This blog is intended for those who have had a cake decorating class or those who are self-taught decorators. It is intended to be a reference and or refresher.
FLOWERS (PART A)
BATCHELOR BUTTON
1. Start with tip #7, holding the bag with tip straight up, pipe in a circular motion a button about 1" on the nail.
2. Then with tip #2 pipe a cluster of short dots in the center.
3. With tip #14 cover the rest of the mound with pull out stars. (cneter is usually lighter in color then edge).
CHRYSANTHEMUM
1. Start with tip #7, holding the bag with tip straight up, pipe in a circular motion a button about 1" on the nail.
2. Then using tip #80 and holding the baglevel with the nail (tip up like a smile) pipe a row of petals around the bottom edge.
3. Holding the bag up a few degrees, pipe another row of petals above the first row.
4. Continue piping rows of petals until you have covered the complete button.
SHAGGY MUM
1. Start with tip #7, holding the bag with tip straight up, pipe in a circular motion a button about 1" on the nail.
2. Then using tip #233 and holding the baglevel with the nail (tip up like a smile) pipe a row of shaggy strips around the bottom edge. (Like a Chrysanthemum)
3. Holding the bag up a few degrees, pipe another row of shaggy strips above the first row.
4. Continue piping rows of shaggy strips until you have covered the complete button.
HYACINTHS
1. Start with tip #16, #18, or #30, holding the bag straight up, pipe a star in a row of three down.
2. Pipe a second row next to the first row.
3. Pipe a row of stars on top in between the tow rows that are already piped.
4. Finish with a stem using tip #7 and a large leaf using tip # 352.
LILY OF THE VALLEY
1. Start with tip #4, pipe a stem in a curved style. Pipe a second stem curved in the opposite direction.
2. Then pipe about 4 to 5 smaller stems off the main stem.
3. Using tip #80, squeeze an amount out in white and shake to drop off onto the cake on s smaller stem.
4. Repeat this until all small stems have aflower on them.
5. Finish with a long leaf using tip #352.
VIOLET
1. Start with tip #59%, holding bag with wide end touching nail, keeping narrow end just slightly above nail surface. Begin at center of flower nail and squeeze out first petal, turning nail as you move tip out toward edge of nail. Relax pressure as you return to center of nail, curving tip slightly upward to create a cupped shape.
2. Make 2 base petals and 3 long petals.
3. Use tip #2 to make 2 center dots.
CARNATION
1. Start with tip #150 (or 104), holding the bag with tip edge flat against the nail, pipe, in an up and down jiggling motion, a row of petals - in a rainbow shape.
2. Continue laying 2 to 3 more rows on top of each other.
3. Then with tip #7, pipe the ball to the carnation with a stem.
4. For a full carnation, continue piping until the nail is covered.
POINSETTIA
1. Start with tip #352, holding the bag with the tip just above the nail, pipe a leaf petal starting from the center of the nail to the edge of the nail. Make about 6petals in a circle all the same size. 2. Then pipe about 3 to 4 more petals just a little smaller inside the circle starting from the center.
3. With tip #2 or #3, pipe yellow dots in the center of the circle.
SUNFLOWER
1. Start with tip #352, holding the bag with the tip just above the nail, pipe a short leaf petal starting from the edge of the nail.
2. Make as many petals necessary to complete a circle- all the same size.
3. Then with tip #14 to #16 and a dark color (brown), pipe stars inside the circle starting from the center.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Monday, September 1, 2008
CAKE DECORATING 101: Three Essentials of Cake Decorating
This blog is intended for those who have had a cake decorating class or those who are self-taught decorators. It is intended to be a reference and or refresher.
1. ICING CONSISTENCY:
If the consistency of your icing is not right, your decoration will not be right either. Just a few drops of liquid can make a great deal of difference in your decorating results.
Stiff Icing: Used for figure piping and stringwork, i.e. roses, carnations and sweet peas with upright petals. If the icing cracks, it can be too thick. You can add light corn syrup to the icing used for stringwork to give the strings greater elasticity so they will not break.
Medium Icing: Used for decorations such as stars, shell borders, and flowers with flat petals.
Thin Icing: Used for icing a cake, decorations such as writing, printing, vines and leaves.
2. Correct Bag Positions:
The way your decoration curl, point and lie will depend not only on icing consistency, but also on the way you hold and move the bag.
