dear all
i am a beginner in decorating cakes , but as they say better late than never , a week ago i bought bastry bags to decorate a cake for my
children .
i started making a smal flower but it was a mess .
i tried making a star but still it came out a mess .
can anybody help me about the different techniques of usin pastry bags
and how to make different and lovely shapes with them .
thanks for you all
youstina
dear all
i am a beginner in decorating cakes , but as they say better late than never , a week ago i bought bastry bags to decorate a cake for my
children .
i started making a smal flower but it was a mess .
i tried making a star but still it came out a mess .
can anybody help me about the different techniques of usin pastry bags
and how to make different and lovely shapes with them .
thanks for you all
youstina
Hi Youstina
Welcome to CC. I would recommend you visit this website for tips on how to ice a cake and do the things you're after. It teaches you the basics and shows you pictures of how thing sshould look.
http://www.wilton.com/decorating/basic/index.cfm
Enjoy
happy decorating
Nati
Welcome to CC youstina 
What icing recipe are you using? Your consistency might be to thin.
To make stars, you need a medium consistency. For flowers, such as roses, you need a stiff consistency. Also, the positioning (holding) of the bag plays a big part.
Remember, we are here for you 
dear nati
thanks for your warm welcome , i will visit the site that you suggested and
if there is anything i don't understand i will tell you
thanks
youstina
dear stephanie
thanks very much for trying to help and your lovely welcome
What icing recipe are you using? Your consistency might be to thin.
To make stars, you need a medium consistency. For flowers, such as roses, you need a stiff consistency. Also, the positioning (holding) of the bag plays a big part.
i use ordinary whipping cream and sometimes chocolate cream
( chocolate + butter + milk + oil ) and as for the consistency , it is always
soft .
what you mentioned about the holding of the bag is very true
i feel i am misusing the bag that is why i need pictures or links showing
the techniques of holding , squeezing and moving the bag .
if you know any i would appreciiate it .
thanks again
youstina
i need pictures or links showing
the techniques of holding , squeezing and moving the bag .
if you know any i would appreciiate it .
thanks again
youstina
Yourstina
The link i sent you from Wilton has pictures showing you what you should be doing.
enjoy
cheers
Nati
Hi Youstina, First, welcome to CC. You'll love it here!! Second, your icing sounds way too soft. Try making a batch of "decorator" icing for practice -- this is an icing made up of white vegetable shortening (Crisco), meringue powder, confectioners sugar and liquid. It's a great practice icing. Also, do they have Wilton classes in Egypt? I'm in America so I don't know where they are teaching. If so, take the Wilton classes, they are an excellent place to start. If you have any questions, we're here for you!! 
dear nati , good morning
Yourstina
The link i sent you from Wilton has pictures showing you what you should be doing.
enjoy
cheers
Nati
i looked upon it yesterday , it is really helpfull , i don't know
how to thank you .
you are a sweetheart .
tommorow i wish god i have time and i will start practicing
the first shape on the site and as they say : practice makes perfect .
thanks
youstina
dear bob
thanks for lovely welcome
this is an icing made up of white vegetable shortening (Crisco), , confectioners sugar and liquid. It's a great practice icing. Also, do they have Wilton classes in Egypt?
a good idea using the practice icing , it will save money for me
because i made several trials , sorry ( disasters ) with the whipping
cream .
here in egypt we don't have neither wilton classes nor mergine
but thanks to the lord we still have water and sugar 
i will try using an alternative .
thanks alot
youstina
Youstina, If you don't have access to Meringue Powder, then simply use more confectioners (powdered) sugar to firm up your practice icing. That will get you by for practice. If you can order some online, that will help you greatly. I believe Cake Central sells it if I'm not mistaken.
You will need to make one batch of decorator icing and it will start out thick. To this add 1 tsp water to the entire batch and you will have a more workable thick consistency. To test this, take a small amount of icing and roll it in your hand. If it forms a ball and leaves no residue on your hand it's good. (If you start piping with it and your hand hurts and your knuckles turn white, it's too stiff. Add 1 more teaspoon of water at that point.)
When you get the whole batch in a workable thick consistency, divide it in half and to half the batch add 1 teaspoon of water. This will reduce it to a medium consistency. You can test this by rolling a small amount in your hand and it should make a ball but leave some residue on your hand (not smearing though.)
Icing consistency is a difficult thing to teach and it's harder when it's being described over the internet 
but if you have any questions, we're here for you!
When you get more into it and just want to make a certain kind of consistency i always add 1 TABLESPOON to my whole batch to make it a medium consistency and 2 TABLESPOONS to make it thin.
I dont know how it is in Egypt but if you have 2lb bags of powdered sugar which we do in the states i always find it easier to just make a double batch (but make sure you double your liquid-ive killed many hand mixers measuring wrong).
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