Piping on cakes

I would make your RI a piping consistency but put the icing in stocking before you put in in the bag. This way it will work out any clumps that is probably clogging up your tip. Hopefully that makes sense. :)

-- Jennifer, https://www.facebook.com/PrimacakesPlus

Thank you PrimaCakePlus! Will run it easily if put in stockings? I see what you are saying though :-)

-- Dina @ miettes, http://www.facebook.com/pages/miettes/257790597632317

I can never get my consistency right but for me the tip never clogged. I had breakage of the lines because I think my icing was too thick. Good luck and let us know how you make out!

-- Jennifer, https://www.facebook.com/PrimacakesPlus

For writing your royal is best to be what is called soft peak, ie when you pull the knife out of the icing the peak should slowly bend over but not dissapear flat like flood icing.Sound as though your pure icing sugar needs to be put through a finer sieve before you make the royal.
Hope this helps.

-- Paul Delaney

Paul, thanks for your response… Where I live, the powdered sugar tends to be very grainy.. It is not soft like the ones I used to buy when I was living in the US. So, yes, you are probably right, I have to sift the sugar through a very fine sieve to see if that makes a difference. As for the consistency, I never make runny like when flooding cookies because it will not hold its shape so I am going to follow your advice and see what I get. Thanks!!!

And thanks again, PrimaCakePlus !!!

-- Dina @ miettes, http://www.facebook.com/pages/miettes/257790597632317

Hope the following might help:

- When you have your icing to the correct consistency, squeeze it through some muslin.

- Or if you don’t have any muslin, then try squeezing the icing through one (parchment) piping bag into another, making sure the first piping bag only has a very small hole (no need for a tube/tip in the first one).

- Failing that, you can try ‘flattening’ out any bubbles or sugar grains with a palette knife on a board – keep flattening it down, scraping up the sides regularly, so none of it has a chance to dry out. This last method is the method taught to me on a course by Peggy Porschen.

- If all the above fail, then soak the PME tube/tip in boiling water for just a few minutes. Use a new (or one used specifically for food) paint-brush to clean out the tip. Even the slightest bit of dried icing sugar will affect the flow of icing.

- Lastly (sorry, I do go on a bit) make sure that in-between piping, you don’t let the piping bag sit – push the tip gently into a barely damp cloth (not wet otherwise it will make the icing in the tip runny).

-- Helenna at http://ClearlyCake.com