Cake Decorating Community - Cakes We Bake

Hi everyone,

Ive spent hours looking at nozzels today and the more i look, the more im getting confused !

 

Ive noticed that they all have numbers and letters. Are these standard ?

I have 6 nozzels at the moment that was a set, they have numbers and letters on them.

I bought an extra one a ' closed star rose swirl' to do the pretty ' open rose' look on some cupcakes.

Although, i think i bought the wrong one. I have tried it and i cant do it !  It just looks a mess so i cried and gave up :-(

I dont know what im doing wrong? Is it my buttercream or me ?!!

 

I would love to be able to do this! But also i need a large one for this giant cupcake.

Does it need to be a particular one, like ' open star'  or 'closed star' ?

I dont know which would look best on a giant cupcake?

 

Thank you for any help

A very confused

Lisa

:-)

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Thanks Katy,Bless you!  x        Im using :   75g/3oz stork

                                                                175g/6oz Tate+Lyle Icing Sugar

I use an electric hand mixer. Im sifting in the icing sugar?

Today, i didnt put in any milk, just the PME food colour gel.

It seemed to be ok yesterday,could it be due to beeing too hot in the kitchen, I had the oven on at the time ?

I was so happy with yesterday s piping !

 

Thank you so much

Lis

OK, your quantities are fine - exactly the ratio I use. I do usually use butter, only Stork when I run out of butter, but it should still work fine.  However, Stork is very fatty and can separate out. So my best guess is that the stork was too warm before you mixed it.  It needs to be soft, but not oily or runny.  If you are using the spreadable stork (see pic below), then you can use that straight from the fridge.  I would recommend always beating your fat (whatever you are using) into a creamy consistency before you add the icing sugar.  Then add icing sugar a little at a time and beat it into the fat in between additions.  That way, you know when you have the consistency you want and it blends in better.  If you're using an electric hand mixer, with the best will in the world, they don't beat as well as a stand mixer and paddle, so try beating the mixture for a lot longer when you have put all your icing sugar in.  It should be light and fluffy - a bit like the texture of the marg and sugar when you beat them together for a cake, before you add eggs and flour.  Do you still have the icing you made today?  If so, it might be worth trying this - put it back in the fridge for a few minutes, till it firms up, then beat the living daylights out of it, see if it comes back together.  



Lisa said:

Thanks Katy,Bless you!  x        Im using :   75g/3oz stork

                                                                175g/6oz Tate+Lyle Icing Sugar

I use an electric hand mixer. Im sifting in the icing sugar?

Today, i didnt put in any milk, just the PME food colour gel.

It seemed to be ok yesterday,could it be due to beeing too hot in the kitchen, I had the oven on at the time ?

I was so happy with yesterday s piping !

 

Thank you so much

Lis

Yes, thats the stork im using, i'll be honest, i only got it as it was offer ! Ok, i will use it straight from the fridge, i must admit, i did leave it out for a while.

Ive been looking for a proper mixer, but i cant find one cheap enough to be honest, even on ebay lol  What im using, im borrowing at the moment. God knows how im going to do this giant cupake without one lol

I didnt keep what i used earlier today, i threw it away and cursed as i did so !!

I will have to give it another try, using you kind help tomorow,as i suppose ive got to do his lordship's  ( bf with man flu at moment ! ) dinner lol !  Otherwise id be making up another batch now !

I will have time tomorow,as ive got to wait in for my cake stand and mould to turn up ! Supposed to been here today. Think i'll put the slow pot on tomorow so i can get in loads of practise !

I did think i might of been the stork rather than using butter. Would it be worth trying some butter ( instead )  as well ?

 

Thank you SO much Katy, your a star ;-)

Lis x

 

 

I was going to suggest the same thing as Katy Lisa. Give us the exact recipe you are using. Then we might be able to help with a solution.  :o)

I don't think you need to waste your money on butter just yet Lisa - you should be able to get it right with Stork.  I don't use fancy butter, just Tesco Value - it works fine as long as it's at room temperature.  

I know what you mean about the mixer, they are darn expensive.  I was lucky enough to have hubby buy me one for Christmas and I love, love it.  It changes everything - you can leave it running while you do something else, you don't get arm ache and it's much more efficient.  

Try Curry's or Amazon?

Oh and I also meant to say - you're welcome.  I know just how it feels to not be able to do something you want to do so much.  All I can say is, you will get there and then it will become second nature to you.  I've lost count of the number of times I have despaired of ever getting things right and wonder how other people manage to do it.  Am I stupid, rubbish, clumsy and then the tantrums come lol.  Then suddenly it works and away you go.

My first attempt at sugar flowers was total crap and I flopped around the house, saying I really don't know why I bother.  Then slowly but surely things started to improve, got the right tools and practised.  I'm no Les Brown, but I can do a passable flower now.

Don't despair Lisa. Did not realize you didn't have a proper mixer. It is hard making a good stiff icing without one. Actually, I don't think I could. We have two shops here in Canada where I live that sell refurbished appliances for 1/2 the cost of original.  I would be like Katy and ck out Ebay. Maybe Santa could give you a early christmas present??

Thank you both. Ive looked on Ebay and Amazon but there a little expensive for me. Not sure about Santa getting me an early christmas present, im still waiting for my birthday meal ...fom last year!! let alone 2 weeks ago LOL

Ive tried Tesco and Asda and Argos,Wilkinsons, i cant think of anywhere else. I dont know anyone who has one i can borrow.

 

' I really don't know why I bother' Oh i know that one!  and the tantrums, my first attempts at roses, my bf said ' right ,put the sugarpaste down, and step away' !! lol

Btw, Katy, incase it helps, dont use icing sugar for rolling your paste, or with your flowers, it only dries them out. Use Cornflower instead ;-)

Thanks June,i will keep looking but times running out regarding this cupcake !! Havent even worked out how much mix for that yet! It was all going so well LOL 

I'll get some piping done tomorow hopfully it will be better.

 

Thank you both ;-)

Lis xx

 

 

In the immortal words of Corporal Jones from Dad's Army - DON'T PANIC!!!!!!!!!!!!

and thanks for the tip on rolling out the paste in cornflour xx

Yes I always you cornstarch/cornflower instead of Icing sugar. But even so, it will also dry out your paste if you use too much.  Check around Lisa at 2nd hand shops, you might be surprised in what you can find.

HA ! Glad to be of some help. I was using icing sugar for ages and serious having problems, i read that cornflour was the best thing to use and its SO much better.

Sorry June, i should of said ages ago im only using an electric hand mixer :-)

 

Lis x

 

 

Well you still can make a decent icing with that. I did for years.  My daughter can't cook to save her life....well actually I lie, she was off work for 10 months when they moved looking for work, and she did become somewhat of a respectible cook. She makes cupcakes all the time. All she ever uses is organic butter & icing sugar....period. No added milk, water, & perhaps a hint of vanilla. She pipes out A-Ok icing. Stands up.

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