal icing....but you don't store the final product in the fridge.

I know you're in a different state/country than me, but I can't imagine that those policies are okay with your local heath inspector. There's no way raw egg whites are "safe" and "won't go bad" just because the product contains a lot of sugar, that's not how it works.

Just a bit concerned, as you've been advised this in other threads as well. You can really make customers ill with this policy you have to not refrigerate your egg white-based icings. Are your customers aware that perishable food is left out? Do you advise pregnant women NOT to be eating your royal icing? They can encounter problems with it, especially one that you don't refrigerate. It doesn't have to smell bad to be contaminated, please know that.

In the nicest possible way, I'm really advising you to take a food handling seminar that will teach proper storage and temperatures.

Thanks for posting about the egg whites guys! The only way we all can learn.........

Here's an article that might help in regards to some info. It's a risk you may not want to take....a least not with customers. Frankly, in your own home you can do what you want:


http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/foodreview/jan1997/jan97d.pdf

Yikes. Meringue powder for me, no matter what the recipe, or I won't do it. I've never used egg whites for anything anyway!

i would NEVER leave anything for 2 weeks that has egg whites in it....oh gosh, between that the the SMBC out for 2 weeks thread a while ago..... - I agree with Mike - you would do that with a hamburger so why would this be any different.....

merigune pwder all the way - I can attest to antonia74 receipe, I have and still use it and its the only receipe for me !!!!

I never use raw egg whites in my royal icing. Mostly because I don't want to risk giving someone Salmonella poisoning.

I had someone ask me for a fondant covered cake with a chocolate mousse filling not too long ago. I had to suggest another filling because I use egg yolks in my mousse and couldn't refrigerate the cake. I don't ever want to be responsible for causing anyone to projectile vomit!

As for storing meringue powder royal, I leave it out for a week as well. Usually because I don't use it as much as let's say, someone who solely decorates cookies.

I'm guessing it won't go bad if left out an extra week, but don't quote me on it.

I've used egg whites in my gumpaste recipe, to make like my decos. Is there a way to substitute meringue pwder for egg whites? What is the ratio? 1 egg white = ?? meringue powder?

TIA