90 Degree Angle: Straight up, perpendicular to the surface.
45 Degree Angle: Halfway between vertical and horizontal.
3. Pressure Control:
There are three types of pressure control: Heavy, Medium, and Light. In practicing, you will learn the amount of pressure needed for the type of decoration you are making.
BORDERS
SHELL BORDERS
1. Hold the bag with tip #14 to #18 in front so that you can pull the bag towards you. The tip should be slightly above the surface.
2. Squeeze hard, letting the icing fan out generously as you lift the tip. Gradually relax your pressure as you lower the tip until it touches the surface.
3. Stop pressure and pull the tip away, without lifting it off the surface, in order to draw the shell to a point.
4. To make a shell border, start the beginning of your nest shell so that the fanned end covers the tail of the preceding shell to form an even chain.
REVERSE SHELL BORDER
1. Hold the bag with tip #14 to #18 in front so that you can pull the bag towards you. The tip should be slightly above the surface and facing to one side.
2. Squeeze hard, letting the icing fan out generously as you lift the tip. Gradually relax your pressure as you lower the tip intil it touches the surface.
3. Stop pressure and pull the tip away, without lifting it off the surface, swinging tip around to the right as you form the tail of shell.
4. To make a reverse shell border, start the beginning of your next shell so that the fanned end covers the tail of the preceding shell and is facing in the opposite direction.
ROPE
1. Hold the bag with tip #14 to #18 in front so that you can pull the bag towards you. The tip should be slightly above the surface.
2. Using a steady, even pressure, move the tip in a gentle sideways "S" curve. Stop pressure and pull tip away.
3. Insert tip under the bottom curve of the "S" shape.
4. Squeeze the bag with steady pressure as you pull down, then lift the tip. Move up and over the tail of the "S" as you continue to squeeze and form a hook.
5. Keep spacing as even as possible and make the "S" curves as uniform in thickness, length and overall size. Be sure to tuck the tip into the bottom curve of the previous "S" before you begin squeezing to insure the clean, continuous look of a rope.
e-Border
1. Hold the bag with tip #14 to #18 in front so that you can pull the bag towards you. The tip should be slightly above the surface.
2. Starting with the bag at a 45 degree angle, and at the bottom edge, squeeze out icing with an even pressure, moving tip up to the right and around as if writing the letter"e".
3. Repeat to complete the border using a steady, even pressure. To end, stop pressure and pull tip away. You can vary the look of the e-motion border by making tight e's or stretch e's.
BEAD BORDER
1. Using tip #3 to tip #10, squeeze as you lift tip so that the icing fans out.
2. Relax pressure as you draw the tip down and bring the head to a point.
3. To make the border, start the beginning of your next bead so that the fanned end covers the tail of the preceding bead to form an even chain.
NOTE: I want to thank Janet Fable, our cake decorating instructor, for all of the above information. We do offer cake decorating classes here at The Kitchen Corner. Please call (203) 374-1118 for class information.
1. ICING CONSISTENCY:
If the consistency of your icing is not right, your decoration will not be right either. Just a few drops of liquid can make a great deal of difference in your decorating results.
Stiff Icing: Used for figure piping and stringwork, i.e. roses, carnations and sweet peas with upright petals. If the icing cracks, it can be too thick. You can add light corn syrup to the icing used for stringwork to give the strings greater elasticity so they will not break.
Medium Icing: Used for decorations such as stars, shell borders, and flowers with flat petals.
Thin Icing: Used for icing a cake, decorations such as writing, printing, vines and leaves.
2. Correct Bag Positions:
The way your decoration curl, point and lie will depend not only on icing consistency, but also on the way you hold and move the bag.
90 Degree Angle: Straight up, perpendicular to the surface.
45 Degree Angle: Halfway between vertical and horizontal.
3. Pressure Control:
There are three types of pressure control: Heavy, Medium, and Light. In practicing, you will learn the amount of pressure needed for the type of decoration you are making.
BORDERS
SHELL BORDERS
1. Hold the bag with tip #14 to #18 in front so that you can pull the bag towards you. The tip should be slightly above the surface.
2. Squeeze hard, letting the icing fan out generously as you lift the tip. Gradually relax your pressure as you lower the tip until it touches the surface.
3. Stop pressure and pull the tip away, without lifting it off the surface, in order to draw the shell to a point.
4. To make a shell border, start the beginning of your nest shell so that the fanned end covers the tail of the preceding shell to form an even chain.
REVERSE SHELL BORDER
1. Hold the bag with tip #14 to #18 in front so that you can pull the bag towards you. The tip should be slightly above the surface and facing to one side.
