Icing That Curls When Piped

Hi, I am a new decorator too. Have you looked at any of the tutorials on icing consistency? I am wondering if you may have it too thick even after thinning it?  I also read somewhere not to over mix as this introduces too much air and the icing may not behave.  I hope someone with more experience comes along to help. I want to hear what they have to say as well.  I have had this problem too. 

Brigitte

Brigitte,

Thanks for the reply. I have watched the videos in consistency. At the thinnest consistency I made, the icing spread all over the cookie after I piped it. It wouldn't hold its shape, but still curled as I piped it. 

Well goodness.  That sure sounds like consistency isn't the problem. That would frustrate me terribly.  I do hope someone has an answer for you ! 

Well, if it's not a consistency issue (icing that's too thick pushed out of a very small hole will often curl), then you may have misformed your cones. If the paper is not pulled completely taut at the tip (or if you have any flopping paper or small tears in the tip), this can also lead to curling or irregular piping. Lastly, be sure your icing is making contact with the cookie surface before you start to pipe (apply pressure to the cone); if the icing has nothing to grab onto, it can also sometimes curl or go in directions other than you want.

I go with Julia. Most of the times an irregular opening is the reason if I have problems with curling.

The only other reason that comes to my mind is lumps in the icing. Maybe sieving your powdered sugar could also help.

Julia and Leagwen, thanks for the feedback. I didn't sieve the powdered sugar before I made the icing. I just whisked it with the cream of tartar. Maybe that's the culprit. Do you think I could get better results using pastry bags with tips?

RM0120 posted:

Julia and Leagwen, thanks for the feedback. I didn't sieve the powdered sugar before I made the icing. I just whisked it with the cream of tartar. Maybe that's the culprit. Do you think I could get better results using pastry bags with tips?

I pipe with cones all of the time, and vastly prefer them due to the control and precision (finer lines than tips) they afford - and the fact that they don't require clean-up. It may be you just need to practice with the cones more, but by all means, try metal tips and bags, and see what you think. (P.S. I never sieve my powdered sugar, but we typically get a very fine - 10X vs. 6X - powdered sugar here in the US that rarely, if ever, plugs cones or tips. If you are elsewhere in the world, though, some powdered sugar could be quite gritty - but this will affect your ability to pipe easily out of both cones and fine metal tips.)

Julia M. Usher posted:

RM0120 posted:

Julia and Leagwen, thanks for the feedback. I didn't sieve the powdered sugar before I made the icing. I just whisked it with the cream of tartar. Maybe that's the culprit. Do you think I could get better results using pastry bags with tips?

I pipe with cones all of the time, and vastly prefer them due to the control and precision (finer lines than tips) they afford - and the fact that they don't require clean-up. It may be you just need to practice with the cones more, but by all means, try metal tips and bags, and see what you think. (P.S. I never sieve my powdered sugar, but we typically get a very fine - 10X vs. 6X - powdered sugar here in the US that rarely, if ever, plugs cones or tips. If you are elsewhere in the world, though, some powdered sugar could be quite gritty - but this will affect your ability to pipe easily out of both cones and fine metal tips.)

I just watched your video on parchment cones. Thank you! Now I just have to try that!   I am new here and having a bit of trouble maneuvering about the website. Was going to leave my intro but can't seem to find how to do that. I am using my iPhone to access the site. Maybe thats the problem or maybe I am blind lol

it's a lovely site! I am enjoying it a lot!

Brigitte 

RM0120 posted:

I just learned how to make royal icing and recently tried cookie decorating for the first time.  When I went to pipe the icing onto my cookies, the icing kept curling as I pushed it out of the parchment paper cone. I tried making thinner icing and cutting a bigger hole in the cone, but neither helped me. Any suggestions how to fix this would be helpful.

Thanks!

When that happens to me I clean out my tip. 

Brigitte Thiele posted:

Julia M. Usher posted:

RM0120 posted:

Julia and Leagwen, thanks for the feedback. I didn't sieve the powdered sugar before I made the icing. I just whisked it with the cream of tartar. Maybe that's the culprit. Do you think I could get better results using pastry bags with tips?

I pipe with cones all of the time, and vastly prefer them due to the control and precision (finer lines than tips) they afford - and the fact that they don't require clean-up. It may be you just need to practice with the cones more, but by all means, try metal tips and bags, and see what you think. (P.S. I never sieve my powdered sugar, but we typically get a very fine - 10X vs. 6X - powdered sugar here in the US that rarely, if ever, plugs cones or tips. If you are elsewhere in the world, though, some powdered sugar could be quite gritty - but this will affect your ability to pipe easily out of both cones and fine metal tips.)

I just watched your video on parchment cones. Thank you! Now I just have to try that!   I am new here and having a bit of trouble maneuvering about the website. Was going to leave my intro but can't seem to find how to do that. I am using my iPhone to access the site. Maybe thats the problem or maybe I am blind lol

it's a lovely site! I am enjoying it a lot!

Brigitte 

Hi, again! The site looks a little different on an iPhone, but it has all of the same functionality as if you were to access it on a laptop. So I'm not really sure why you're having trouble - I'd need more info to help with that. Anyway, new member intros can be left in the forums in the "New Member Intros" forum. You can either do this by selecting "Post" in the upper right of the site, and then "Topic" and then selecting the "New Member Intros" forum (which is at the bottom of the various forums, in the "Member Meetup" area). Or go to this link directly: http://cookieconnection.juliau...um/new-member-intros. Hope this helps!

It is the problem of Irregular piping not of consistency.Proper piping at exact place should be there for complete decoration.

Thanks

Cookie Gifts

Julia M. Usher posted:

Well, if it's not a consistency issue (icing that's too thick pushed out of a very small hole will often curl), then you may have misformed your cones. If the paper is not pulled completely taut at the tip (or if you have any flopping paper or small tears in the tip), this can also lead to curling or irregular piping. Lastly, be sure your icing is making contact with the cookie surface before you start to pipe (apply pressure to the cone); if the icing has nothing to grab onto, it can also sometimes curl or go in directions other than you want.

I just watched the piping cone video by Julia Usher on you tube after reading this thread and I am so going to try them.  I was about to drop some money tomorrow on several small tips, but before I do that, I am going to try the cones.  Tips get expensive and parchment paper is much cheaper, especially considering that many cones can be made from a roll of it.

Rachel Boothe posted:

Julia M. Usher posted:

Well, if it's not a consistency issue (icing that's too thick pushed out of a very small hole will often curl), then you may have misformed your cones. If the paper is not pulled completely taut at the tip (or if you have any flopping paper or small tears in the tip), this can also lead to curling or irregular piping. Lastly, be sure your icing is making contact with the cookie surface before you start to pipe (apply pressure to the cone); if the icing has nothing to grab onto, it can also sometimes curl or go in directions other than you want.

I just watched the piping cone video by Julia Usher on you tube after reading this thread and I am so going to try them.  I was about to drop some money tomorrow on several small tips, but before I do that, I am going to try the cones.  Tips get expensive and parchment paper is much cheaper, especially considering that many cones can be made from a roll of it.

Glad to hear this! I hate throwing away plastic too - another great reason to try cones!