I searched the boards trying to find one of those Alice vs. Toba/Antonia icing threads and couldn't find it but I am SO confused.....I thought grease was totally destructive to RI so when I came across Alice's recipe, I can't figure out how there is butter in it? Is hers more of a semi BC/RI recipe for those who don't care for the 'break-your-tooth' sweetness of traditional RI?

I'm doing MMF cookies and need accent colors so after much himming and hawing, I decided on the Alice recipe. I would have preferred to use candy melts since I think they taste really good but they are more costly and as much as I hate RI, trying to keep the melts nice and warm is a bit of a PITA.

So can I make the Alice icing, color it for several different bags and use it to top the MMF? May I save this icing to use next week as well or will it spoil before then? thx so much.....

*** I already have the 2 lb of XXX sugar and 6 tbls. of mer. powder in the bowl so I really can't change recipes at this point.... *sigh*

I don't think Alice's icing is very good for details. It's definately better for the background. I use royal and it is great for details and doesn't break your teeth.

I am a buttercream decorator all the way, I really don't like the idea of royal icing anything.
I use an icing very similar to Alice's when I decorate cookies. It firms up to where you can touch it but it never gets really hard.
I also don't decorate with fondant...but if I did, I would use either Alice's recipe or buttercream for the decorations. You would need to make it kind of stiff though so it doesn't run. If you look at my pic of cookies I recently did using that icing you will see you can get quite detailed with it.

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=998653

crud! I wonder if I can use the powdered sugar and meringue powder I already have mixed? Right now I have 2 lb. of sugar and 6 tbl. of meringue powder and the Antonia recipe calls for 2.25 lb and 5 - I am thinking I may be able to swing it. And of course I will have to use the butter for more cookies

Is the Antonia icing the one that doesn't set up and smudges or am I thinking of another?

Certainly you can use the ps/meringue mixture you already have going. That little difference shouldn't effect the final mixture. If anything it might need just a drop or two more liquid.

I use Antonia74 icing recipe and I find it great.The cookie recipe already has butter in it so it helps keep the icing from getting rock hard but still hard enough to stack and package!!

ok, last question......do I need to use the whip or paddle attachment for the icing? I have a KA? I am asking because I have a cup of butter in there and no time to run thru the dishwasher (seems the best way to be sure there is no grease residue left) I have another mixer for cakes and a handheld too.....thx

I have used both but for Antonias I use the whip.No grease.....I soak it all in hot water and vinegar for a few minutes and airdry the bowl.

the paddle for mine is best, it is much stronger and it doesn't aerate the icing as much as the whisk does!

try antonia74s icing- it is not break your teeth hard at all!

I just tried Alice's cookie icing for the first time a few weeks ago and I LOVE it! It sets up enough to stack them and stays soft inside to bite into...not to mention, the butter in the recipe makes it SO yummy! In the future I'll have a stand-by of royal made for the details, as the butter in Alice's icing tends to make the icing "spread", so I don't get as crisp of details as I would like....but Antonia74's icing is wonderful for detail work, however, I don't use it to flood as when I make it, it dries concrete hard and don't like that....but for details it's awesome!