Julia Child's Simple Tip To Keep Royal Icing From Drying Out Too Quickly

In the world of cooking, few figures stand above Julia Child. During her time as host of "The French Chef" throughout the 1960s and 1970s, she introduced many home cooks to classic French recipes, such as her all-time favorite chicken dish coq au vin. She also gave some truly fantastic cooking advice, from her thumb tack trick for better poached eggs to her peeler prep hack for tender asparagus. It's safe to say that Child really knew her stuff, and her work didn't stop with the savory — she also knew her way around a pastry. In fact, she had one simple tip that just might save your next batch of royal icing.

In an episode of "The French Chef" (via YouTube), Child revealed a simple way to keep your icing fresh: Cover it with a damp paper towel. This tip is perfect for royal icing because it's not meant to remain moist and tender, unlike other icings such as buttercream or fondant. Instead, it hardens to form a shell once set. This trick lets you make your icing ahead of time rather than scrambling to make it as needed. It might just be a coup for your next batch of cookies.

If you don't have any paper towels on hand, you can also use plastic wrap to cover your icing by pressing it against your icing so there is no room for air to dry out the batch. You should also refrigerate your icing, especially if it's going to sit out for an extended period. If you do put it in the fridge, you may need to remix the icing before using it. You should also ensure your icing hasn't started to dry out; this can cause issues with texture when you go to ice your cookie or pastry of choice. You can keep royal icing in the fridge for several days so long as it is sealed. You can also freeze your icing in an airtight container for about three months at a stretch. However, frozen royal icing, once thawed, might not maintain an ideal consistency; you may need to perk it up by mixing in some new icing.

If you're using meringue powder rather than egg whites to make royal icing, you have a bit more wiggle room for storage since it's shelf stable for extended periods. However, if you're using egg whites from a whole egg, be more stringent with storage since most whole eggs sold in the United States aren't pasteurized. Therefore, they may carry foodborne illnesses, making the icing more likely to spoil.