Vegan Royal Icing

• 500g (1 lb/2 oz) icing sugar

• A squeeze of lemon juice

• Water, enough to achieve the right consistency

• Gel or paste food colourings, optional

1 Sift the icing sugar into a food mixer or large mixing bowl.

2 Gradually add the lemon juice, a very little at a time, until the required consistency is reached. The icing should coat the back of a spoon. If you need it thinner, add a few drops of water.

3 To colour the icing, use the gel or paste food colourings and mix in a very little at a time to reach the required shade. If you need more than one colour, divide the white icing into small bowls before adding the colour, and use separate piping bags.

4 If you’re not using the icing straight away, cover the bowl to prevent a crust from forming. Otherwise, transfer the icing into a piping bag(s) fitted with a small nozzle

(No 1 or No 2) and use according to recipe.

Recipes from Gingerbread, by Heather Whinney (published by Lorenz Books, priced £15). Photographs are by William Shaw.