meringue powder: a user’s guide

What is meringue powder? Meringue powder is a key ingredient in  making royal icing for decorating cookies or glazing donuts. Unlike cake  or cupcake frosting, which is soft and uses butter or shortening, royal  icing dries to a hard finish and is made typically from egg whites  (fresh or powdered) and confectioner's sugar. By adjusting the amount of  water in the recipe, royal icing varies in consistency according to its  use: thick for defined lines, medium for softer designs, and a thinner  "flood" to cover a surface with a smooth shiny finish or glaze. Meringue  powder helps royal icing to dry quickly without cracking and provides  elasticity for easy piping.

Why use meringueshop's meringue powder?

1. taste. We make fresh meringues using organic raw  cane sugar and then grind them into a powder. The royal icing made with  our meringue powder has a true meringue flavor without the bitter  aftertaste or odor common to commercially-produced meringue powders.
2. quality. Our meringue powder is made with organic  and non-GMO ingredients that is free from chemical stabilizers,  artificial ingredients, and artificial flavor enhancers.
3. performance. Our vegan meringue powder matches the  performance of egg-based meringue powders and, we believe, goes beyond  them by making a royal icing that dries smoothly without being brittle.
4. organic. Our meringue powder is vegan! We prepare our own  organic aquafaba broth (slow-simmered from organic chickpeas) as a  substitute for mass-produced powdered egg whites.

What you will need to make royal icing:

equipment:

• a scale, measuring spoons, measuring cup
• timer
• electric stand mixer or hand mixer
• piping bag and decorating tip, or ziplock bag

royal icing recipe (makes about 2 cups of royal icing, good for about two to three dozen cookies):

• 1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon (45g or 1.6oz) meringue powder
• 1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon (82g or 3 oz) water
• 1 lb (453g) confectioner's sugar
• 1g plant-based color powder (optional)
• flavoring and/or coloring (optional)

Steps for a successful royal icing. Our meringue powder works just like classic meringue powder.  Just follow the steps below!

STEPS

1) measuring and dissolving meringue powder with water

• Measure carefully, if you have access to a gram scale, this is the best way to achieve an accurate measure.
• Measure 1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon (82g or 3 oz) water into a mixer bowl with a whisk attachment. Equal to 6 Tablespoons.
• Measure 1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon (45 g or 1.6 oz) of meringue powder and add to the water.  Equal to 6 Tablespoons.
• If using a color powder, add it at this step to allow it to dissolve.
• Note: Stir to dissolve and allow to sit for 10 minutes until the mixture thickens.

2) whipping the royal icing and adding confectioners' sugar

• Add confectioner's sugar to the thickened meringue powder.
• Beat for 10 minutes.
• Allow to rest for 10 minutes; the icing will thicken slightly. Thin to desired consistency.
• If icing thickens, rewhip first before adding water. It will soften and thin out.

3) optional: when adding liquid coloring or flavor extracts:

• The royal icing using our meringue powder has a flavorful citrus  taste. If additional liquid coloring or extracts are desired, make sure  to add a few drops in the beginning, when adding the sugar. Be careful  not to add too much liquid, the icing loosens quickly. If a firm  consistency is desired, you can always add 1 Tablespoon meringue powder  or confectioner's sugar and rewhip for another 5 minutes. The icing will  thicken when allowed to sit, especially if using the next day. Rewhip  first before adding water, and thin to desired consistency.

4) consistency: thinning for flood icing or glaze:

• Add droplets of water with a squeeze bottle. The mixture will loosen  up with just a little bit of water. Test for consistency by taking a  spoonful of glaze and let it run down the sides.
• Tip: if using liquid coloring or flavor extracts, add these first before adding water to thin.

5) using a piping bag or ziplock bag:

• Place a pastry tip inside a pastry bag and spoon in the icing.
• Cut the corner of a ziplock bag, place a pastry tip inside the bag, spoon in the icing, and seal the bag.
• No pastry tip? Just spoon the icing into a ziplock bag, seal the bag, and cut the corner of the bag.

6) storage:

Place unused royal icing into a sealable container. Press a sheet of  plastic wrap directly onto icing, top with lid and refrigerate for up to  three weeks. Remove any large crystallization, add a few drops of water  and stir to remix.

TROUBLESHOOTING / FAQs

Q: Why do I need to let the meringue powder hydrate in water first?

A: The meringue powder performs best when allowed to absorb water first and helps the foam to reach its full potential.

Q: The icing doesn't look thick enough to hold its shape. Can I fix this?

A: First allow the icing to sit. It will thicken in  ten minutes. If a thicker consistency is preferred, mix 1/2 cup of  confectioner's sugar with 2 teaspoons meringue powder and fold this  mixture a little at a time until you arrive at the desired consistency.  It is always best to weigh all the ingredients, measuring a teaspoon of  liquid can vary from utensil to utensil and affect the end result of  your royal icing.

Q: Is your meringue powder allergen friendly?

A: Yes! It is free from the eight top allergens  including eggs, milk, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, corn, and soybeans.  There are no artificial ingredients and it is all organic. Our facility  is dedicated peanut and tree nut free. We recommend using an organic  brand of confectioner's sugar when mixing royal icing.