I am currently taking Wilton Course 1 and my final cake is due this weekend.

I have been practising the Wilton Rose but am not having any success. The problem seems to be the icing recipe from the book. The icing is grainy (although I sifted the icing sugar 10 times) and if I added water it will be too thin.

So how do I make the icing stiff, smooth and NOT grainy????

Help PLEASE....................

If the icing is too dry, then you can add about a tablespoon of crisco or about a teaspoon of piping gel to every cup of stiff.