Royal Incing And Buttercream Without Meringue Powder
Decorating By doudoun Updated 28 Sep 2006 , 6:17am by MissBaritone
I know you can use egg whites instead of the pwder, but I forget what the conversion is...how much powder + water = how many egg whites...sorry, wish I could be more helpful
never mind...I forgot I had Martha's recipe in my purse...you can use 2 large egg whites instead of the powder, per 1 lb of sugar...begin mixing and add 1/2 cup of water at a time till you reach the desired consistency.
Meringue Powder is not "required" when making buttercream. Many recipes don't use it but............for roses, etc. it is extremely helpful in stablizing your frosting.
In Buttercream icing, it acts as a stabilizer as well. This is helpful during warm months since butter makes a frosting so soft.
It also helps a frosting to "crust" which is extremely helpful when using certain techniques like "piping gel transfer" and smoothing with a paper towel or piece of parchment.
Thanks girls!!
It's more easy for me to not ad meringue powder because i need to order in us so i am in france 
I can't smooth my buttercream with paper towel, because i make a italian buttercream (water and sugar boil ad with yellow egg, butter and sugar but half than us ) and is always stick ! do you think i's because i don't make double sugar than us and don't put crisco???
i try with meringue powder but it's sticky to !
Thank you for your reply
Doudoun....please remember also that we use meringue powder in the U.S. in lieu of raw egg white to avoid any salmonella contamination which is always a possibility when using raw egg.
Re: Crusting buttercream. I make Italian buttercream too. It's delicious and lucious but does not lend itself well to piping roses, etc. and you certainly cannot use it for piping gel transfer or paper smoothing unless you frosting the cake first and freeze it. While frozen, you may be able to "smooth" it the traditional way (paper towel/parchment and a fondant smoother).
Re: Roses and buttercream. The consistency of the frosting is so very critical. Too soft and your roses are dropping and too stiff and the petals won't stick to the foundation and the petals crack.
Wilton "Class Buttercream" lends itself perfectly to rose piping.....
1 cup white Vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon flavor
2T milk (I use heavy whipping cream)
1 # pure can confectioners' sugar
1T Wilton Meringue Powder
pinch of salt
This nets approx 3 cups of "stiff" consistency frosting. If it's toooooo stiff, it won't work well. Check by touching the icing. If nothing sticks to your finger, it's too stiff. Add a small amount (1 teaspoon at a time) of milk and try again. Good Luck
okkkkkkkk 
now i understand cakelady!! you use in us meringue powder because you use in cake and can let it outside so you can't use fresh egg!!!
But me i use fruit and chocolat mousse in my cake so i can't let them outside the fridge. so it's not obligatory for me to use meringue powder.
Yes for smothing my buttercream, i don't have choice to let it in the freezer some minutes before smoth it ! i never try paper towel after freezing cake. so i going to buy meringue powder just for roses.
Thanks very much for your help.
I try to make the recipe 1lb of sugar with 2 white eggs.
As you're in Europe if you want meringue powder try ordering from the UK. Over here the product you want is called meri-white. Here's a link to a fantastic shop that is used to exporting
http://newlook.design-a-cake.co.uk/
As has been said you can make royal and buttercream without the powder but I am always very wary about using raw egg in icing plus the meri-white does give a whiter icing
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