Please, would you share anything you know about how to make and use colorflow? I have Wilton Colorflow. I read directions, but is there anything you can tell me that will help. Any tips? I wanted to try it today. Thank you!!

From http://www.wilton.com/recipes/recipesandprojects/icing/colorflow.cfm

Wilton Color Flow Icing Recipe

Color Flow Icing Recipe: (full-strength for outlining)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon water
1 lb. (4 cups) sifted confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons (6 teaspoons) Color Flow Mix

With electric mixer, using grease-free utensils, blend all ingredients on low speed for 5 minutes. If using hand mixer, use high speed. Color flow icing ?crusts?quickly, so keep bowl covered with a damp cloth while using. Stir in desired icing color.

Makes approx. 2 cups color flow icing.

Thinned Color Flow
In order to fill an outlined area, the recipe above must be thinned with ½ teaspoon of water per ¼ cup of icing (just a few drops at a time as you near proper consistency). Use grease-free spoon or spatula to stir slowly. Color flow is ready for filling in outlines when a small amount dropped into the mixture takes a count of ten to disappear.

**To outline and fill in a Color Flow design, follow the steps outlined below:

l. Tape pattern and waxed paper overlay to your work surface. Waxed paper must be free of wrinkles.

2. Outline pattern with full-strength Color Flow Icing and tip 2.

3. Let outline dry a few minutes until it crusts.When filling in an area with a different color from outline, let dry 2 hrs.

4. To fill in an outline, soften icing by adding water to 1/4 cup icing, 1/2 teaspoon at a time. As you near proper consistency, add just a few drops of water at a time. Stir slowly by hand in a figure-8 motion to prevent whipping in air bubbles.

5. Test the consistency of the Color Flow Icing by dropping a small amount of icing into the mixture. If it takes a full count of ten to disappear, the icing is the right consistency.

6. Fill a parchment cone no more than half full of icing. (Do not use a tip as it might break outline). Cut a tiny hole at the end of bag. If filling in a large area, have 2 half-full bags ready; otherwise, icing could crust before you finish filling in the pattern.

7. Begin filling in outline along the edges first by gently squeezing and letting the icing flow up to the outline almost by itself. Work quickly, filling in pattern from the outside edges in and from top to bottom.

8. When all outlines are filled in, let dry thoroughly for at least 24 hours. For quick drying, use a heat lamp: position lamp 2 ft. away from decoration for 2 hours. Remove lamp and air dry for 12 hours.

9. Remove the Color Flow from waxed paper by placing it near the edge of the counter. Slide the piece slowly over the counter's edge while carefully peeling half of the waxed paper away. Turn piece around and repeat.

Color Flow Information
Color Flow Technique

Wilton color flow mix contains dried egg whites and sodium laurye sulfate, a whipping agent. When stored at room temperaturein a dry place it will last at least one year.

The color flow decorating technique is a special decorating method used to make detailed icing decorations for cakes. Itis "drawing", using a special icing, parchment bags, and tips.

When mixing color flow icing, set mixer at low speed to avoid whipping in too much air. Use medium or high speed if using a hand-held mixer.

Only use parchment bags. Never fill the bag more than half full.

For color flow decorating, you need a flat, level and firm work surface.

Use full strength icing for outlining and overpiping; softened color flow for filling in. Color flow is softened by adding small amounts of water.

Use grease-free utensils and bowls, as any trace of grease will cause the icing to break down.

Paste food colors work best and do not affect icing consistency. Colors fade slightly when a dried color flow piece is exposed to sunlight.

Attach all icing outlines by blending smooth with a slightly dampened art brush so that there are no "breaks" which allow softened color flow to leak out and ruin your decoration.

If outline and fill-in are the same color icing, let outlines dry a few minutes until they "crust". If outline and fill-in are made from different color icings, let outlines dry thoroughly (1-2 hours) before filling-in.

Outlines that are flat indicate soft icing or touching surface with tip while drawing outline. Remember, outlines are piped with the tip held above the surface to give a rounded line.

