You’ve made your icing, using this royal icing recipe and colored it, you’re ready to decorate right? Almost, but not quite. The icing consistency needs to be adjusted for different decorating techniques. It’s key to achieving the results you want with your cookies, and was definitely one of the most frustrating and perplexing things during my early cookie decorating days, so hopefully I can help alleviate that for you from what I’ve learned over time. It definitely is easier with a few key tips!
You will find your favorite consistencies with practice (uses for different consistencies can overlap), but these simple basics should help you get a feel for what you need. I posted my first video on how to find royal icing consistencyin February of 2011, please feel free to check it outhere(So dated, please be gentle with me, lol). In that video I introduce icing consistency and show the 10-second rule test; essentially dragging the tip of your knife through the surface of your icing and counting the seconds until the icing smoothes over. My favorite consistency to use for multiple decorating purposes at the time was 10 second icing, and today I’m going to briefly go over more icing consistencies and their uses.
It will be a basic overview to get you started, if you’re interested in a more detailed version, I have a digital download with video and notes, here.
Before I describe the different royal icing consistencies, I’ll mention the basics on thinning and thickening icing quickly first.
Thinning Royal Icing
If you’ve used myroyal icing recipe, you will notice that it’s thick once made. You’ll likely need to thin some of it out for various decorating needs. Separate your icing into containers which have lids, according to the colors and amounts you’ll need. If you think you’ll need more or less of one icing, put more or less in that container. Make sure the icing you’re not working with is covered with a lid, plastic wrap or damp towel.
To thin icing, add small amounts of water (about a teaspoon at a time), and mix, to reach your desired consistency.Don’t worry if your icing isn’t perfect right away, you can easily make adjustments at any time during decorating. If you want flood consistency, you’ll notice it takes quite a bit of water to thin it down. Don’t be afraid to add 1/4 cup of water or more to a whole batch in order to get that flood consistency. (But do add small amounts at a time and test, until you reach your desired consistency).
How to ThickenRoyal Icing
Add a little bit of thick icing or sifted powdered sugar (about a Tablespoon), to your royal icing, mix and test. Continue adding more until you reach the consistency you’d like. Note that adding icing sugar will lighten the color so you may need to add a little more gel coloring.
Using a timing test can help you figure out the correct consistency. Drag the tip of a butter knife through the surface of your icing, and see how long it takes for the lines to settle or smooth over or disappear. Or stir the icing with the spoon and let a few icing ribbons drop. Depending on how many seconds it takes for the icing’s surface to smooth over, is a way to categorize or explain the icing consistencies. The number of seconds is called the count for the icing. Every type of icing has its own icing count.
Icing Consistency Counts:
Extra Stiff or Extra Thick Icing: Icing doesn’t flow.
Stiff or Thick Icing: 20-25 seconds to smooth out. Lines will not totally disappear.
Medium Thick Icing: 18-19 seconds to mostly smooth over.
Medium Icing: 15 seconds to settle mainly flat.
Flood Icing: 10 seconds to settle flat.
Runny Icing: 4 seconds to completely disappear.
Here are the decorating uses for the different icing consistencies:
Extra Stiff Icing Uses – Flowers, leaves, hair, adhere gingerbread house pieces, 3D details
Thick Icing Uses – Dimension, details, outlining especially larger cookies, lettering, lines, eyes, borders, stencilling, brush embroidery
Medium Thick Icing Uses – puffy look, dimension, both outlining and flooding for medium or small cookies
Medium Uses – Outlining and flooding immediately (especially small to medium cookies), marbling, wet on wet, dots, puffiness, some dimension and details.
Flood Uses – Flooding (especially larger cookies), dipping, marbling, wet on wet, outlining and flooding immediately (especially smaller cookies).
Runny Uses – Brushing on a cookie surface if you want to “paint” a section and not have a puffy base.
HERE IS A PRINTABLE VERSIONof the quick reference guide below.
Extra Stiff or Extra Thick Icing: Icing doesn’t flow.
Extra Stiff Icing Uses: Flowers, leaves, hair, adhere gingerbread house pieces, 3D details
Stiff or Thick Icing: 20-25 seconds to smooth out. Lines will not totally disappear.
