Awesome Hank
A flower nail is used in conjunction with various tubes to form numerous kinds of flowers and decorations. The nail is held with the thumb and forefinger. The nail is twisted in a counter-clockwise direction. When making a flower from a hard drying icing, an inch and a half square of waxed paper is placed on the nail. This is done by placing a dot of icing on top of the nail and sticking the waxed paper to it. By holding your cone of icing in your right hand, and applying pressure, the petals are formed on your nail. As the force is applied, the nail is twisted, thus forming a petal. As soon as the flower is completed, slide the waxed paper off the nail onto a pan and after drying, the flower is peeled from the waxed paper. Use this technique to make as many flowers as preferred in advance. In your first few efforts working with a nail, you will discover it difficult to turn the nail in a smooth synchronized movement. But with a little practice you will become very talented.
If you are building a flower in buttercream or a softer kind of icing, the blossom is made completely on the nail and is lifted off with a pair of scissors. This is feasible only when making the bigger flowers. If a very small flower were prepared in this way, directly on the nail, it would be impossible to lift the flower off the nail without damaging the flower. These supplies can be purchased at stores that sell Cake Decorating Supplies.
Constructing a Parchment Paper Cone
The single thing that discourages a beginner from using paper cones is not knowing how to create one properly. With five minutes preparation, you can become very proficient in making a cone.
The idea is to turn round the paper into a cone-like contour. The tip of the cone is cut off, and the decorating tube is dropped inside the cone. This cone is then filled with a decorating icing and closed up by folding or rolling over. Even though any sort of paper can be used, the best is a vegetable parchment. If this is not available, waxed paper may be used. The heavier the waxed paper, the easier it is to create the cone. Brown wrapping paper is satisfactory if not used for any great length of time. It absorbs moisture and will break while wet. Vegetable parchment is available in a variety of sizes and cuts.
To assemble a paper cone, from a 9″ roll of paper, initially roll out a sheet roughly 17″ long. Lay the sheet of paper flat on a table. Grasp the outer edges between your thumb and forefinger. Twist the right hand curve and roll the right hand until a limited cone is formed. Circle the right hand with the left hand. Move your hands back and forth to fiddle with the tip of the cone until it is needle sharp. Don’t fill the cone over 3/4 full. As soon as the cone is full, the pinnacle of the cone is folded in. This keeps the icing from backing out of the cone as pressure is applied. For a small cone, an oblong piece of parchment paper may be cut in half and the same procedure followed using the long side of the triangle to construct the cone. As the cone becomes barren, it is essential to continue folding the top down as the icing is forced out.
Have fun and a great time with these tricks. For our next article, issue number 3, we are going to be discussing the uses of the various utensils. For more information please visit our large oasis Edible Image and rolled fondant online Cake Decorating store. We will be glad to assist you.
Tags: cake decorating supplies, cake decorations, candy making supplies, rolled fondant, Wilton cake decorating
Posted in Baking · March 11th, 2010 · Comments (0)
Mistakes are meant to be eaten, especially when playing with candy and chocolate making. Let the good times roll! The purpose is, start off with a great attitude, and just have fun. Candy making seriously isn’t too difficult, and I know that you’ll pick it up very easily, and find out a brand new and fun hobby, with benefits! Wait till you see the magnificent treats that can be made. Who knows maybe, you will even start a small business and earn a couple of dollars.
First a word of recommendation: Buy a good quality chocolate, not the dreadful waxy tasting stuff which is sold at really low prices. Every single time that I’ve done a taste test, the test person picks out the quality chocolate. It creates a world of difference. My recommendation for a really good melting chocolate would be the Merckens Chocolate® brand. This brand can be bought in stores that sell cake and candy decorating supplies.
There are many methods to melt chocolate to a superbly smooth texture. We want the chocolate to be a great and even consistency because it needs to be poured into a mold. The type of chocolate that is recommended is called a candy coating or a confectionary coating. This type of chocolate will not require the careful melting procedures of “real” chocolate. Real chocolate must be tempered, which is an approach to heating and cooling the chocolate at precise temperatures to obtain it the right consistency. Confectionary coatings are available in Milk, Dark, White, Peanut Butter, Mint, and an assortment of colors. Seek advice from your neighborhood Candy Making store to see what varieties they stock.
The microwave oven is a convenient technique to melt chocolate. It is quick and simple, but be sure to use a microwave safe bowl. Do not overcook the chocolate, you ought to actually undercook it. Melt in 30 second intervals, and stir in between. The chocolate should be melted inside a microwave safe bowl, inside a plastic microwave safe bag, or in microwave safe plastic bottles. The chocolate needs to be completely melted and smooth, with a nice gleen to it. The chocolate can then be poured right into the mold.
The second melting method is to make use of a double boiler. The lower pan should be filled up with water and the top pan is filled with chocolate. Heat the bottom pan of water to a simmer, and then remove it over the heat. After that put the chocolate filled pan on the top of the water pan. Keep blending without beating, until smooth and fully melted.
Our third method would be the utilization of a slow cooker or Crockpot. This is often good for large quantities, something like three to five pounds. So, put some of the chocolate inside the Crockpot and set on the minimum heat. Please don’t use the upper settings, since the chocolate will burn. Stir the melting chocolate, intermittently while it is melting. Put in newer chocolate as the initial chocolate is melting. It’s going to take a good twenty to thirty minutes for 3 to five pounds of chocolate to melt.
Our last method will be to use a warming tray. This method is helpful since you can melt more than one color at a time. Put the chocolates in an oven-safe glass bowl and set them on the top of the warming plate. The temperature is required to be set on low to medium and stir when melting. As soon as melted keep the temperature on low. This will keep the different candy colors at the best melting temperature.
For added information and help with Cake and Candy please visit our oasis on-line website.
Tags: candy making, candy making supplies, candy making supply, Merckens, Merckens chocolate
Posted in Desserts · March 10th, 2010 · Comments (0)