Royal Icing Myths/facts

Decorating By TexasSugar Updated 10 Jun 2006 , 6:10am by Cake_Princess

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TexasSugar Posted 10 Jun 2006 , 4:28am
post #1 of 11

I currently have 2 batches of royal icing sitting on the counter, and will have a 3rd as of Monday night. I will also have some buttercream left over this weekend. So I thought I would do a little experimenting.

We hear so much about how grease will break down your royal and such. But if it is really that bad why would they ever put it on a buttercream cake to begin with. So one of the things I want to do is see how long it can sit on buttercream before it 'breaks down' and what exactly happens when it does.

What other Royal Icing myths/facts would you like me to test out while I am at it?[/list]

10 replies
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skylightsky Posted 10 Jun 2006 , 4:32am
post #2 of 11

Royal Icing?

I would love to just work with it a while and not have to make it or clean up the mess left behind after using it...

Gonna watch this post... can't add to the list, but gonna watch.

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daltonam Posted 10 Jun 2006 , 4:33am
post #3 of 11

i can't think of anything, but i'm gonna watch for reply to see what happens

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moydear77 Posted 10 Jun 2006 , 4:35am
post #4 of 11

I am so with you on this one!! I put dried and fresh royal icing on Swiss buttercream all the time. I have never had it break down ever. I even put it in the fridge-Test the fridge idea also. I am in Minnesota and I always think of the fridge as a place of dry air. Like in the middles of winter it is super dry. I hear the fridge is a damp and place all the time. Good for you I cannot wait to hear what happens!

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ellyrae Posted 10 Jun 2006 , 4:36am
post #5 of 11

Doesn't royal just break down if grease comes into contact "while your mixing it" but not "after" its mixed?? Seems like I have heard that before here on CC.

Have fun with your experiments!!!
elly

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fmandds Posted 10 Jun 2006 , 4:42am
post #6 of 11
Quote:
Quote:

Doesn't royal just break down if grease comes into contact "while your mixing it" but not "after" its mixed?? Seems like I have heard that before here on CC.




The utensils you are using to mix it need to be grease free. And the decorating bag and tips. Once it has harden I don't believe the grease will break it down. I believe colorflow will breakdown on buttercream even if it has harden.

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nicksmom Posted 10 Jun 2006 , 4:50am
post #7 of 11

I was always under the impression you can not eat royal icing/decorations,however I know of someones brother who ate her royal flowers off her cake , and never got sick etc,, so whats the real deal?!!

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TexasSugar Posted 10 Jun 2006 , 4:53am
post #8 of 11

moydear77, I do plan on doing a fridge test. But again that is one of those things that while it might work in some fridges it might not in others. Depending on how damp the fridge is.

ellyrae, I have heard that. I know I have piped royal directly on to a cake before. But it left my house right after that and was eaten, so I have no idea what it happened with it. Also when I learned about royal icing my instructor told me you can mix any any leftovers with your buttercream.

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moydear77 Posted 10 Jun 2006 , 4:56am
post #9 of 11

So If I ever move I will have to take the fridge and oven!!

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TexasSugar Posted 10 Jun 2006 , 4:56am
post #10 of 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by nicksmom

I was always under the impression you can not eat royal icing/decorations,however I know of someones brother who ate her royal flowers off her cake , and never got sick etc,, so whats the real deal?!!




Why can't you eat royal? Other than maybe breaking your teeth there is nothing in royal that would hurt you.

Wilton's recipe is just powder sugar, meringue powder and water, all things that are in their buttercream icing recipe.

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Cake_Princess Posted 10 Jun 2006 , 6:10am
post #11 of 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasSugar

I currently have 2 batches of royal icing sitting on the counter, and will have a 3rd as of Monday night. I will also have some buttercream left over this weekend. So I thought I would do a little experimenting.

We hear so much about how grease will break down your royal and such. But if it is really that bad why would they ever put it on a buttercream cake to begin with. So one of the things I want to do is see how long it can sit on buttercream before it 'breaks down' and what exactly happens when it does.

What other Royal Icing myths/facts would you like me to test out while I am at it?[/list]




I explained this in a previous post before. I will have To find it again.

Remember originally royal icing was made with raw eggs. More specifically egg whites. The egg whites are important for volume. We all know that when egg whites come in any contact with any fats they will not whip up nice and fluffy. Hence we the "royal icing breaks down"

Once royal icing has been made and dry it's prety stable. However, moisture now becomes the enemy. So because the icing is dry it will Tend to hold any moisture it comes in contact with and eventually break down.

I will post a link to the original thread when I find it.

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