Hi all - writing form Perth, Western Australia - trying to find the answers to a go-to recipe or techniques for piping 0.5 nozzle without blockage - I fine sift x 3 times - using 0.5 od style nozzle with copper collar - love the fine work but frustrated with constant blockages - usually use Julia' Usher recipe from book and have also tried boiled 'royal icing' as a possibility, but did not set up - what do the pro's use for 0.5 fine piping? (as well as maybe final squeeze through a stocking?) thanks for love cookie connection website. Kay 
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Original Post
, but I really doubt my recipe is causing blockage - I use it all the time and do very fine needlepoint work with it with rarely any plugging of barely perceptible openings in parchment cones (smaller than a #00 tip). The issue is more likely the powdered sugar that you are using. My recipe calls for 10X (very finely ground) powdered sugar, which is what we customarily get here in the US. If you are working with a 6x grind, then you will surely have plugging issues. (If you can feel grit in your sugar, then that's the issue.) My recommendation is to investigate your sugar and to use a finer, higher quality brand if that's the issue. You can also process 6X sugar in a food processor for a few minutes. This will make it much less gritty, and I have successfully done very fine piping work with sugar processed this way - but it will never get as fine as the 10X sugar here in the US (and elsewhere), so it's best to start with the best ingredients for the task. I use C&H brand typically. And there's no need to take the extra step of piping through a stocking if you start with the right material.