2. Squeeze hard, letting the icing fan out generously as you lift the tip. Gradually relax your pressure as you lower the tip intil it touches the surface.
3. Stop pressure and pull the tip away, without lifting it off the surface, swinging tip around to the right as you form the tail of shell.
4. To make a reverse shell border, start the beginning of your next shell so that the fanned end covers the tail of the preceding shell and is facing in the opposite direction.
ROPE
1. Hold the bag with tip #14 to #18 in front so that you can pull the bag towards you. The tip should be slightly above the surface.
2. Using a steady, even pressure, move the tip in a gentle sideways "S" curve. Stop pressure and pull tip away.
3. Insert tip under the bottom curve of the "S" shape.
4. Squeeze the bag with steady pressure as you pull down, then lift the tip. Move up and over the tail of the "S" as you continue to squeeze and form a hook.
5. Keep spacing as even as possible and make the "S" curves as uniform in thickness, length and overall size. Be sure to tuck the tip into the bottom curve of the previous "S" before you begin squeezing to insure the clean, continuous look of a rope.
e-Border
1. Hold the bag with tip #14 to #18 in front so that you can pull the bag towards you. The tip should be slightly above the surface.
2. Starting with the bag at a 45 degree angle, and at the bottom edge, squeeze out icing with an even pressure, moving tip up to the right and around as if writing the letter"e".
3. Repeat to complete the border using a steady, even pressure. To end, stop pressure and pull tip away. You can vary the look of the e-motion border by making tight e's or stretch e's.
BEAD BORDER
1. Using tip #3 to tip #10, squeeze as you lift tip so that the icing fans out.
2. Relax pressure as you draw the tip down and bring the head to a point.
3. To make the border, start the beginning of your next bead so that the fanned end covers the tail of the preceding bead to form an even chain.
NOTE: I want to thank Janet Fable, our cake decorating instructor, for all of the above information. We do offer cake decorating classes here at The Kitchen Corner. Please call (203) 374-1118 for class information.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
KNIVES - A KNIFE FOR EVERY REASON
Some might wonder why there are so many different shapes, sizes, and styles of knives. You have your stamped or forged, full tang or partial tang, carbon steel or stainless steel (which is carbon steel combined with another metal to make the steel harder and relatively stainless). Then you have your different types of knives to include paring, boning, fillet, carving, chef, bread and more. Confusing? Let me try to clean up some of this confussion.
When a knife is made, it is usually stamped out by a machine or forged by human hands. The forged knife is the type that has the heavy bolster above the handle and below the cutting edge. This extra metal give the knife more weight and balance. and makes it easier for us to use the knife properly.
The metal used to make knives varies somewhat. Most all knives start out with high carbon steel. There was a time when all knives were just carbon steel. Carbon steel is easy to sharpen but also dulls quicker. (See blog on Knives - Care & Maintainance). Carbon steel knives also discolor easily. Cut a tomato and the acid from the tomato will darken the blade. They also rust if not properly maintained. Carbon steel knives need to be washed and dried immediately (actuakky a good habit to use with any knives). Letting a carbon steel knife air dry will allow it to discolor or rust. Never, never put a carbon steel knife into the dishwasher. That will cause instant rusting. If your carbon steel knife does discolor or rust, wash it then apply a paste of comet or ajax type cleaner with a cork. That's right, a cork. Apply the paste with the cork to the blade using circular motions. This will restore a satin shine to the blade.
Many chefs believe that the best type of knives to use are forged ones. The increased weight will make it easier to use the knives properly. But why some many different sizes and shapes. Well, there is a set purpose for each type of knife.
Peeling: Blade curves inward and is only about 2.5" to 2.75" long and is used for peeling fruits and vegetables.
Paring: Usually 3" to 4" long used for paring, peeling and slicing small fruits and vegetables.
Serrated Tomato/Utility: Usually 5" long and used to cut tomatoes, croissants, salami, etc.
Boning Knife: 5" to 6" long and used to separate meat from bone, cooked or uncooked.
Utility: 5" to 7" in length and used for many small cutting, peeling, slicing, chopping and carving jobs.
8" Carver: Used for carving medium sized roasts and fowl and cutting large vegetables and fruit.
Slicing: Usually 9" or 10" in length (but can be longer) and used for carving larger size roasts, turkey etc, and for cutting large cakes.
