what kind of frosting do you use? I thought about royal icing, but I need to practice with consistencies because i really never use RI unless I'm gluing something on. I always use SMBC but i find that the heat of my hand from my piping bag always causes it to get tiny little craters when i pipe it. I don't know if you
can see it, i should have taken a closer picture . also, i can't keep my hand still for the life of me! any tips on how i can keep my hands still?
APractice is the best way to get better at piping. And while practicing, do so with different icing consistancies.
Since you icing gets soft from the heat of your hands I would suggest filling two bags. When one bag gets to soft pop it in the fridge while you pipe with the other bag. There isn't any down time this way.
In this and most of the amazing scroll piping videos I've seen the decorator uses a paper cone with a super fine point and they move really quickly. Obviously this takes tons of practice, but it makes sense speed would help with the shakiness most of us who are still learning have. The decorator in this video uses buttercream.
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In this and most of the amazing scroll piping videos I've seen the decorator uses a paper cone with a super fine point and they move really quickly. Obviously this takes tons of practice, but it makes sense speed would help with the shakiness most of us who are still learning have. The decorator in this video uses buttercream.
@Pastrybaglady Wow is she an excellent piper. She's fast, smooth, fearless and knows her design. Pretty impressive!
The magic word Mbalaska is "fearless"...that's the bottom line isn't it? She knows her craft, that piping bag is an extension of her arm, she knows her business.
The only way is practice, makes me regret wasting all those years raising thankless children when I could have been plonked in a piping class honing this craft to support me in my dotage.
A regretful sighhhhhhhhh cant be fully conveyed in type but I hope you get the picture?
AWow that is awesome! Beautiful work and she makes it look so easy. I wonder how she made that parchment bag
AWent back to finish watching the video and I guess I got my parchment bag answer lol
I had a coworker that worked just like that when I used to work at a bakery - it took her no time at all to freehand pipe designs like this - it looks like it was a stencil ... amazing watching it first hand. I'd be terrified - chocolate icing piped on white buttercream... but she's fearless =)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/freeportbakerywedding/9078541983/in/set-72157634185417662
When I do extensive piping, it's definitely easier with a parchment bag because it's smaller and I have more control. I also prefer piping in SMBC over any other type of icing, especially royal.
However, if you do use royal, I suggest forgoing the parchment bag and use a regular bag with a coupler. This is so if your tip gets clogged, you can rinse it out easily =). Also, don't fill the bag up completely so you have much more control (I usually fill up my bag to what can fit comfortably in my hand so it's easier to squeeze and less stress on the wrist).
Also, like someone mentioned, try to work quickly to avoid shakiness and think of your endpoint that you're trying to reach and that should be your target. (Like start at the curly part of your scroll and work towards connecting it to the other scrollwork if that makes sense?) - also like someone said, you do have to be fearless, confident, and trust yourself =) .
Call me crazy but I'd rather do cakes with freehand piping/scrollwork than any other design of cake! When I pipe It's as if I've gone into my "zen zone" plus I absolutely love the artistry of it and that it actually takes practice and skill and not something that can be taught with one W class. =P
The other magic word is "knows her design". Or it certainly looks like she's done it a good few times before. I would be tracing the design on the cake and going over the pencil lines if it were me!
The correct consistency is key as someone already mentioned, and practice. Both flat on the bench, and vertically. And someone once posted a tip on a thread about freezing water in a cake tin and having it on the bench next to them to put the second bag in - saves you having to get up and go to the fridge every time the first one gets a bit warm. Just lay the bag on the ice and in a few minutes it will have cooled back down.
I have had a few odd jobs in my time on this Earth and being quite "crafty" have picked up basics here and there but as I am sure the lady piper would say " its a job".
She has done a thousand times what we have done ten (and wondered why we cant)
There are lifeskills, crafts honed over and over again when money was tight and hobbyists weren't allowed into the guild of Master Crafts.
As I said above, the bag is an extension of her arm....sadly, she is probably on the bare minimum wage.
Do we even know her name or business address ?
thank you all so much for your help. I think I'm going to buy some dummies and start practicing on them (with my lil block of ice lol!)
The more you practice the easier it will get for you. Keep at the practicing and you will soon be piping without even thinking about it. You can do it!!!
