Royal icing

Royal icing is a sweet and firm preparation primarily used for decorations in pastry and baking, especially on cookies, cakes, and tortes. It is made from egg whites (or meringue powder), powdered sugar, and often a bit of lemon juice or citric acid to provide stability and shine. When dried, royal icing creates a hard, smooth layer that allows for fine and precise detailing in finishes.

Its origin dates back to traditional European cake decorating techniques, although today it is very popular in global cuisine, especially for decorating cookies for holidays like Christmas or special events.

Among its notable properties are its quick-drying capability, hardness once set, and its smooth and malleable texture before resting. This makes it an ideal ingredient for outlining edges, creating relief details, and achieving professional finishes in baking.

Regarding synonyms in Spanish from Latin America, although it is commonly referred to the same way ("glaseado real"), it is also known as merengue real or simply merengue de azúcar, especially when meringue powder is used instead of fresh egg whites in its preparation.