Color Flow designs take a long time to dry, so they should be created at least 2-3 days in advance. Occasionally, color flow takes even longer to dry, and may not ever dry. This is almost always due to humidity. Wilton's color flow mix contains dried egg whites, and it is very unlikely that the mix varies from one batch to the next.

A heat lamp can be used to dry the color flow piece more quickly. The heat lamp should be placed two feet away from the color flow for two hours. Afterwards, the piece should air dry for 12 hours. This method produces a piece with a high shine.

If a number of colors are used, finish all of the sections of one color first, before starting on the next.

If placing the color flow piece on a frozen cake, let the cake defrost 6-8 hours to be certain it is dry. Moisture will break down the decoration quickly.

To make a curved color flow decoration for the side of the cake, tape the pattern and wax paper onto the curved surface of a cake pan or on cake side formers. Then follow the basic outlining and filling-in procedures.

Prick tiny air bubbles with a pin while Color Flow piece is still wet. Beating the icing at an overly-high speed may cause air bubbles.

When filling-in, the icing should have a "pillowed" effect.

If icing runs up and over the outline, you may be squeezing too much; the outline may be too flat; or the icing may be too thin.

Are Color Flow Decorations Edible?
Color Flow decorations are edible, however, they are usually not eaten because they are hard and very sweet.

Color Flow Decorations/Storage:
Color Flow pieces should last indefinitely, if stored properly. A cool, dry cupboard would be a good storage place. Do not put the color flow piece on a refrigerated or frozen cake. If the cake has been refrigerated or frozen, allow it to come to room temperature before placing the color flow decoration on the cake.

Allowing the cake to come to room temperature should help prevent the color flow piece from bleeding which is due to moisture. Color flow pieces can be set on sugar cubes to eliminate possible bleeding.

Egg White Substitute
Color Flow Mix consists of dried egg whites and sodium lauryl sulfate, which is a preservative.

Color Flow Mix can be substituted in some recipes for egg white. The substitution is one egg white equals two (2) teaspoons dry egg white (Color Flow Mix) plus two (2) Tablespoons water. Color flow mix does not work well for angel food cake.

Substitution of Color Flow Mix for Royal Icing
Color Flow Mix can be used in place of Wilton Meringue Powder to make royal icing. Follow the same recipe substituting Color Flow in same proportions. Color Flow recipe will be shinier and more brittle. Meringue Powder usage will create a lighter, fluffier icing because cream of tartar is present.

Wow, TexasSugar!! You are as sweet as your name. Thanks for all your info and the time it took to tell me. I am eager to try a color flow piece. I hope you have a very nice rest of your weekend, and Thanks again!

Thanks, anyway, for taking the time to do it.

I make flower pots, and vases from color flow. When I'm ready to make an arrangement on the cake, I push several sugar cubes slightly into the icing, then add a dot of buttercream to each one. Then lay the piece on the sugar cubes. It keeps it off of the icing, and the dot of buttercream doesn't harm the piece.
If I knew how to send an attachment---I'd send some pics!!! I'm working on it. Decorating is sooooo much easier than computers!!
Good luck with color-flow-It is a lot of fun.

Reading this begs the question: what is the difference between Color Flow and regular Royal Icing?

I made the Spiderman, but as Batman cake from the 2006 Wilton Yearbook and boy did I not realize what I was getting myself into. I am pretty new at decorating and am willing to just go for it...and so I did! I could not get the buildings very straight, but I'm sure that just takes time. One thing I ran into though was I could not get the parchment paper to stay flat, so all my buildings had a ripple effect on the back that showed up on the surface. Any insight?

I'm not a fan of royal icing but I love the taste of color flow. It reminds me a bit of the conversation hearts they sell during Valentine's Day. Also, I did a "100th day of school" cake for my daughter's Kindergarten class and made 100 "puddle" faces that I put around the cake. I put the faces on right before I served the cake but did a test at home and put a good dollop of buttercream with a face on top and after 5 hours, it was still perfect, no softening - no nothing. I can't tell you anymore than up to five hours as the face mysteriously disappeared! The temptation was all my six-year-old could stand!

kos