Monkfruit Royal Icing
When I baked professionally, the Cleveland Browns Stadium was one of our biggest clients. So every home game involved long hours making specialty desserts for the dessert carts, served to the fans who were season ticket holders in the expensive private boxes. And I made thousands of Cleveland Browns helmet sugar cookies. The production crew would make the dough, cut and bake, and I would hand-decorate all of them, one by one. I mastered not only the decorating technique to keep them looking consistent (and fast) but also the ideal ratio of powdered sugar, egg white and water for the perfect royal icing. It held its shape when it was piped, dried glossy and hard, providing just enough crispy crack before breaking into the soft cookie. Of course during the same season was Christmas, and I was the designated decorator, so I used the same recipes and techniques for all of the decorated cookies. Gingerbread was my favorite.
Since I’m not eating gluten, grain or dairy, I’ve developed updated recipes for the icing as well as the gingerbread. Which, according to my family, are virtually indistinguishable from the original. And that’s the goal.
The trick with this version of icing is to use it the same day you make it, or better yet, make it right before you’re going to decorate the cookies. It tends to crystalize (just like powdered sugar) and will cause lumps when you make the paper cones to decorate.