Chef's/Cook's: 6", 8", or 10" (or larger). Used for chopping and dicing. The knife handle is rocked up and down with one hand while the fingers of the other hand rest slightly on the back of the blade, towards the tip.
Bread: 8" or 9" and used for cutting bread or other kinds of soft food with a tough skin or crust. Do not use for cutting meat or fish with a bread knife as it will not produce an even slice.
Cleaver (meat): 6" blade for chopping through joints and bones.
Sharpening Steel: 9" to 10" long and used for honing the knives. Straightening those little saw teeth that give knives their sharpness.
Remember, use the right knive for the task and keep those blades sharp and your knife chores will be easier and safer.
When a knife is made, it is usually stamped out by a machine or forged by human hands. The forged knife is the type that has the heavy bolster above the handle and below the cutting edge. This extra metal give the knife more weight and balance. and makes it easier for us to use the knife properly.
The metal used to make knives varies somewhat. Most all knives start out with high carbon steel. There was a time when all knives were just carbon steel. Carbon steel is easy to sharpen but also dulls quicker. (See blog on Knives - Care & Maintainance). Carbon steel knives also discolor easily. Cut a tomato and the acid from the tomato will darken the blade. They also rust if not properly maintained. Carbon steel knives need to be washed and dried immediately (actuakky a good habit to use with any knives). Letting a carbon steel knife air dry will allow it to discolor or rust. Never, never put a carbon steel knife into the dishwasher. That will cause instant rusting. If your carbon steel knife does discolor or rust, wash it then apply a paste of comet or ajax type cleaner with a cork. That's right, a cork. Apply the paste with the cork to the blade using circular motions. This will restore a satin shine to the blade.
Many chefs believe that the best type of knives to use are forged ones. The increased weight will make it easier to use the knives properly. But why some many different sizes and shapes. Well, there is a set purpose for each type of knife.
Peeling: Blade curves inward and is only about 2.5" to 2.75" long and is used for peeling fruits and vegetables.
Paring: Usually 3" to 4" long used for paring, peeling and slicing small fruits and vegetables.
Serrated Tomato/Utility: Usually 5" long and used to cut tomatoes, croissants, salami, etc.
Boning Knife: 5" to 6" long and used to separate meat from bone, cooked or uncooked.
Utility: 5" to 7" in length and used for many small cutting, peeling, slicing, chopping and carving jobs.
8" Carver: Used for carving medium sized roasts and fowl and cutting large vegetables and fruit.
Slicing: Usually 9" or 10" in length (but can be longer) and used for carving larger size roasts, turkey etc, and for cutting large cakes.
Chef's/Cook's: 6", 8", or 10" (or larger). Used for chopping and dicing. The knife handle is rocked up and down with one hand while the fingers of the other hand rest slightly on the back of the blade, towards the tip.
Bread: 8" or 9" and used for cutting bread or other kinds of soft food with a tough skin or crust. Do not use for cutting meat or fish with a bread knife as it will not produce an even slice.
Cleaver (meat): 6" blade for chopping through joints and bones.
Sharpening Steel: 9" to 10" long and used for honing the knives. Straightening those little saw teeth that give knives their sharpness.
Remember, use the right knive for the task and keep those blades sharp and your knife chores will be easier and safer.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
KNIVES - CARE & MAINTENANCE
A sharp knife is a dangerous implement, but a dull knife is even more dangerous. How can this be? The answer is simple; you have to work harder when using a dull knife as opposed to letting a sharp knife do the work for you. More people hurt themselves with a dull knife than with a sharp one. So what’s the secret to avoid getting hurt with a dull knife? Again, simply keep your knives sharp. The fact of the matter is that all straight edge knives, when sharp, have microscopic saw teeth. I’m not talking about serrated knives, but about knives that look straight and when looked at with a strong magnifying glass or a microscope, you can see thousands of tiny saw teeth. It is these teeth, when they are present and straight on a knife that makes the knife sharp. When a knife is made at the factory, the final steps in making the knife are to give it a sharp edge. This is done by grinding the edge until these thousands of tiny saw teeth appear. Then the saw teeth are sharpened or beveled to a point. Then lastly, these teeth are honed or straightened. Now you have a sharp knife.
But knives don’t stay sharp forever. In fact, every time you use a knife, it dulls a little. This is because every time you use a knife, you either bend the teeth a little or actually break off some of the teeth. Once the teeth are bent too much or too many are broken off (or both), you have a dull knife. If you don’t take care of your knives, they will dull quickly with use. But there are some things that you can do to take care of your knives and to maintain an edge for a year or so.
