ok, when i was in wilton class last week, i tried to use the smallest tip #1 round. and when i was doing this, some icing would get stuck, and then i would have to squezze a lil harder, and a bunch would come out. now after playing around with it, i realized NOTHING was it the tip, and it didnt seem that there was chuncks in my BC..

so any ideas of what im doing wrong? i was trying to do that weird squigily lines that people do on cakes...

thanks everyone!

The #1 is quite small and requires very smooth icing. It usually doesn't take very much, so you can just push it through a strainer to remove all the lumps. It can also be slightly thinned because the line is nice and thin.

also make sure there's no air in the bag - this can cause blockage and the icing will plop out all at once

btw, I think what you're referring to is cornelli lace

That #1 tip is a difficult little bugger to use. Every time I take it out of my box I just know that will be the day that I master the #1 tip - it has not happend yet - usually end up taking out my #2 tip. Our instructor did suggest adding a little piping gel to your frosting when using this tip it is suppose to make working with it easier.

Adding piping gel to your BC definitely helps but even with that I end up using #2 for cornelli lace and sotas!

I always thougth/heard that #1 was for use only w/ thinned royal icing when doing the very delicate string work

(and...a way to strain icing to extreme: take clean (as in new, unused, washed and sanitized) nylon stockings -- aka panty hose -- double layer -- plop icing in middle, gather up into ball ---- and twist away over a bowl -- will have exceptionally smooth icing -- just be careful of blow outs.)


edited for spelling as usual!

Sometimes, when you set your bag down for a minute or two, and then come back to it; the icing will have dried in the tip, and you have to get that part out to get to the good icing.

To avoid the icing drying out in the tip, you can wrap the tips with a damp paper towel when you have to leave it for a few minutes. For this tip (I rarely use it because of difficulties), I find that I have to work slower with much less pressure than I normally use with the round tips. And, as stated above, thinning the icing does help!

Using a thinner icing will definately help. I know when I pipe with royal icing I run my icing through a brand new knee-high stocking. That is what I did before piping all the bridge work/curtain work on my cake show entry! Helped tremendously!!!! A bit messy process though!



Amy

Yes, #1 is my evil enemy. I've never gotten anything good from it, but that's just me. I use a #2 tip for cornelli lace, and if it's a large surface to cover, I'll even use #3!

HTH!

Along with all these great ideas, you could try sifting your icing sugar with a fine sifter or sieve if its lumpy to begin with.

Purple

I use #1 all the time & what I do is before I put the tip on the bag, I put the bag of icing in the microwave for just a few seconds. It works great! Helen

thanks alot everyone! ill use all ur tips now and yes i wasss reffering to cornelli lace.. lol i just had a total slip of my mind when i was trying to think of the anme.. thanks alot again!