Icing Problems - Expert Advise Needed!!! A Little Long
Baking By D77 Updated 23 Jul 2007 , 10:01pm by KarensCookies
Ok, I have been making cookies for a long time, I have always used my moms icing "recipe". Well, my mom is no longer here to ask what the heck? She wasn't one for writing down directions or measurements, just the ingredients - she had everything else in her recipe box in her head 
. I can't figure out how to make it stable enough to use if for "fancy" work. 
I have tried other icings from here and haven't cared for the taste as much. I guess I am just use to this, old habits die hard. 
So if you could please help me come up with away to make this stable by adding something or omitting something that would be great....
Here is what I have:
Powdered sugar
A little bit of Crisco
A little bit of milk
Vanilla
A dash of salt (I have added this one)
Thanks for all your help...
to make it harden, you need to add dried egg whites or meringue powder, I would get about 2 T. Good luck!!
Here's one thats supposed to get hard and sounds similar to what your using
3/4 cup crisco
1/4 cup milk
1 lb powdered sugar
I figure you can just add alittle vanilla to it. This should be plenty stiff enough to pipe with, thin for flooding.
Thanks I'll give it a try
D77 I am not sure what recipe you are asking about omitting something from, but if you are talking about using the meringue powder, I do not know what you would omit, I would guess the crisco, but I am worried it would not give you the taste you are looking for. But you absolutely have to have meringue powder if you want it to be super hard. I use the recipes on the articles that is callled "how to bake and decorate cookies" I use this recipe just to give you an idea:
5 Tablespoons of meringue powder
6 ounces (3/4 cup) of warm water
1 teaspoon of cream of tartar
1 kilogram (2 lbs 4 ounces) of icing sugar (also known as "powdered sugar")
Good luck sorry I can't be of more help!
[quote="D77"]Here is what I have:
Powdered sugar
A little bit of Crisco
A little bit of milk
Vanilla
A dash of salt (I have added this one)
Thanks for all your help
This is the one I am asking about.... 
Should I omit the salt? I don't want it too hard but I want to be able to pipe with it.... 
Do I make any since? Cuz I think I am confusing myself
i never use salt, i don't notice the difference if I do
You might try the recipe that I use. It's sort of a cross between royal icing and buttercream, and it dries hard enough to stack and bag, but tastes a bit more like buttercream than royal icing. It might be kind of close to Mom's.
Meringue Powder Buttercream
* 1/3 cup water
* 3 T. meringue powder (use up to 4 T. in high humidity)
* ½ cup shortening
* 4 ½ cups powdered sugar (1 lb. 3 oz. If you have a scale)
* 1 tsp. vanilla extract (use clear vanilla if you want a pure white icing)
* ¼ tsp. almond extract
Place half of the powdered sugar and the meringue powder in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whisk together well. Turn on mixer (use whip attachment) and, while motor is running, slowly stream in the water. Mix until everything is incorporated. Turn mixer to high speed and whip until stiff peaks form. Add flavorings and mix well. Change to paddle attachment (for stand mixer) or dough hook (for Bosch). If using a hand mixer, use the same beaters you were using before. Add remaining powdered sugar and shortening and whip for 2-3 minutes more.
Note: Don't skimp on the whipping time after adding the shortening. You really need to whip it well to prevent separation later.
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