I’ve sent you the e-mail with more details, and I hope it’s detailed enough! And I forgot to add the first time I asked for your help that I live in INDONESIA!

Hi Patricia; I just got them – how cute! I love the turtle design.

It looks like too much air was incorporated into the icing. Did you use a whisk attachment or a paddle attachment?
It could be the recipe as well; although no egg white recipe which I’ve used has had that result, so I don’t think it’s the egg whites specifically.

To figure this out I’ll need to you to share exactly how you made the icing… the recipe, the steps you took to make it etc. Also, did you use it right away or did you let it sit for a bit. Walk me through what you did and that’ll give me a better idea as to what happened.

@ marian:
I’ve sent them already, hope this mystery will soon be solved. Thanks for being very helpful! xo

Hi Patricia,
Humidity is the main culprit for bleeding, whether it’s egg-white royal icing or meringue-based RI I apply the same tips for both.
I’d love to see a picture of your RI to see whether it’s just the fact that you’re using egg whites or if it’s another issue. Would you be able to send an image?

Hi, Marian! This isn’t the first time I’m in awe of your work/ asking you for help concerning my cookies!

You said that you’ve used egg-white royal icing before. I’m wondering, because meringue powder is very hard to come by here (and expensive!), if you have some further tips on how to prevent bleeding when using egg-white RI?
Also, my egg-white RI dries to a rougher/stranger texture than your cookies, do you have any idea why this happened??

Thanks in advance!!

Hi Marian; Thanks for the quick response!
I usually use about 2 heaping tbsp of cocoa, sifted, for a full soup bowl of icing. (I find a full corelle soup bowl is just about right for a full icing bag – and I use cellophane cones for icing, which are quite cost effective, but sadly not re usable. And not good if icing is too thick…). I’m using the whisk-whipped icing, so not sure if that makes a difference vs the paddle whipped icing when using cocoa. Also, when adding cocoa, I find it darkens and thickens over time. So wait a few minutes before adding more, if the colour isn’t dark enough. Wait too long, and it will be too thick to pipe! It can be tricky. I’m also using a larger tip for outlining in chocolate icing, #2 or #3, but not #1. I once tried mixing the cocoa with warm water, then adding it to the icing, but it caused my icing to quickly ‘deflate’. I can also recall using melted chocolate to do some outlining a while back,when I was in a pinch, and I don’t recall it causing a problem, but maybe I wasn’t paying close enough attention at the time! Must try again. I think I persevere with the cocoa mainly because I like the taste.

Hi Michelle: Glad to ‘meet’ you here!

I haven’t tried using coloured white chocolate or candy wafers; I’d be concerned that the heat and the fat, like you said, would affect the icing. Still, it’d be interesting to experiment. If you get to it before I do, I’d love to hear your results.

Thanks for the cocoa tip! I’ve tried it once before and got a little more clogging than usual. Maybe I used too much. May I ask how much cocoa you put in please?

Disco dust is more like a glitter, whereas luster dust is like a fine powder, although it can have a sheen to it.

If you click on my disco dust post here, when you see the word disco dust highlighted pink, it’s a link to where you can buy it.

Hope that helps and hope to see you ‘around’!

I stumbled upon your blog for the first time this evening, and of course your work is phenomenal! I’ve been doing cookies for almost 4 years now, and I’m very excited to try some of the very helpful tips from you/your readers. I’ve always being using the whisk attachment to make cookies, and I’m looking forward to going with the paddle. I get holes in my icing as well, usually in small areas. Have you ever tried using coloured white chocolate or candy wafers for those small spots, or would the fat affect the royal icing? Also, if I’m doing outlines, I tend to do them in brown, but use icing which has been mixed with cocoa. That way, I get nice flavour (especially if I’m putting orange rind in my cookies), and less chance of colours running. Just takes time to get the consistency right with the addition of the cocoa to the prepared icing – just make sure to sift to avoid lumps. Also, are disco dust and luster dust one in the same? Doesn’t appear so – any links for ordering disco dust? Can’t wait to spend the next few evenings browsing your archives!

Awesome, thanks. I’ll have to try it out!

@ Marian:
Its just something I have seen online and wondered if it would work to keep the cookies from bleeding while adding a nice sheen. It says it works well in humid conditions.