How do you make an icing dove?

Here's a guide on how to make an icing dove, along with some tips for success:

Materials:

* Royal icing: This is the best icing for detailed work. You'll need both a stiff consistency for piping and a looser consistency for flooding.

* Piping bags: One for the stiff icing, one for the looser icing.

* Piping tips: A round tip (size 2 or 3) for the dove's body, and a smaller round tip (size 1 or 2) for the details.

* Food coloring: White (for the dove) and other colors you like for accents (like black for eyes).

* Parchment paper: To pipe on.

* Optional: Sprinkles, edible glitter, or other decorations.

Steps:

1. Prepare the icing: Follow your royal icing recipe. You'll need two consistencies:

* Stiff icing: For the outline of the dove and the details like the beak, legs, and eyes. It should hold its shape well and be firm enough to pipe.

* Flooding icing: For filling in the dove's body. It should be thin enough to flow easily but not so thin that it runs too much. You can thin your stiff icing with a little water to make it flooding consistency.

2. Pipe the dove's body:

* Outline: Use your stiff icing and round tip to create the basic shape of the dove's body. This could be a simple teardrop shape, or you can add a curved wing shape if you prefer.

* Fill in: Use the flooding icing and your round tip to fill in the outline you just made. Start from the top and work your way down, guiding the icing smoothly.

3. Add the details:

* Wings: Using stiff icing and a small round tip, pipe lines or feathery shapes to create the dove's wings.

* Head: Pipe a smaller teardrop shape for the head at the top of the dove's body.

* Beak: Add a tiny triangle shape for the beak at the tip of the head.

* Legs: Two tiny lines for the legs.

* Eyes: Tiny dots of black icing.

4. Let dry: Allow the dove to dry completely before handling. This can take a few hours, depending on the humidity.

5. Decorate (optional): Once dried, you can add sprinkles, edible glitter, or other decorations for a festive touch.

Tips:

* Practice makes perfect: It's helpful to practice piping the dove's shape a few times on a piece of parchment paper before making the final one.

* Smooth the icing: Use a toothpick or the back of a small knife to smooth out the icing if necessary.

* Use a piping guide: If you're new to piping, consider using a piping guide template.

* Store properly: Once dry, store your icing doves in an airtight container to prevent them from becoming soft or sticky.

Variations:

* Different colors: Get creative with food coloring! You can make a dove in any color you like.

* Add patterns: Experiment with different piping techniques to create intricate designs on the dove's wings or feathers.

* Use a different icing: You can also use buttercream icing, fondant, or even marzipan to create a dove.

Have fun experimenting and enjoy creating your own beautiful icing doves!