Gingerbread House Royal Icing (quick-set mortar)
3 large egg whites
½ tsp. cream of tartar
1 pound confectioner’s sugar
In a large mixer bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar and confectioners’ sugar until high, fairly stiff peaks form. Use as mortar for assembling pieces of gingerbread structure. Keep closely covered with plastic as mixture sets quickly and can’t be re-beaten. Also, icing can be used for mounds of billowing snow around structure. For fine trims, thin icing, as needed, with light corn syrup.