05_70136x_ch02.qxd
26
7/17/06
LESSON 2
2:49 PM
Page 26
FLORAL PIPING SKILLS
Lesson 2 focuses on developing strong basic piping skills. In this lesson, you will make rosebuds, half-roses, and full-blown roses. These flowers are formal in appearance and provide immediate gratification. They are useful in the following ways: on iced cakes, as part of a formal floral spray, or individually on cookies or cupcakes. Special attention is required, as these flowers look odd when they are piped too quickly. Often, in the industry, you have little time to pipe a perfect flower. In a busy bakery or restaurant, time is money. Thus, one often sees fragmented elements of a rose rather than a beautifully piped flower. Decorator’s Buttercream Icing is the primary medium for producing these flowers in this lesson, as it is most suitable and stable. You will use Buttercream Icing for Piped Roses, a stiffer version of Decorator’s Buttercream Icing, when you learn to pipe full-blown roses. Flowers made of Royal Icing (page 273) are introduced in a later lesson.
Skills Check Before starting this lesson, it is important to have a full understanding and practical knowledge of basic borders covered in Lesson 1. Because these new skills are based on old skills, a thorough and careful review of top and bottom borders is essential. Icing Facts: Decorator’s Buttercream Icing The makeup of both Decand Buttercream Icing for Piped Roses orator’s Buttercream Icing and Buttercream Icing for Piped THESE BUTTERCREAMS DO NOT REQUIRE COOKING Roses is the opposite of the oth icings uses some butter and some solid vegetable shortening (although in large baking Swiss Meringue Buttercream. establishments, this icing is usually made with all emulsified vegetable shortening). Buttercream Icing for Piped Roses is based on the DecoraConfectioner’s sugar tor’s Buttercream. The icing for Meringue powder and salt piped roses is stiffer and does not break down nearly as quickly Milk and/or liqueur and extracts as the Decorator’s Buttercream This icing is extremely sweet and is often used on cakes for children, on cupcakes, and on birthday Icing. These buttercreams have cakes. It is creamy and must be covered to prevent drying. However, if neither butter nor any other a higher ratio of sugar to fat, milk product is used, this icing does not need to be refrigerated. whereas Swiss Meringue Buttercream has a higher fat-tosugar ratio. (This is why using an emulsified shortening is important.) Adding meringue powder (dried egg white) to Decorator’s Buttercream causes the icing to dry with a crust on the outside while remaining soft inside. It also allows the buttercream to last longer and is preferable when piping or icing cakes in warm weather. When working in a busy environment, you may not have the option of using different buttercreams for different roses. In this case, Decorator’s Buttercream Icing is your best bet. The problem is the icing becomes limp after one or two full-blown Prepare Decorator’s Buttercream Icing and Buttercream Icing for Piped Roses roses are piped. As a temporary solution, using the recipes on pages 260 and 266, respectively. If practicing alone, prepare good for a few roses, add 1 to 2 oz (28 to 1⁄2 recipe of the smaller quantity. Color each icing with your choice of paste or 57 g) confectioner’s sugar to 8 oz (228 g) gel food colors. Load a pastry bag with pastel icing and a #103 or #104 petalDecorator’s Buttercream Icing. shaped metal tip. Make a small quantity of moss green icing for the sepal and calyx, seen on rosebuds and half-roses. For this, you will use the #2 round tip.
B
]] ]] ]] ]] ]] ]] ]] ]] ]] ]] ]] ]] ]]
Decorator’s Hint
Icing