Ri Snowflakes - Help!

Decorating By tsal Updated 12 Dec 2010 , 11:27pm by cakelady2266

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tsal Posted 3 Dec 2010 , 11:25pm
post #1 of 17

I want to make some RI snowflakes to put on cupcakes. I printed out a snowflake template, whipped up some RI and started piping - then the problems started:

I'm not sure what tip to use to make the snowflakes thick enough to handle but still fine enough to show details.

Also not sure what consistency RI should be. I used it thick and it was difficult to pipe, then I thinned it a little and now I'm wondering if it will hold up when I try to remove them from the waxed paper.

Help!!

16 replies
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tokazodo Posted 3 Dec 2010 , 11:58pm
post #2 of 17

http://www.wilton.com/idea/O-Starry-Night-Cake

I saw this earlier and thought it might help.

I'm sorry, I can't seem to answer any of your questions, but I do know you should probably make extra snowflakes for the ones that will probably brake.

Good Luck! The RI snowflakes are beautiful and I really want to do a cake with them!

My the cake angels hover near...

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PatricesPieces Posted 4 Dec 2010 , 12:03am
post #3 of 17

I made royal icing snowflakes for my christmas present cake in my photos. I piped them out using a medium consistency, then let them dry. Peel them off the wax paper and turn the snowflakes over and re-pipe on the other side to make them sturdy. They will definitely try your patience, but make extra in case of breakage.

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Cake_whiz Posted 4 Dec 2010 , 3:32am
post #4 of 17

I have not made snowflakes with royal icing I did make spider webs out of royal icing (pretty much the same concept). I realized that the icing should be medium consistency. Thick made it too hard to pipe and thin made it all runny.

I also learnt that my smallest round wilton tip was not the best thing to use because my end-product was so weak and broke when removing from parchment paper. Tip 5 worked well for me.

You can also try using white candy melts to make your snow flakes. It dries faster and it separates from the parchment paper more easily than RI.
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practiceandpatience Posted 5 Dec 2010 , 3:21pm
post #5 of 17

I piped the snowflakes on this cake with a medium consistency RI, and tip #3. Most of my breakage came when removing from the waxed paper. so before piping, I sprayed the waxed paper lightly with non stick spray, and with paper towel wiped most away to leave a very thin film, the snowflakes fell right away from the paper when dried! no more breakage when removing!!


http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1293640.html

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maryj Posted 11 Dec 2010 , 2:07pm
post #6 of 17

I used melted almond bark for snowflakes, so much less stress and they turned out fabulous.

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cambo Posted 11 Dec 2010 , 2:27pm
post #7 of 17
Quote:
Originally Posted by practiceandpatience

I piped the snowflakes on this cake with a medium consistency RI, and tip #3. Most of my breakage came when removing from the waxed paper. so before piping, I sprayed the waxed paper lightly with non stick spray, and with paper towel wiped most away to leave a very thin film, the snowflakes fell right away from the paper when dried! no more breakage when removing!!


http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1293640.html




Great tip! I will be making some in a week or so and will do this also!

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cupcakeluv Posted 11 Dec 2010 , 4:29pm
post #8 of 17
Quote:
Originally Posted by practiceandpatience

I piped the snowflakes on this cake with a medium consistency RI, and tip #3. Most of my breakage came when removing from the waxed paper. so before piping, I sprayed the waxed paper lightly with non stick spray, and with paper towel wiped most away to leave a very thin film, the snowflakes fell right away from the paper when dried! no more breakage when removing!!


http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1293640.html




they are so beutifull your snowflakes, did you make your own templates?

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practiceandpatience Posted 11 Dec 2010 , 8:10pm
post #9 of 17

Thank you for the compliment!

I started with the snowflake templates here on CC, and I free formed off of them, I tried to make each one a little different.

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cakesnglass Posted 11 Dec 2010 , 8:59pm
post #10 of 17

Wax paper with number #2 tip will give you very delicate snowflakes. #3 if you wish for a thicker snowflake. Royal icing must be made fresh and medium consistency. You must allow plenty of time to dry (2days) depending on the humidity in your area. Always make extra because if you do not make proper contact from line to line they will crack. Use a spatula or very fine knife to peel from the wax paper not your hands. Good Luck. (the small snowflakes on the cake- my snowflake cake were done with royal.

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kakeladi Posted 12 Dec 2010 , 1:07am
post #11 of 17

the size of the tip used will depend on each person's squeezing powericon_smile.gif Some people have a much greater squeeze than other so a tip 2 might give them the same outcome as another person using tip 5 who has a much weaker grip.

Instead of using waxpaper pipe them on *plastic wrap*. I can almost gurentee little to NO breakage icon_smile.gif Even better than spraying wax paper.

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cupcakeluv Posted 12 Dec 2010 , 8:08am
post #12 of 17
Quote:
Originally Posted by practiceandpatience

Thank you for the compliment!

I started with the snowflake templates here on CC, and I free formed off of them, I tried to make each one a little different.


.


thankyou. icon_smile.gif

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cheatize Posted 12 Dec 2010 , 5:03pm
post #13 of 17

Have you tried sliding the paper away from the snowflakes instead of the snowflakes away from the paper? I read a tip on here to pull the paper to the edge of the counter and then slowly pull the paper down over the edge, letting it peel away from the decoration.

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practiceandpatience Posted 12 Dec 2010 , 5:28pm
post #14 of 17

not to say this doesn't work, but personally for me, I had more breakage this way, as when you pull the paper down, and the snowflake sticks, this just broke the snowflakes in half

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jacques Posted 12 Dec 2010 , 10:08pm
post #15 of 17

If the royal icing was hard to pipe it suggests one of two things

1. one of the utensils you used when making the royal icing had a smear of grease on - grease stops the chemical reaction so instead of beautiful royal icing you end up with a heavy mass which is only suitable for the BIN. so its important to make sure that every thing is grease free (I am a royal icer fist and foremost and as such have two sets of dedicated royal icing equipment).

2. you added too much powdered sugar to the royal icing - if you used fresh egg white then the ratio is six times the weight of the egg white for the powdered sugar. alternatively if you used a powdered egg white you need to remember that water has a skin and as such you could of added a scooped tablespoon of water ie the amount of powdered sugar stated in a recipe is only a guide you may need less or on occasions you may need to add a touch more powdered sugar.

as to drying - if the royal icing has been made correctly then it will dry very quickly ie a snowflake piped with a number 2 piping tip should be firm enough to move within 60 minutes and NOT require a few days.

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Jayde Posted 12 Dec 2010 , 10:55pm
post #16 of 17

I hate RI with a passion, so I am going to offer an alternative maybe for next time. I invested in a nice snowflake cutter set and make mine out of GP. Leave to dry completely, and then I smear a little bit of piping gel on with a small paint brush and dip into some white or blue disco dust. They turned out totally cute and were not nearly as fragile as the RI.

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cakelady2266 Posted 12 Dec 2010 , 11:27pm
post #17 of 17

I used a tip #2 for these snowflakes. I did them on wax paper, after they dried I slid a thin knife under them. I sprinkled sugar on some of them, that seems to make them stronger. http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1887315
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1887314

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