Does anyone have any great recipes ot tips for making roses. Llike I heard Meringue powder helps alot ,how much do you put in a batch of bc icing? Thanks.

I would also be interested in any tips on making roses. Mine are getting better but my icing still seems to soft. I use the same buttercream that I ice my cake with. Should I add more powdered sugar to it to stiffen it up some before I use it for the roses? I am not sure the difference between thin, medium and stiff buttercream icing. Any thoughts or ideas would be great.
Bradymom

I cannot do roses to save my life but...I read on here somewhere (can't remember who said though, sorry!) to practice your roses using just straight crisco....it saves you time and energy and then you just scrape it back in the tub and use it again. I guess the icing for flowers should be about the same thickness/consistency of crisco.
HTH

Yes, you need stiff icing for roses. Take a large spoon and dip it into your icing and pull it straight out an up. The icing should stand staight, holding it shape and peaks. The icing consistency used for icing a cake should be much thinner.

I still am having a little problem with mine too but, I did realize I was using too thin of icing and was tilting my tip too far. When I fixed both of these things they looked alot better.
Judy

When adding MP to icing my rule of thumb is 1 tbsp per batch. Not more than 4 cups of icing. That should help there. But I don't always put MP in my icings. Even when I make roses. I do make sure that my icing is stiff enough to make the petals stand out and not melt. I start with stiff icing when making the icing. Wilton's BC is the best for roses. If making the mound is the problem I have heard using a Hershey's kiss. Don't know if it helps I haven't tried it. Haven't had any problem with my mounds. Another thing is making sure that your tip is pointed the correct way to make the petals flair out beautifully.

I use the hersey's kisses for my mounds! some people say it's like getting a nice suprise in your rose!!!

Stiff BC with some Corn syrup added is how I do it (the corn syrup doesnt thin it too much but adds elasticity) Then practice practice practice!

OK great, I will try making it stiffer and see. I was going to try the hershey kiss thing too! I am making an anniversary cake this wekend. I will post the pics Sunday.

I had a heck of a time also until one day I went to a local bakery and asked someone to show me how to do it. Instead of making the mound they tipped the tip on it side with wide end toward you and made 3 circles 1 on top of each other. I've made good roses ever since, but to this day I still can't make a rose off a mound. My 13year old tryed to help me take pictures to show you what I mean some maybe a little blury but you can still get the idea. Here they are....

Wow that is great thanks, I will try that.

Oh wow! I'll have to try that! Thanks.

agagnier: thank you, thank you, thank you

Thank you Thank you Agagnier, this is GREAT, I have terrible icing 'mounds' ....but like the idea of starting the rose your way. Can't wait to try it, thanks again!

stiffer icing helps.

i took the 2 wilton classes...but as soon as i went to work for a bakery they switched me over to making them on a stick...IT IS SOOOO MUCH EASIER.

they just sent me home with a bag and a stick with some icing and said practice practice practice...i thought i'd never get it.

but once you do...easy!

I learned to make roses in a stick following the tutorial in this website, and I found it much easier and simpler, specially because you only need to work with one bag.

I think the 1 bag method is better also. We I was taught to do it this was I was only shown once and that was by watching someone. When I got home I tryed it and got it first time. All the other times my mound kept falling over no matter what icing I used.

I hope this works for you guys. PLMK

Angelia

I'm going to try to use this 3 circle method that agagnier suggested. I've made some decent mound roses but I still have a hard time with them. Thanks so much!

OK, well I did the roses, last night, I used the hershey kisses! They turned out my best so far! I will post a pic of my cake Sunday and see what you all think. Thanks for all the help.