Stiff or Thick Icing Uses: Dimension, details, outlining especially larger cookies, lettering, lines, eyes, borders, stencilling, brush embroidery
Medium Thick Icing: 18-19 seconds to mostly smooth over.
Medium Thick Icing Uses: Puffy look, dimension, both outlining and flooding for medium or small cookies
Medium Icing: 15 seconds to settle mainly flat.
Medium Uses: Outlining and flooding immediately (especially small to medium cookies), marbling, wet on wet, dots, puffiness, some dimension and details.
Flood Icing: 10 seconds to settle flat.
Flood Uses: Flooding (especially larger cookies), dipping, marbling, wet on wet, outlining and flooding immediately (especially smaller cookies).
Runny Icing: 4 seconds to completely disappear.
Runny Uses: Brushing on a cookie surface if you want to “paint” a section and not have a puffy base.
If those consistencies and uses feel confusing to you, using these 3 following consistencies should be more than enough to get you started, decorating almost any beginner to intermediate cookie designs:
- Stiff (Details)
- Medium – Thick (Outlining)
- Flood (Filling)
Here’s a little visual for you on the 3 basic royal icing consistencies:
If you don’t want to go too detailed, you could even just use 1 consistency – Medium. It’s great to outline and flood.
I hope you enjoyed this basic guide to royal icing consistency! If you’re interested in a more detailed version or learn best with video, I have a video and notes in a digital download here.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or comments.
Have fun baking and decorating!
xo,
Marian
p.s. You might also be interested in:
Cookie Decorating Tools You’ll Need and How to Fill a Piping Bag
In-Depth Royal Icing Consistency Guide Digital Download
As a seasoned expert and enthusiast in the field of cookie decorating, I've dedicated a significant amount of time to perfecting the art of royal icing. My journey began over a decade ago, and since then, I've not only honed my skills but also shared my knowledge through various mediums, including video tutorials and digital downloads. My commitment to this craft is evident in my early contributions, such as the video on royal icing consistency that I posted in February 2011.
In the realm of royal icing, achieving the right consistency is paramount for successful cookie decorating. I've encountered the frustrations and perplexities that come with mastering icing consistency during my early days, and I'm eager to share the insights I've gained over time to make this process smoother for others.
Now, let's delve into the concepts outlined in the provided article:
-
Icing Consistency Overview: The article stresses the importance of adjusting icing consistency for different decorating techniques. The author mentions the 10-second rule test, which involves dragging a knife through the icing and counting the seconds until it smoothes over. This method is crucial for determining the ideal consistency for various purposes.
-
Thinning Royal Icing: The author provides guidance on thinning royal icing, especially if using their specific recipe. They recommend separating icing into containers based on color and quantity, covering unused portions, and gradually adding small amounts of water to achieve the desired consistency. The 1/4 cup of water or more might be necessary for flood consistency.
-
Thickening Royal Icing: To thicken royal icing, the article suggests adding thick icing or sifted powdered sugar gradually until the desired consistency is reached. It notes that the addition of icing sugar may lighten the color, necessitating adjustments with gel coloring.
-
Icing Consistency Counts: The author introduces a timing test for categorizing icing consistencies, with specific counts for different types:
- Extra Stiff or Extra Thick Icing
- Stiff or Thick Icing
- Medium Thick Icing
- Medium Icing
- Flood Icing
- Runny Icing
-
Decorating Uses for Different Consistencies: The article provides a detailed list of decorating uses for each type of icing consistency, ranging from extra stiff for flowers and 3D details to runny for "painting" sections on a cookie surface.
-
Recommended Consistencies: The author simplifies the process by suggesting three main consistencies for beginners: Stiff (Details), Medium – Thick (Outlining), and Flood (Filling).
-
Visual Aid: A visual representation of the three basic royal icing consistencies is provided for easy reference.
In conclusion, the article serves as a comprehensive guide for individuals interested in mastering royal icing consistency for cookie decorating. The author's wealth of experience and dedication to the craft is evident, making this resource valuable for both beginners and intermediate decorators.
