I am going to try Indydebi's BC recipe for the first time today for a cake I will be taking to my Wilton class. We will be piping clowns and flowers. Will this recipe pipe well? I am a newbie, can you give me exact measurements for good piping consistency?
Also, If I am going to fill a cake with this, does it still need a dam? If so, what should I add to this to make it thicker?
Thanks!
Jessica

It pipes well, but all I really pipe with it is shell borders and cupcake swirls. I always add 1/2 cup of liquid to it (flavored coffee creamer or often a blend of milk and rum or amaretto). I haven't tried making those scary clowns but I think the bodies are done with an open star tip, like the shell border, so I think it would work really nicely.

And you don't really need a dam when you fill a cake with Indydebi's BC, but I usually use a #12 tip and pipe a ring around the layer, with the same consistency that I'm using to fill and frost.

Yes it pipes well.

Exact - not possible as even the humidity can effect -- so just have to adjust on the spot

Dam's used when doing jelly, jam, fruit curd and other gooey fillings.

for just BC, no need to dam -- but do let it settle (ie let gravity have it's way with it to avoid the dread cake bulge (aka your cake ends up looking like it has a spare tire!)

to thicken any BC -- start with LESS liquid, in this case milk.

then to thin add liquid a teaspoon at a time until consistency you need is reached.

Always start with a stiff BC and thin to soft

It's pretty good for piping and just about every other use...i pipe a dam, just because, so i've never tried it without a damn. I would suggest just not putting too much buttercream within the dam, so it doesn't "squish" out once the rest of the cakes are stacked.

Thanks so much, guys
Texas_Rose, I am not looking forward to the clowns. I have looked all over online and still cant find a way to make them look less scary or even remotely cute. The good news is, next year Wilton is changing their class stuff so as of 2010, they wont be teaching the clowns anymore. Woohoo!

I liked the clowns, I think they were really cute when I did mine, they are in my pootos