Sun Managing Editor Duke Conover questioned me about Royal Icing as he edited the story on Wednesday's Taste page about gingerbread houses. Since he didn't know, I figured quite a few people probably want to know the back-story on this form of icing and why exactly is it "royal" or "Royal," depending on the usage and context.
According to Betty Crocker, the icing has a smooth, matte finish suitable for making lasting decorations like gingerbread houses and cookies. Traditional Royal Icing contains powdered sugar, egg whites or meringue powder, lemon juice and varying amounts of water. It's also known as glace and originated in England after being used on Queen Victoria's wedding cake.
The queen's chef published a book in 1862 about how to use the icing on wedding cakes, which were, believe it or not, fruitcakes (yes, the much maligned holiday food). The white icing signified the purity of the bride. The icing also sealed in the freshness. No snide jokes about fruitcakes, please.
In modern times, the icing is used as a "glue" for holding decorations together, particularly on gingerbread houses.
And that's the rest of the story.
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