I am happily decorating all of my cookies with Glace now and love how it works. However, I find writing to be nearly impossible. I feel like it's the corn syrup that makes it so elastic. If I get it too thin, it doesn't hold the shape of the letters (even with a #1 tip). Too stiff and I can't get it to fall onto the cookie and round into nice shapes. I see so many beautifully lettered cookies on this site and most seem to be RI.

Does anyone have suggestions for making glace more workable for writing or do you all just use RI, even if you use glace for your base? If you use both glace and RI on the same cookie, how do you match colors?

Thanks!

I agree that it is easier to get fine lines with royal icing. I also have problems with the glace icing spreading.

I've never tried it, but I wonder if it would be possible to add meringue powder to your glace icing once you're ready to write with it. I think it would help to stabilize the icing and would keep the exact color. Hmmm...I foresee some experimenting in my near future.

I always use glace for my cookies. I thicken it until it is the consistency of peanut butter when I want to pipe outlines or do writing. It's a killer on the wrist, but it works fine for me. If I can get away with it, I prefer to do my writing using food color pens. Have you considered going that route? Americolor has a great product in their pens.

a little off topic, I find that i cannot ever get my #1 tips completly clean, Any tips on the Gem?

Toba Garrett's book, Creative Cookies has the best tips for using glace icing in all kinds of ways. It's worth checking out if you don't already own this book.

GeminiRJ, I love your cookie designs! Just wondering do YOU own Toba's book? If not, how did you get started?

I used to think it was my icing that gave me trouble with writing.. I switched to PME tips instead of the Wilton brand I was using. Amazing difference.
I bought mine at Karenscookies.net and just ordered more today. I cannot believe the difference the tip made.
See for yourself...
http://cakecentral.com//gallery/1965772

GeminiRJ: Thats exactly why I tried them. I looked everywhere in So Cal for them, no one carried them, I knew they were more expensive but so many cookie decorators swear by them, I wanted to try them. I cannot believe how amazing the difference was. I just ordered more. I have great writing on paper but could never write well with icing. I would switch between Wilton #1 (clogs, strings, squiggles) and a #2 (too fat for detail) The #1.5 PME was perfect.. I just ordered more of the 1.5 and 2 size. Hard to find but worth every penny in my opinion. I am just a hobby baker. Kris

Very hot soapy water soak first then wash it works great for me.