My Rant On 1St Time Cookie Decorating

Baking By TickledPink Updated 24 Oct 2005 , 5:52pm by blittle6

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TickledPink Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 12:53am
post #1 of 27

So I thought I'd be clever and decorate a ton of Halloween cookies for piping practice.

Anyways, I baked a ton of witch hats, ghosts, black cats, pumpinks, etc.

I followed the recipe on the back of the Wilton cookie cutters for icing. It's basically 10x sugar, a couple tsps of milk and corn syrup.

The icing was so hard to handle, so hard to deal with, very sticky (I guess from the corn syrup) and didn't behave like other icings I've worked with.

I'm just frustrated and wondering if anyone has ever used that type of icing for cookies or what is the best kind? I need some that dries hard. I haven't tried royal icing, so I guess I will try that next.

26 replies
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blittle6 Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 1:00am
post #2 of 27

I am new to the cookie scene as well, but I used Toba's Glace icing and outline, and it turned out good. The decorating could have been better but that was me not the icing! icon_smile.gif

I haven't tried to royal yet either. How does that taste?

Berta

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blittle6 Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 1:11am
post #3 of 27

Do you use Lesley's or Sugarbaker's Royal Icing? Have you tried Antonia74's from this site?

Berta

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Kos Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 2:01am
post #4 of 27

I posted my school bus cookies using the royal icing (Antonia's) this afternoon. The icing was a great consistency and easy to work with but I found it to taste blah icon_confused.gif .
Also, some of the detail on the cookies is breaking off now when you bite into the cookie. I like the taste of Toba Garrett's glace icing with the confectioner's sugar, milk, and corn syrup, but I definitely have a problem with the mess as well. I think I'd like to try perfecting the glace icing for the taste.

All this experimenting is going right to my hips! icon_cry.gif

Kos

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mich1 Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 2:14am
post #5 of 27

can someone please email me or post the icing recipe from kitchengifts.com. I used it once before and it was excellent. Now when I try to bring it up I can't for some reason. Thank you.


Mich
[email protected]

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thin4life Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 2:19am
post #6 of 27

I just recently tried Toba Garrett's recipe for his icing and it was wonderful. His recipes are definitely the best I have tried so far and will probably only use these from now on.

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TickledPink Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 2:34am
post #7 of 27

Here is a cut and paste frm their site... I was able to bring up the recipe after clicking "recipes" at the top of the page. The link was not working though from the directions page.

Royal Icing from Sugarbaker's

Makes 3 cups of base consistency icing

3 3/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
3 T meringue powder
6 T warm water

Beat 4 to 5 minutes
By hand, stir in optional flavorings and desired tints.

They say to add 8 T of warm water if you want flow consistency

Toba Garrett's Glace' Icing
1 lb. confectioners' sugar
3/8 cup milk
3/8 cup light corn syrup
flavoring as desired

In a mixing bowl, mix the sugar and milk first. Add corn syrup just until combined.
Divide to flavor and add color.

Lesley's Royal Icing

1 bag confectioners' sugar
4 T. meringue powder (actually, I just dump some in but that sounds about right)
2 t. flavoring (usually almond)
warm water

Put confectioners' sugar and meringue powder in mixing bowl. Start beater and mix slowly
for a few seconds. With mixer running, add 3 to 4 T warm water. Add flavoring. Continue
mixing and adding water a little at a time until you get the consistency you want. Divide and color!

NOTE:
Remember that royal icing only takes a long time to dry after you put it on a cookie.
Until then, it turns to concrete in seconds. Keep your containers covered until you are
ready to use it. The cookies you see a on Kitchen Collectables' web pages were all
decorated with Royal Icing. Royal Icing has several advantages over buttercream:: no
fat, the icing won't separate, the icing hardens so cookies can be stacked, and you can
freeze cookies iced with Royal Icing!

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TickledPink Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 2:35am
post #8 of 27

I think maybe the wilton recipe was just not enough liquid. Seriously it was very hard even after being warmed up in my hands for quite a while.

I just tasted a cookie though and it is delish.

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bikegal Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 2:59am
post #9 of 27

Hands down Toba's icing tastes the best. I've tried 5 or 6 different ones and I love how shiny the icing dries. Have you ladies tried using the squeeze bottle to contain the mess? icon_smile.gif It's easy clean up and I use the tip to push the icing where it needs to go.

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Kos Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 3:05am
post #10 of 27

Thanks for the tip bikegal. I'm going to try the bottles.

