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If you need to brush up on your biscuit icing techniques here's how to create line and flood icing. Remember any icing equipment can be bought from our website, and you can also purchase our Biscuiteers Book of Iced Biscuits which has all the information you will need.
Every day at Biscuiteers HQ our team of artists and illustrators bake and hand-ice biscuits to fulfil deliveries all over the world. We use a technique called flooding which involves making a wall with line icing then filling the biscuit in glossy royal icing, giving the biscuit a smooth and level look. The icing sets hard so decoration can be added on top to really bring any design to life!
Basic Royal Icing
(choose one of the below recipes)
All the recipes are prepared in the same way:
- Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl, starting with the liquids first.
- Add the dry ingredients and whisk or beat for about 5 minutes if using an electric beater or whisk, or for longer if using a wooden spoon. Whisk slowly to start with to avoid clouds of icing sugar covering you and your kitchen!
- Continue whisking until the ingredients form a thick, smooth paste that is bright white in colour and has the consistency of toothpaste.
- If you are not using it immediately, cover the surface of the icing with cling-film to stop it drying out and refrigerate.
- Fill your piping bag with the chosen colours and you're ready to begin!
Now you have the basic recipe, let's get a little more technical...
Your line icing should be the texture of toothpaste. If it seems a bit stiff add a little water.
If you are making an outline to fill with flooding icing you need to make sure that you join up your trail to form an unbroken wall around the shape you need. If there are any gaps the flood icing will flow through.
When you first start, or if you are icing with children, either choose a larger plain nozzle (no.3) or cut a larger hole in the end of the disposable piping bag. Let the walls dry for about 5 minutes before filling with the flood icing.
Flooding Icing
The flood icing is a little runnier than the line icing - you just need to add a bit of water slowly to the basic recipe to get the right consistency. At Biscuiteers we squeeze our flooding icing in place using little clear plastic squeezy bottles. For any tiny areas it's easier to use a piping bag. Fill the area in just the same way as with the line icing but be careful as the icing will pour out of both ends if unsecured. For simple designs, or when you are starting out you can just spoon the icing on the biscuits and spread out using a cocktail stick or a little skewer.
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Return your biscuits to the oven to dry for around 30 minutes. At Biscuiteers we put our biscuits in a very very low temperature oven (the lowest your oven can go) to make sure the icing is totally dry. Don't worry, the biscuit won't burn and the icing will not melt! The heat helps set the biscuits so they have that glossy and smooth effect on top.
Once you have grasped these basic icing techniques stay tuned for more tips on decorating your biscuits.
If you want to learn all the tips and tricks for making beautiful hand iced biscuits then the Biscuiteers Book of Iced Biscuits has all the information you will need. Inside you'll find step by step guides on baking, icing and decorating our beautiful biscuit collections. We've included some of our favourite biscuit recipes and our hints and tips on how to achieve biscuit perfection.
You'll be a Biscuiteer in no time!
