Good morning!
I am making a Mickey Mouse stand up for my grandson's first birthday cake. I thought I'd try the color flow icing technique (on waxed paper). Anyone have any tips or suggestions? I've never worked with it before. Is there something else you all use instead? Any suggestions will be appreciated!

Thanks,
Lizzie

I've used both the color flow mix and royal icing for these. I like to do mine on plastic page protectors taped to a piece of cardboard.

I'd also do a back up just in case of breakage.

Color flow is actually pretty easy. You need to prepare your template by securing it to a rigid surface (I like the back side of a cookie sheet the best) that you won't need to use for a few days. You should allow at least 48 hours dry time for most pieces - larger pieces will take longer. Tape waxed paper over top of the templates and then pipe your outlines with full strength colorflow (should be about the consistanct of toothpaste from a tube). Make sure you have a bit of water and a soft bristled decorators brush to touch up spots in your outline where there is a break or you need to smooth down a point. Be very gentle and use very little water as water will dissolve the outline quickly if you use too much. Once your outline is finished thin your colorflow down until it takes a full count of ten seconds for a drop of colorflow to disappear back into the mixture. I suggest working one color at a time and using parchment bags for the flow in process. Make sure to pipe a few test puddles that are a similar size to largest part of your piece. you can use them to check how dry they are getting without disturbing your piece before it is ready. Here is a link to the wilton instructions.

http://www.wilton.com/techniqu.....ecorations

I hope this helps.

Thank you both so much! Texas Sugar--Does the royal icing work as well as the color flow? I have some royal icing made--maybe I could just use that!

To you both--If I'm making a Mickey Mouse what color would you use for the outline? Or do I switch the outline colors as I'm piping? AHHH! This seemed like a good idea!

Thanks again for your posts--

Lizzie

I have done both color flow and royal icing, and in my opinion, color flow is much easier to do first try. Royal icing tends to dry faster. Also color flow drys glossy and royal icing drys matte finish. A third difference is that color flow is stronger and won't break as easily as royal (not to say that both are not fragile, but one is stronger than the other).

Have fun!
Rhea

I've done 90% of mine with Royal just because I always have meringue powder on hand and don't always want to go out and buy the color flow mix.

I would say if you have royal made up, just use it.

I'd color the outline black for a Micky Mouse.

I know this was an older post but have you (when you used Royal) had an issue with bleeding colors? I have and wondered why...any one know? Any suggestions on preventing it?
Thanks!

Dark colors can bleed because of the amount of die in them.

If you are outlining in black or a dark color let it dry before filling in the spaces with lighter colors.

I've never purchased the color flow mix. I always make it from scratch. Can't be much more than powdered sugar in the mix, right?

Actually the Wilton color flow mix is a powder egg white product that has other additives in it, like the meringue power. It doesn't have powder sugar in it.

Question. I am making cookies will the color flow icing be the one to use if I want to out line the cookie then fill it in. Example I have a star cookie and I outline it in white frosting then this the icing to fill in. Is this the type of frosting to use?

Hi..it sounds to me like you are talking about flooding icing not color flow icing. When doing cookies you can pipe your outline then you can thin your icing a bit and use it to flood the cookie. ( to fill in the outlined area.) Its not hard to do, I do use a cookie glaze recipe for my icing and not royal icing like some use, its just a matter of preference and what you have experience working with.

Good luck to you! 

AWould you mind sharing your recipe? I have never done anything like this on cookies but the design they want needs the smooth look.

Thanks!

JmCar07...this is the recipe that I use for cookie glaze.

1 cup confectioners sugar

1 tablespoon corn syrup

2 table spoons water or milk....I use milk

1 teaspoon vanilla (optional) if using vanilla may need to adjust the consistency of your icing with a bit more confectioner sugar.

This icing will dry but does take 24hours or so and if its humid in your area it may take longer to dry. I prefer it cause it dries with a bit of a shine where as the royal icing has a more dull finish. You can thicken or thin the icing as you need it depending on what you are doing with your cookies. If you google  LiaLoa  she has a great cookie blog, she uses royal icing for decorating but it will show you some great techniques!

Good luck!

Thank You so much for you help!!!