What type of icing would you choose for detailed piping work due to its firmness?

The most suitable icing for detailed piping work is royal icing. This choice is primarily due to its firm consistency when it dries, which allows for intricate designs and fine details. Royal icing is made primarily from egg whites (or meringue powder) and powdered sugar. When it dries, it forms a hard surface that can hold shapes and intricate piping designs without collapsing or smudging.

This property makes royal icing ideal for decorative purposes, such as creating borders, flowers, and even detailed decorations on cookies and cakes. The ability to work with this icing in fine detail is essential for pastry artists who are looking to enhance their creations with delicate touches.

Other types of icing, though versatile in their own right, do not offer the same firmness after drying. Buttercream, while smooth and delicious, tends to be too soft for precise decorative work, as it can easily lose its shape and details. Fondant can be molded and rolled for smooth finishes but is not typically used for piping fine details. Ganache, while rich and can be piped, does not achieve the structural integrity required for intricate decorative work as effectively as royal icing does.