Holidays

Royal Icing Recipe from Wendy McGowan, Sweet Cactus Cake Club

Recipe courtesy of Wendy McGowan, Sweet Cactus Cake Club

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Ingredients

1 lb. powdered sugar

3 Tbsp meringue powder

6 Tbsp water (optional: Can use 3 Tbsp water and 3 Tbsp lemon juice for flavor)

1 tsp vanilla (use clear vanilla if you want white icing)


Directions

  • Place powdered sugar and meringue powder in mixing bowl

  • Mix on low

  • While mixer is on low slowly add water. Continue mixing on low for 3-5 minutes until mixture becomes fluffy and a brighter white.


Note: Do not mix on medium or high, you do not want to incorporate air into the icing because it will not hold up as well.

Keep icing covered with a damp cloth as it will dry very quickly. Icing can be kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.

Icing Consistency

Test the consistency of the icing by stopping the mixer and then counting the number of seconds until the mixture flattens out smooth or run a knife or spoon through the icing and count the seconds until the icing goes smooth.

For outlining and flooding cookies, the icing should take about 8 seconds to go smooth. 

If it takes less than 8 seconds, then add more powdered sugar about 1/8-1/4 cup at a time, mix it well, then test the consistency again. 

If it takes longer than 8 seconds, add water about ½-1 teaspoon at a time and mix, then test again.



Ideas for an Allergy-Friendly Easter Menu

Ideas for an Allergy-Friendly Easter Menu

As the host, I feel it’s my responsibility to ensure that the Easter table is safe for him. And I welcome that responsibility (and sometimes challenge). Of course, if you have a 2-year-old, you know they’re picky little buggers who don’t eat much.

These days, our allergies are eggs and dairy, but if you also have nut, peanut, soy and gluten on your list, there are lots of options. Here are just a few ideas to pull from this Sunday.

Traditional Thanksgiving Dressing (Egg-Free, Dairy-Free)

Stuffing/dressing has always been one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving. But a lot of traditional recipes call for egg and butter, which we can't do. So, here's the traditional option we'll be doing this year.

Chorizo and Jalapeño Dressing (Egg-Free, Dairy-Free)

Chorizo and Jalapeño Dressing (Egg-Free, Dairy-Free)

At Thanksgiving, people tend to expect the traditional foods. But what if you had the latitude to kick up the spice level on your dressing/stuffing? You'd get this. Oh, and it's dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free and soy-free.

Resources for Thanksgiving Turkey

Resources for Thanksgiving Turkey

Whoa, Thanksgiving is a week away. How did that happen? Despite my love of cooking, last year was my first time ever hosting Thanksgiving. And boy, was it stressful. I'll work on building out some allergy-friendly ideas this year so they can be a resource in future years. But in the meantime, I can share some resources for turkey that I hope will be helpful to you.