For example, if someone had a cracking problem, then tried adding glycerine and kept everything else in the recipe and environment the same, what was the outcome? Did it work, make a disaster, or cause no change? Has anyone made a small change to a recipe they consistenty use and know, but the outcome caused a noticeable difference? Was it the expected change? Was it a good or bad thing?
The one time I got a tiny smidge of vegetable shortening (Crisco) in my royal icing, it looked and acted the same for piping, but stayed a sticky, tacky, melted saltwater taffy consistency, and a lighter shade, and was not dry days later. It was only a couple of small royal icing transfers, and all the other ones, including lighter and darker shades of the same color came out fine. Therefore, I have good reason to to believe that shortening is a bad thing for ri, and I will likely know what went wrong the next time I see it. Also, if I wanted a spot to stay sticky (for sprinkles maybe?) on a future cookie, I have an idea of something to try.
I have a pretty good ri recipe that works for me most of the time. But no clue why it sometimes doesn't. I feel for other cookiers posting here with the same problems, especially experienced ones. I wonder how much people base advice on experience, and how many are just passing along advice from elsewhere?
Maybe I just need to think happy thoughts while I mix mine, or keep it afraid of me so it's too scared to misbehave, lol! I know if I were royal icing, I would defy physics if Julia told me to.