Wilton...i Want My Money Back!
Decorating By simplysweetcakes Updated 9 Mar 2007 , 5:27am by all4cake
I read a forum last week regarding how Meringue Powder is NOT required in BC for it to crust...well I tried it this weekend and my BC crusted just fine and actually I could not tell a difference in the icing at all. I will no longer spend the extra money and time on Meringue Powder. Our Wilton instructor told us it was a necessary component in the BC recipe...I am here to tell you it is not! It must have been a ploy to get us to buy more Wilton products 
I don't use it anymore either in my buttercream. I still use it though to make royal icing.
Ditto!
It's amazing what Wilton will say to sell their products! 
I made a cake last week without it and it crusted nice and smoothed perfect with a high densitiy foam roller, WOW!
This weekend I made a cake with meringue powder and yes, it crusted, but... it didn't roll smooth! I got little wrinkly/bumpy spots wherever I had to roll.I eventually used the hot spatula technique to "fix" it...
I'll keep it for royal icin gtoo, but no more in buttercream.
Melissa
I am a Wilton instructor and always use MP, but only because we were told to when I took the class and then again as a teacher, I pretty much passed along what I had learned. I did find when I don't use the MP, my frosting is much more sticky and doesn't crust as well- BUT I also live in a high humidity area- which may have something to do with it. Seems like our weather is not conducive to cake decorating around here!
It does crust more with Meringue powder, but not in the right way... It crusts and doesn't allow as much "play" with smoothing, I sweat this is true...
And I dont think the humidity thing flies with anywhere except people/places that don't have airconditioning... The environs we work in are VERY dry in winter and controlled in summer with Central Air/air conditioning... So, if doing an outdoor party or having a car without AC (you can always cool the car before loading the cake) humidity is a nonissue., imo.
I was told in my Wilton classes that not only does meringue powder help the BC to crust, but is also helps with the coloring. I guess it's supposed to help the colors be brighter and I also was told that it keeps the colors (like red and black) from bleeding.
It is amazing what they'll tell you to sell their product...I in no way blame my instructor for this misinformation.
I have never tried making BC w/o meringue powder, but I will soon. I hate buying that stuff...too expensive!
I was a wilton instructor two years back. I was never told you had to use it in your icing. It was on the recipe and it did say it crusted. I always told the students, "you can buy this and use it, but I don't.
I don't think it does much to the icing. I don't use the wilton Icing either. Yuck! Too greasy.
I would keep the meringue powder just for royal icing. Michaels, takes back everything though. So, if you don't want it they will refund your money.
I am a WMI and tell my students that it does help keep the darker colors from bleeding on to the lighter colors. I use it in class for first night icing making, and for RI. But I do tell my students that is not really necessary for the over all icing. Don't blame the instructors, we are taught to sell products. You as a consumer should buy what you want or need to achive the look you want.
Have to make a comment re:humidity. I have found that in Western KY it DOESN'T matter than we are in controlled environments. Example: Every tried to make divinity when it is raining? Yeah, humidity. THIS IS MY PERSONAL OPINION BASED ON MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ONLY! No offense to anyone intended.
Now, on to the buttercream. I use MP sometimes and if I forget to use it...no big deal, still get crusting. BUT, I have found that if the weather isn't favorable and I use MP (I SWEAR THIS IS TRUE!! Has happened a couple of times) that the buttercream crusts on the surface, but, beneath gets soft and SLIDES! So, the leaves on my 3D Tree just slid right off the cake....but, they held their shape the whole time they were sliding off! LOLL
Beth in KY
There are different brands of RI out there. Even in grocery stores. "Egg White Powder". I have tried them but there are differences in icings. CK is another brand that can be bought at cake decorating stores.
Humidity is certainly an issue in the midwest where it can get very high in the summer months. I use meringue powder most of the time in my bc because I feel it does make some difference in the crusting. However, my bc usually gets some crust without it. I also think the meringue powder gives my bc a little zing, which I like. Similar to the zing I taste in angelfood cake.
berryblondeboys can you pls tell me your secret to cooling a car before loading it if your car does not have a/c lol and humidity is a huge factor in montreal especially in july as it is our really humid month and just about our only one so not all of us bother with a/c in our homes or we tend to put a window unit in either the living room or bedroom and I'm sure this is true for most of Canada. lol
I don't think it's necessary for crusting. I always thought it was the daggum cornstarch in the powdered sugar that was responsible for that!
I thought the MP was a um uh what's the word? modifier(?) conditioner(?) dang! it helped with a variety of things....
If I got it, I use it, If I don't, I don't.
nglez...the recipe was given out in the Wilton 1 class that I took. I believe to may be on Wilton's website as well.
I am about to begin instructing this month. I do not use meringue powder in my buttercream. I just dont think it is necessary. The other instructor does and she believes it works. She told me to tell the students to use it, but I dont know how comfortable I feel about "lying" about it from my perspective. I am not sure how to go about this. I feel okay about telling they what wilton says that it will do, but telling them that it is up to them whether they put it in or not. What do you think?
I'm sure many out there will cringe about this but I use the Wilton class bc recipe. I tweak it some but it's what I always use and love. I get nothing but wonderful praise for my icings. I do however, intend to try Toba's bc recipe as soon as I get her book.
I don't know if there are bulk barns in the US, but in here in Canada you can get meringue powder cheaper than in the Wilton cans at Micheals( in Canada many Wilton products are MUCH more expensive even with the exchange than the US) I usually go over to the states once a month loaded down with 40% coupons ( the US Micheals will let you use as many as you want!)and I get my meringue then - but I live in a border city. The Wilton instructor I had also told us to use meringue powder every time and even had two containers - one holding Wilton meringue and the other holding Bulk Barn and wanted us to see the difference "quality makes".I use Bulk Barn in my royal icing and have never had a problem, and I NEVER use meringue in my buttercream and it works wonderfully!!! To each his/her own...we do what we need to to create the best possible cake we can!! happy caking!
I'm sure many out there will cringe about this but I use the Wilton class bc recipe. I tweak it some but it's what I always use and love. I get nothing but wonderful praise for my icings. I do however, intend to try Toba's bc recipe as soon as I get her book.
CarolAnn, I do the same thing... a modified version of the class BC, it's easy and delicious, and I get more compliments on my icing than almost anything else! I've had people at parties that own their own bakery try to get the recipe from me. I will tell them I start with the Wilton icing recipe, but not what I do differently! I tell them that's proprietary. Yikes, why don't I just refer all my business to them too! Duh?
I was also told that MP makes the icing crust, and am a little more than ticked off to find that it might not be true. As a WMI we are encouraged to sell product, but I won't LIE to do it. If I find it doesn't make a difference, I will tell my students. I can't get over the smell of the MP. Yuck... rotten eggs.
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