How To Keep Icing Dots From "peaking"
Decorating By MosMom Updated 9 May 2014 , 2:06pm by -K8memphis
I hate when I make dots or beads and when I pull the piping back up they "peak". Is it my icing consistency that causes this? I've included a picture of my son's birthday cake where I did several dots. I had some that turned out good but most got that point. I waited until the icing dried a bit and then I smooshed them down (after the picture was taken). They looked much better but I imagine there is a better technique.
Don't pull the piping bag "up". I do a little "swirl" before lifting the bag up. Even still, you may have to go back with a cornstarch or powdered sugar dipped finger and flatten them. I think no matter how well you are with the bag-lifting, a finger-flattened-dot always looks better.
I started doing this each and everytime after one CC'er said that dots should not look like chocolate chips (i.e. "pointy").
Yeah, I am doing that but I still get them. It is almost like my icing doesn't want to let go even when I do the swirl. Practice makes somewhat perfect I'm sure.
Glad to know I'm not the only one who flattens them with a finger. Thanks.
It also helps to stop squeezing the bag before you lift the tip off. But in case you still get any, finger dipped in powdered sugar should flatten it
Don't lift the bag up, but off to one side. I swirl the tip and pull to the side, never upwards.
Sometimes, if I want my dots flatter, I will dip my finger in powdered suger and press them down a bit.
I had good luck piping the dots from the side, almost like a shell. The next dot hides the peak.
Also, a damp paint brush works great to flatten the dots.
Mosmom-
Just wanted to say that if pointy dots are your biggest problem in cake decorating, then you are set! Your Pac Man cake looks amazing!
you can get royal icing the right consistency and it will fall back in on itself perfectly ---it's a magestic piping control trip--i love to do that--even piping onto the side of a cake--i'm a veteran piper--this is seriously fun/fulfilling to do--
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Original message sent by -K8memphis
you can get royal icing the right consistency and it will fall back in on itself perfectly ---it's a magestic piping control trip--i love to do that--even piping onto the side of a cake--i'm a veteran piper--this is [I]seriously[/I] fun/fulfilling to do--
yes and i'll add gum arabic to the royal and it will pipe out kinda shiny--it's crazy fun in one mighty squeeze of the bag you get a beautiful pearl--it's powerful
Quote:
yes and i'll add gum arabic to the royal and it will pipe out kinda shiny--it's crazy fun in one mighty squeeze of the bag you get a beautiful pearl--it's powerful
K8 Just when I thought I'd purchased everything that I needed already. Now I want gum arabic also.
This sounds so cool I'm going to have to try it, especially on cookie decorating.
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