Incredible

...but inedible.  Our first attempt with Royal Icing went rather well.  I made the dough last night and baked the cookies this morning.  The tester cookies we tried ended up being very dry--like cardboard dry---like chip-a-tooth dry.  

The dough did not come together like it should have, it looked like little crumbles, and I needed to add water.  It rolled out like normal, and it baked nicely.  I probably should have made a gingerbread house out of the dough, based on how structurally sound the finished products came out.  

I wanted the type of icing I had on a cookie at a wedding of two of my classmates in 2003.  Some internet research showed me that it was probably Royal Icing, and I wanted to try it out. 

I got a few icing implements, including bags and a tip, meringue powder, and white-white icing coloring.I watched videos and read recipes online.  I considered many techniques, including piping and flooding and painting.  In the end I couldn't figure out what type of paintbrush would be foodsafe (none of the websites told what type of brush they were using/recommending).

I suppose we will try again with sugar cookies this time.  I would like to paint, if I ever figure out what kind of brush to get...ideas appreciated on that front...

-吴碧芙