Royal Icing

Royal icing

Makes: 1 cup of icing
Preparation time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
1 egg white

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup powder sugar (or more to thicken the icing)

Steps:

Whisk the egg white until stiff for 3-4 minutes

Add the sugar gradually while whisking for 1 minute. Add more sugar if you prefer a thicker icing

Use it immediately or store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days

for the cookies in the picture recipe: http://lailaskitchen.blogspot.com/2013/02/love-cookies.html

Sugar syrup

Sugar syrup

قطر، شيرة، عسل الحلويات

Most of the middle eastern desserts are topped with the sugar syrup. It adds sweetness, moist and enhances the flavor of the dessert.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp orange blossom water ماء زهر
• 1/4 tsp lemon juice
• Optional (add any of these to flavor the syrup):
• vanilla beans or cinnamon stick or saffron or orange zests or lemon zest. 

Steps: 

watch the steps demonstrated in the video above

- In a saucepan, mix the sugar, water, lemon juice and orange blossom water.

- stir the mixture well.

- turn up the heat, put the saucepan on the oven and keep stirring the mixture until it gets thickened or until the syrup begins to boil.

Hint: don't leave the mixture still or else the sugar may crystallize (it is important to keep stirring)

- Once the syrup is ready you can use it right away or pour it in a container for later uses. It is usually stored in room temperature.