Store your knives properly. Keep them in a block on your counter, in a cutlery tray in a drawer, on a magnetic bar on your wall, or keep sheaths on each of them and store them in a drawer. These measures keep protect your knives and you. You don’t want to be reaching into a drawer where the knives have exposed edges. This is dangerous to you and your knives. You can get a nasty cut and your knives can actually bend or lose some of those teeth by banging up against each other in the drawer. So protect your finger and your knives by storing them properly.
When using your knives, use them on a surface that will give and not on a hard, unscratchable surface. If the cutting board you are using doesn’t get scratched, then your knives are being dulled because the teeth are getting bent or broken off. This doesn’t mean that the teeth won’t bend or break off anyway; it just means that this will not happen as quickly. Every time you use a knife, the teeth will bend and/or break off.
So what’s the secret of having sharp knives? Maintain them at home with some kind of honing device or a three stage electric knife sharpener. There are some very good electric knife sharpeners on the market that will cost you approximately $130 and up. But if you don’t want to spend that kind of money for something that you will have to keep up with, then use a honing steel or device on a weekly basis. These honing gadgets will, if used properly, straighten the teeth on your knife. If using a steel or ceramic honing rod, use a 15 to 20 degree angle on each side of the knife. Pass the knife over the rod several times on each side until the knife feels sharper. The honing gadgets have two rods or pieces of ceramic crossed or over lapped at the proper angle. All you have to do is draw you knife over these rods until the knife feels sharp.
This maintenance should be done at least once a week from the day you purchase the knife or sharpened by a professional.
Even though this maintenance does straighten the teeth, it will cause some of the teeth to break off over time. When you use your knives, you will cause some teeth to break off if they hit a bone, or even hit the cutting board. Once enough of the teeth are broken off, you have a dull knife and honing it won’t help. Most consumers, who do maintain their knives on a frequent and regular basis, can maintain the edge for about a year. Then it is time to bring your knives to a professional knife sharpener and get a new edge on them.
Remember, a dull knife is a chef’s worst enemy.
But knives don’t stay sharp forever. In fact, every time you use a knife, it dulls a little. This is because every time you use a knife, you either bend the teeth a little or actually break off some of the teeth. Once the teeth are bent too much or too many are broken off (or both), you have a dull knife. If you don’t take care of your knives, they will dull quickly with use. But there are some things that you can do to take care of your knives and to maintain an edge for a year or so.
Store your knives properly. Keep them in a block on your counter, in a cutlery tray in a drawer, on a magnetic bar on your wall, or keep sheaths on each of them and store them in a drawer. These measures keep protect your knives and you. You don’t want to be reaching into a drawer where the knives have exposed edges. This is dangerous to you and your knives. You can get a nasty cut and your knives can actually bend or lose some of those teeth by banging up against each other in the drawer. So protect your finger and your knives by storing them properly.
When using your knives, use them on a surface that will give and not on a hard, unscratchable surface. If the cutting board you are using doesn’t get scratched, then your knives are being dulled because the teeth are getting bent or broken off. This doesn’t mean that the teeth won’t bend or break off anyway; it just means that this will not happen as quickly. Every time you use a knife, the teeth will bend and/or break off.
So what’s the secret of having sharp knives? Maintain them at home with some kind of honing device or a three stage electric knife sharpener. There are some very good electric knife sharpeners on the market that will cost you approximately $130 and up. But if you don’t want to spend that kind of money for something that you will have to keep up with, then use a honing steel or device on a weekly basis. These honing gadgets will, if used properly, straighten the teeth on your knife. If using a steel or ceramic honing rod, use a 15 to 20 degree angle on each side of the knife. Pass the knife over the rod several times on each side until the knife feels sharper. The honing gadgets have two rods or pieces of ceramic crossed or over lapped at the proper angle. All you have to do is draw you knife over these rods until the knife feels sharp.
This maintenance should be done at least once a week from the day you purchase the knife or sharpened by a professional.
Even though this maintenance does straighten the teeth, it will cause some of the teeth to break off over time. When you use your knives, you will cause some teeth to break off if they hit a bone, or even hit the cutting board. Once enough of the teeth are broken off, you have a dull knife and honing it won’t help. Most consumers, who do maintain their knives on a frequent and regular basis, can maintain the edge for about a year. Then it is time to bring your knives to a professional knife sharpener and get a new edge on them.
Remember, a dull knife is a chef’s worst enemy.
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