2: Assembling Your Cake Decorating Kit in Visual Studio .NET

Encoding Code 128 Code Set B in Visual Studio .NET 2: Assembling Your Cake Decorating Kit

can give more than one effect: As you pipe, turn the tips over on different sides to maximize the frosting effects

To fit a tip onto a pastry bag, you need a coupler, which consists of two parts: A round plastic cone that you fit inside the pastry bag A coupler ring that you screw over the tip on the outside of the bag I like having lots of couplers handy (see Figure 2-2) because they allow me to ready several different colored frostings all at once Also, couplers are useful when your cake design involves different piping designs in the same color frosting: Instead of preparing a pastry bag for each tip you need to use, you just outfit one bag of frosting with a coupler and then change the tips For some reason, cake decorating kits sold as a complete lot rarely include more than one or two couplers Invest in at least a few more; they re inexpensive, and having them on hand is guaranteed to save you time

A flower nail is a spindly tool with a large, circular flat head; as you can see in Figure 2-3, it looks very much like its name suggests However, the head of a flower nail is much larger than that of any nail you d find in a hardware store Flower nails come in different sizes, but a #7 is a good standard size for your decorating kit

The head of a flower nail is big enough to craft a single frosting rose bloom on, but even if rose-making doesn t interest you, you also can use it for creating other types of flowers

A few disposable goods are completely indispensable in your cake decorating efforts The following items don t necessarily fit into a cake decorating caddy, but they should be on hand in your pantry: Parchment paper: You use parchment paper to line your baking pans, particularly big ones and pans that you re filling with tender batters In addition, parchment paper also provides a good practice surface to test out designs beforehand with your frosting-filled pastry bag Purchase parchment paper either by the roll or in packs of 12-x-16-inch sheets Wax paper: If you decide to frost and decorate a cake on the platter or tray that you plan to serve it from, placing wax paper strips under the edge of the cake before you decorate and then removing them after you re done keeps your serving platter, plate, or board free of any smudges or frosting drips that could detract from a neat presentation Wax paper also provides a handy assist when creating multiple frosting flowers and storing flowers until you re ready to apply them to your cake Attach a square to a flower nail with a dab of frosting, and pipe a flower directly onto the wax paper Then remove the wax paper square from the nail, attach a clean square, and pipe the next flower Plastic tumblers: Clear, plastic tumblers are great for holding frosting-filled pastry bags upright or for holding empty bags upright while you fill them with frosting Paper bowls: Mixing frosting and colors in paper bowls means easy cleanup Plastic spoons: Mixing frosting and colors with plastic spoons is a great way to cut down on your cleanup time Cupcake liners: Keep cupcake liners in stock, and be on the lookout for liners that are pretty but out of the ordinary For instance, a pattern sold around the holidays actually may be suitable for year-round use Disposable pastry bags: You have more than one option for pastry bags, but I almost always veer toward disposable ones I find that it s just plain easier to toss a frosting bag away after you re done using it rather than try to clean out the excess frosting and then dry it If you prefer, you can use reusable decorating bags just be sure to keep them clean and dry so that they re always ready for your next cake decorating adventure Cardboard rounds and squares: Typically, you set each layer of a cake on a cardboard round or square (depending on the shape of the layer) to provide stability to the cake, to keep it from cracking or breaking as you move it around, and to make it easier to move during the decoration and boarding process