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I have had a few odd jobs in my time on this Earth and being quite "crafty" have picked up basics here and there but as I am sure the lady piper would say " its a job".
She has done a thousand times what we have done ten (and wondered why we cant)
There are lifeskills, crafts honed over and over again when money was tight and hobbyists weren't allowed into the guild of Master Crafts.
As I said above, the bag is an extension of her arm....sadly, she is probably on the bare minimum wage.
Do we even know her name or business address ?
I can't speak about that specific lady, but my old coworker (who pipes just like she does in the video) most definitely didn't think of it as just her job... she takes pride and loves what she does and has done it for 24 years.. She knows each and every wedding venue and knows how to approach her decorating based on whether there are mirrors as well as where the cake is usually set up. I know this because she was constantly talking to me about how I would approach a cake that she saw in a magazine and gets excited when a customer orders something like it. We also know not to mess with her cakes because we all respect what she does.
She also is most definitely not paid minimum wage. She's most likely the 2nd highest paid cake decorator in the bakery (the first being our head decorator who is on salary) and why wouldn't she, she can singlehandedly knock out 15 wedding cakes in one weekend (set up, ice, stack, decorate, and sometimes even do the deliveries when she got off work or in between cakes)..
She drives a luxury SUV and takes week long paid vacations several times a year...We did have a great owner that offered good benefits and paid what our skill was worth..
Just sayin'... it's not fair to make assumptions like that because you never know =)
And to the OP - your piping looks great... seriously just keep at it and over time and experience, it'll become second nature =) and you don't need dummies like PP said.... Pipe on the side of cooking pots =P (they had more vertical surface area than the pans)
Originally Posted by vannah1986
"......... i can't keep my hand still for the life of me! any tips on how i can keep my hands still?
@vannah1986 there are so many things that affect free hand piping on cakes. As to your hands it's pretty much the same problem that we have when we try to thread a needle. Suddenly your hand gets shaky and unsure. Perfectly normal.
Quote:
I have had a few odd jobs in my time on this Earth and being quite "crafty" have picked up basics here and there but as I am sure the lady piper would say " its a job".
She has done a thousand times what we have done ten (and wondered why we cant)
There are lifeskills, crafts honed over and over again when money was tight and hobbyists weren't allowed into the guild of Master Crafts.
As I said above, the bag is an extension of her arm....sadly, she is probably on the bare minimum wage.
Do we even know her name or business address ?
I can't speak about that specific lady, but my old coworker (who pipes just like she does in the video) most definitely didn't think of it as just her job... she takes pride and loves what she does and has done it for 24 years.. She knows each and every wedding venue and knows how to approach her decorating based on whether there are mirrors as well as where the cake is usually set up. I know this because she was constantly talking to me about how I would approach a cake that she saw in a magazine and gets excited when a customer orders something like it. We also know not to mess with her cakes because we all respect what she does.
She also is most definitely not paid minimum wage. She's most likely the 2nd highest paid cake decorator in the bakery (the first being our head decorator who is on salary) and why wouldn't she, she can singlehandedly knock out 15 wedding cakes in one weekend (set up, ice, stack, decorate, and sometimes even do the deliveries when she got off work or in between cakes)..
She drives a luxury SUV and takes week long paid vacations several times a year...We did have a great owner that offered good benefits and paid what our skill was worth..
Just sayin'... it's not fair to make assumptions like that because you never know =)
And to the OP - your piping looks great... seriously just keep at it and over time and experience, it'll become second nature =) and you don't need dummies like PP said.... Pipe on the side of cooking pots =P (they had more vertical surface area than the pans)
@AileenGP you had me there, being interested in your story about the super decorator that was so successful......then zippie-do-da you lost me like a lead balloon when the "it's nor fair" words arrived. Life isn't fair, the world is a tough place, but
AI think I'm going to do that, and maybe ill try with parchment comes, seems like I may have more control over it
When I was preparing and practicing to do a scroll cake I took some icing and made a point to practice for at least 20 minutes every day. It helped strengthen the muscles and I could see improvement everyday. I would decorate my upside down pan, scrape it off and re use the same icing over and over again. No waste and lots of practice.
AI will definitely practice, scrollwork is so elegant and beautiful and I would love to make a beautiful cake with beautiful scroll
wonderful idea, you all are so informative! thanks for all of your help everyone!
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