Hello. I'm fairly new to cookie decorating, and while I've solved quite a few problems by reading this forum, here's my current problem which I can't seem to find an answer for. Sometimes some of my colors bleed into each other, but it's often not noticeable until a few days after the icing is done. I've outlined a design in black, let it dry for a couple of hours and then flooded with a lighter color. Should the dark outline dry overnight? Should I not package cookies in cello bags until...how long? I made a whole batch of the same cookies 3 days ago, some bled and some didn't - but I can't really recall what I did differently for the bloody...oops, sorry, BLEEDING ones. I use the paste color's from Wilton's, planning to try Americolor. Would that make a difference?

Also, is there a quick way to dry cookies, if I have a lot to make and need to be efficient?

I would really appreciate any advice and tips. Thanks in advance!

You should let the darkest colors dry overnight.

Some people suggest putting them in the oven woth the light on to speed drying, but mine NEVER dried the time I tried that. So I guess you should experiment.

You should try to lower the humidity when they are drying to reduce bleeding as well. Like, don't store near the dishwasher. Humidity is death to royal icing.

The bags are not the problem really. Just remember royal icing takes about 5 secs to dry in the bowl or on your tip, but about 12+ hours to dry on a cookie. Some logic huh? It might seem dry, but itis not all the way dry....

Also, I as just wondering...are you using a royal flow icing, then a stiffer royal on top or what? I almost always have bleeding with Toba Garrett's icing....though most people do not. Go figure. Just my luck since I love the taste of it!

Good luck.

Julia

Thanks, Julia. I guess I should just be more patient and let the dark colors dry longer. I tried Toba's icing and it didn't work at all for me. It started off beautiful and shiny, but within a few days it lost its shine completely, and then a few days later it started to cloud over and crack - maybe I didn't mix enough, or thoroughly enough. Anyway, I'm sticking to meringue powder(not 5 tbsp, though - it's a bit expensive here), icing sugar and water, mix with hand-held mixer, and a bit (1 or 2 tbsp) of corn syrup. I like to use the bottles instead of the piping bags, and the icing might stay in the bottles for several days. I think that the corn syrup keeps the icing from separating too quickly, which is an issue because it's really hard to stir separated icing that's in a narrow bottle. This is just my unscientific theory, so far it seems to be working. For the flooding, I just pour some of the thick icing in a bowl and thin with water, stirring really well. Is this the right way to do it, or is Color Flow something different?

Thanks again for the advice,
Marina

Here is a topic that might add some light to your thoughts.

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-16844.html

I also thin thicker icing. i do not use corn syrup in mine all of the time. i think though that color flow is something else...perhaps made of other things.