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The Ultimate Strong Royal Icing for Gingerbread House Glue and Decoration

A piping bag with a metal tip is dispensing stiff, white gingerbread house icing onto a small white plate.
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This recipe gives you the sturdy royal icing you need to build and decorate your gingerbread house. It acts as strong edible glue and pipes cleanly for detailed work.

Ingredients

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  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 6 tablespoons warm water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

  1. Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a large bowl. Break up any lumps.
  2. Add the meringue powder to the sifted sugar and whisk them together briefly.
  3. Pour the warm water into the dry ingredients.
  4. Using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, start mixing on low speed until the ingredients are just combined.
  5. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 5 to 7 minutes until the icing is very stiff, bright white, and holds stiff peaks. This is your ‘glue’ consistency.
  6. For piping and decorating, you may need a thinner consistency. Take out the amount you need for assembly first.
  7. To thin for decorating, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating well after each addition until you reach a consistency that flows slowly from a spoon (medium-stiff consistency).
  8. To thin further for flooding or fine lines, add water drop by drop until it reaches your desired flow.
  9. Use immediately for assembly. Cover the remaining icing tightly with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent drying.

Notes

  • For the strongest gingerbread house glue, use the icing straight from the 7-minute beating stage; do not add extra water.
  • If you substitute fresh egg whites for meringue powder, use 3 large egg whites instead of the powder and water. You must beat the egg whites until foamy before adding the sugar to prevent weeping.
  • If the icing seems too thin for building, add more sifted confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time.
  • This icing dries hard, making it the best edible glue for royal icing creations.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://kitchenslang.com/strong-gingerbread-house-icing-recipe/