Instructions: Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Add confectioners sugar and lemon juice. Beat for 1 minute or more. If the icing is too thick, add more egg whites. If it is too thin, add more sugar. For a glossy icing, mix in a few drops of glycerin.

To tint icing, add only a bit of food coloring at a time, using the end of a toothpick. Blend well. A little goes a long way.

Note: Martha used five colors: black, orange, yellow, white, and pale blue.

This recipe yields 1 batch.

FLOODING, PIPING, AND SANDING:
To ice the entire cookie, or "flood," use a pastry bag with a number 2 tip. A thinner icing consistency is preferable when flooding; just add a bit of water to thin out the icing. Fill the pastry bag, cuff the open end over one hand, and use a spatula to scrape in the icing. Twist the half-full bag closed, so the icing doesnt leak out at the top.

For piping, use a number 3 tip, rest the tip on your index finger, pushing the icing out gently with your thumb.

For sanding, dust the cookie with sanding sugar to make it sparkle. Tap off the excess sugar when the cookie is dry.

Yield: 1 batch

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