What to do with Leftover Royal Icing {Perfect Flower Centers}

March 9, 2011 | 20 Comments »

There are actually tons of things you can do with it, but this is what I happened to be doing today, so this is what you get =)

When I first began making flower cookies, I flooded the cookie, waited eight hours until it was dry, and then added the centers.  Then one day, I got wise.  I came up with a time saving method that is also a good way to use leftover icing.

First, use painters tape to secure a piece of wax paper to a cookie sheet {painters tape because it is easy to remove without destroying whats on the paper}
Then, using flood consistency royal icing, which should be about like shower gel, maybe a little thicker, drop evenly sized rounds onto the sheet.
If you want a little sparkle, let them sit about ten minutes or so, then sprinkle them with a little something pretty.  This time I used sanding sugar.
Let them dry overnight or longer…
This is what they look like after they have dried.  I used non-pareils on this batch.
Aren’t they pretty?  And if you wait as long as you are supposed to, they peel off perfectly.
This is what I like to use them for.  It’s such a time saver, because instead of waiting hours for the first layer to dry and then hours again, I just do it all at once and eliminate a step.
Plus, you already know they are perfect beforehand, so there are no worries about wonky centers.
The only thing I will warn you about is this…You only get one shot to drop them on nicely without making a mess.  So, be careful.  Oh yes, and if you do mess up, you can always move them around with a toothpick. {Not that I know from experience or anything}
If you don’t have any leftover royal icing, it’s still easy to get perfectly round centers on your flowers.
Use the same thick-ish icing and starting in the middle squirt a little blob,*I’m so technical* and then spread it out by using the icing tip and swirling it in a circular motion until it is as big as you’d like.
If you want it sprinkled, same rule as before.  Let it firm up a tiny bit, and then sprinkle it =)
Not only is it good for middles, it’s good for Loren’s ribbon roses and regular royal icing roses.
And now y’all know what I do in my spare time!
If you don’t already do this, you SHOULD.  Pre-made royal icing accents can get pretty pricey.  If you do it yourself, you have all the fun, without spending the dough!?

*I should have said this before, but the little decorations last FOREVER…well not really forever, but there’s no expiration date.  You will get weirded out and end up throwing them away before they actually go bad.

They do however, fade.  Keep them in a cool, dark, non-humid place because moisture and light are the enemy of royal icing decorations.

And I have heard some say NEVER to store them in airtight containers, and some say that they MUST be in a container…I don’t really know enough to say honestly.  I have done it both ways.  The ribbon roses have been out since Valentine’s day.  But I also live in the desert.  SOOOOOO, I’d say if you live in a dry climate, no worries.  If you live in Seattle or something, leave ’em out and let me know, because it hasn’t rained here in four months, and I am not sure it’s going to =(

Tidy Mom
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Sweet Sugar Belle
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