Getting royal icing to be a true black without a bitter taste can be a challenge. But using the right food coloring and our secret ingredient, this recipe nails it.
stand mixer with a whisk attachment and a mixing bowl
Spatula
mixing spoon
Ingredients
4cupsicing sugar
3Tablespoonsmeringue powder
½cupwater
⅓cupcocoa powderoptional
AmeriColor black gel food coloring - you will need between 2 and 4 teaspoons to color the whole batch of icing black1/2 to 1 teaspoon per cup of icing.
Instructions
Put the icing sugar, cocoa powder and meringue powder in the mixer and whisk for a few seconds on low speed to get rid of any lumps.
Add the water and mix on low speed until combined.
Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix for 3 to 5 minutes until the icing forms soft peaks.
Run a knife through the icing to test the consistency
If it takes less than 10 seconds for the gap to close, your icing is too thin. Beat it some more to get it thicker.
If it takes longer than 20 seconds for the gap to close, your icing is too thick. Add a few drops of water and mix briefly.
Repeat the testing process until the icing is the right consistency.
If you are going to use the whole batch for black icing, add the black food coloring directly to your bowl. Otherwise, separate out the icing that you want to be black.
Add in a small amount of black gel icing and mix it by hand.
If it still looks like a light grey, add a little more black gel and mix again. Repeat until it has reached a dark color.
How To Make A Small Batch Of Black Royal Icing With Cocoa Powder
Put some plain white royal icing into a bowl.
Add 2 to 4 teaspoons of cocoa powder per cup of white icing and mix thoroughly.
Add in the black gel food color a little at a time until you get a darker grey color.
If the icing is too stiff, add in a few drops of water to thin it to the consistency you want.
How To Make Black Royal Icing Without Cocoa Powder
Make the recipe as above, omitting the cocoa powder and increasing the mixing time to 5 to 8 minutes. You'll also need to use more black food coloring.
Add the food color in a little bit at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Keep going until your icing is a dark grey color.
At a certain point, you'll notice that adding more food coloring doesn't change the color of the icing very much. Stop adding more at this point. It won't make your icing any darker but it is adding more bitter flavor.
How To Make Your Own Black Food Coloring
Combine equal parts of blue, red and green gel food coloring in a bowl. 1 teaspoon of each is a good amount for a small batch.
Use a toothpick to spread some of the food coloring on a piece of paper to test the color. Adjust as necessary.
Follow the directions from the recipe above to add it to your icing.
Notes
Dutch cocoa powder works best since it has a darker color than regular cocoa powder. But any kind of cocoa powder is better than none.
Since it is very difficult to create two batches of icing with the exact same color, make sure you use enough to do all of your cookie decorating.
To get a better idea of how dark your icing will be, let it sit over night. Cover it with plastic wrap touching the surface of the icing to keep it from drying out.
How To Store Black Royal Icing
To store the icing, put it in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Then push down on the plastic so it is directly touching the icing and there are no air bubbles. It can be stored at room temperature this way for a few days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
To freeze, put it into a Ziploc bag and push out all of the air before closing. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Bring it back to room temperature before using.
If it looks like it has separated when you go to use it, this is normal. Just stir it a little to re-combine the layers.