By the way, your bunny cookies are awesome.

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blittle6 Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 3:13am
post #11 of 27

I used the squeeze bottles and I did not have a mess....except for the one I made when I used too much icing and my cookie overflowed!! Clean up was a breeze as well! Toba's recipes were very TASTY!

Berta

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bubblezmom Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 3:14am
post #12 of 27

bikegal,
I throughly enjoyed decorating my cookies, but hated the mess. Royal icing is dang hard to clean up after it hardens. How do you clean the squeeze bottles?

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prettycakes Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 3:44am
post #13 of 27

Oh! I just love the squeeze bottle idea!!! Have any of you ever used it with color flow? I always make a mess with my color flow when I try to bag the thin stuff.

Also, the royal icing dries very hard, but if you soak the equipment in hot soapy water for a little while, the icing breaks down pretty quickly. With little ones running around, it is not always easy to clean up right away. So, I am speaking from experience.

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bikegal Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 3:44am
post #14 of 27

bm, Toba's Glace Icing doesn't dry hard as a rock like royal icing so it's not that difficult to clean up. I usually soak the squeeze bottles in hot water until the icing has dissolved then add a small squeeze of liquid detergent . Give it a good swirl or use one of the baby bottle cleaners. icon_smile.gif The squeeze bottle is a cookie decorator's best friend. I'm not sure how everyone else does it but I line the cookies all up and work like I'm on an assembly line.

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TickledPink Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 12:35pm
post #15 of 27

Ok, I will definitely buy the squeeze bottles. You can't even imagine how messy my kitchen was by the time I finished.

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aliciaL_77 Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 1:04pm
post #16 of 27

Just did some cookie last night to practice ans used the bottles.. I will never use bags again for cookies.. I also used antonia74's recipe for the icing and it is great!

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cindy6250 Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 1:14pm
post #17 of 27

Do you use the bottles to outline and fill in?

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blittle6 Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 1:17pm
post #18 of 27

My bottles have 2 different size tips with them and you can use your own tips as well. They have coupler attached. I love them! I just soaked them in warm soapy water, rinsed and clean up was done!!

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beachcakes Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 2:14pm
post #19 of 27

blittle, where did you get your bottles? I make such a mess w/ the bags!

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blittle6 Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 2:26pm
post #20 of 27

I got them at www.countrykitchensa.com. Super fast shipping. They sell them at www.kitchengifts.com also but I have never ordered from them. I got the big ones and small ones.

Berta

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bubblezmom Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 2:33pm
post #21 of 27

thanks for the info. i used the toba recipe, but i made such a mess that i found splatters of hardened icing here there and everywhere. icon_smile.gif i will give the bottles a try. it couldn't be any messier.

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melxcloud Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 2:36pm
post #22 of 27

Last time I was at Michael's I saw some squeeze bottles, so you might want to take a look at yours first so you can try to avoid the shipping charges.

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CakesByEllen Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 2:45pm
post #23 of 27

When you use the squeeze bottles, do you use bags to put the stiffer icing outline in, and then fill with the squeeze bottles, or do you use the bottles for outlining AND filling?

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bubblezmom Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 2:52pm
post #24 of 27

I followed antonia's advice and skipped the outlining all together. I do not have steady hands and was still able to frost the cookie with no problem.

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ellepal Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 3:14pm
post #25 of 27

I always use my mom's glacé icing....it tastes terrific. She takes about a tablespoon of butter or margarine and melts it. Then she pours it into about a cup of powdered sugar and mixes it. It forms sort of a ball. Then she adds milk a tsp at a time and mixes slowly until all of the lumps are dissolved,and until she feels the consistency of the icing is right.

I always use this icing on my cookies, because I find that with royal icing or colorflo, you almost break your teeth biting into it. This icing dries decently, but is still soft enough and the butter makes it extra tasty. It also freezes well. If I can find my gingerbread cookie photos from last year, I'll send one along . I used this butter icing on them. There were none left!!

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beachcakes Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 4:11pm
post #26 of 27

Thanks for the info blittle! I just placed an order. icon_biggrin.gif I'd probably pay more in gas getting to my nearest Michaels - not to mention travel time! Maybe next time i'm in the area I"ll check that out too.

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blittle6 Posted 24 Oct 2005 , 5:52pm
post #27 of 27

I used the bottles for outline and filling. I didn't have a mess from Toba's recipe and It was delicious. Let us know how you like them!!

Berta

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