If you are one to fancy making icing for roll-out cookies or piping flowers, then I doubt you’re new to meringue powder, and you’ve probably used it.
For the royal icing, meringue cookies, and stabilizing marshmallow or whipped cream frosting, you’ll need meringue powder.
But do you know enough to use it efficiently? I will specifically show you how meringue works in royal icing, delectable recipes to enjoy too.
In addition, I have enlisted – in detail – some excellent meringue powder substitute for royal icing. Read on and enjoy this piece.
What is Meringue Powder, Royal Icing
Royal icing is the frosting that gives sugar biscuits their celebratory appearance. They’re exactly what allows you to get creative and make some iced pumpkins, Easter eggs, and Christmas trees out of plain sugar cookies.
Once the royal icing is ready, you just put it in a bag and pipe it onto your cookies. If you’re not going to use it right away, put it in bowls and cover it with a damp cloth until you are. This will keep the icing moist and prevent it from drying out.
Notably, making royal icing is easy and only requires a few ingredients, but one of them is uncommon, especially if you’re not someone who regularly bakes: yes, meringue powder.
On the other hand, what is meringue powder? This is a powdered substance made of cornstarch, dried egg whites, citric acid, sugar, and stabilizers.
Notably, to decrease the threat of salmonella, many cooks use meringue powder instead of egg whites. It’s also simple and better to use the powder rather than make royal icing from the start with meringues.
Meringue powder is formed primarily of dried egg whites and may be converted into a meringue by mixing it with water.
Meringue Powder/Royal Icing Recipes
Meringue powder is a dry premium product that can bake and decorate sweets. Notably, this ingredient can be found in royal icing, meringue cookies, and stabilizer frostings.
See some exquisite recipes highlighted for your benefit:
- Snow White Buttercream Frosting
- Dark Chocolate Royal Icing Recipe
- Whipped Buttercream Frosting
- Gingerbread House Icing
- Marshmallow Icing Recipe
- Sugar Cookies
- Spiced Gingerbread Cookie
- Cookie Icing Recipe
- Strawberry Royal Icing Recipe
- Egg Vegan Royal Icing
- Fluffy Royal Icing
- Lemon Royal Icing
- Gluten-Free Royal Icing
- Sugar-Free Royal Icing
- Melted Snowman Cookies
Meringue Powder Substitutes for Royal Icing
Though meringue powder is widely available in craft stores, big-box retailers, and many grocery stores, a scenario may come up, and you decide to bake a batch of sugar cookies on the spur of the moment. Still, then you discover that you’re out of meringue powder.
There are various options for substituting meringue powder for your royal icing. Here are some of my preferred meringue powder alternatives:
Egg Whites
Making royal icing with egg whites and confectioners’ sugar.
It not only delivers great results, but it also gives the royal icing the right flavor and consistency. So make sure to add a little acidity to the royal icing recipe, such as lemon juice or cream of tartar, to help stabilize it.
In your recipe for royal icing, six cups of confectioners’ sugar and five egg whites are all that’s required. In addition, in a stand mixer, replace the paddle attachment with a whisk and beat pasteurized egg whites and confectioners’ sugar in a bowl until it ribbons off the whisk.
You can also color individual batches of royal icing using food coloring to get the colors you want.
Egg White Powder
In royal icing, egg white powder and cream of tartar can be used to replace meringue. Egg white powder is exactly what it sounds like: egg whites that have been dried.
When preparing meringues, cream of tartar, a byproduct of winemaking extracted from emptied wine barrels, acts as a stabilizer.
Egg white powder may be a better meringue powder option because it eliminates any salmonella concerns by utilizing pasteurized eggs, which also helps to reduce this risk.
Dried egg white, often known as egg white powder – whatever you call it – is one of my favorite meringue powder substitutions.
I have had no problems using powdered egg whites for royal icing, asking for meringue powder. If you are worried about the sugar present in meringue powder – since your royal icing recipe includes powdered sugar – tweak your recipe a bit to allow a little more.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I use cream of tartar instead of meringue powder in royal icing?
No, cream of tartar can not be used in royal icing in place of meringue powder. Although cream of tartar cannot replace meringue powder, it can stabilize meringue recipes.
In frosting, what is the purpose of meringue powder?
In classic royal icing recipes, raw egg whites are commonly replaced with meringue powder. Both produce icing that is highly robust and solid and hardens rapidly on top of cookies. Meringue powder, despite containing eggs, replaces raw fresh eggs while maintaining the same consistency.
Does royal icing harden?
Royal icing hardens to the consistency of candy when it dries, akin to button candy. It should be firm enough to avoid smearing but not so firm that it is difficult to bite. Plus, it is ideal for decorating cookies. Using a piping tip, create your image or anything you fancy, and let it dry for a few hours.
Conclusion
The most well-known utilization of meringue powder is in the royal icing recipe. Royal icing is a frosting used to pipe flowers, outline and flood cookies, and decorate cookies. Royal icing can be poured or piped, and it dries hard, making it easy to pack and store.
Moreover, there are some excellent meringue powder alternatives for when you are in a pinch. Incorporate them efficiently in your royal icing recipe, as I have mentioned in the article. Be rest assured your recipe still goes according to plan.