Why In The World Can't I Do The Shell Border?
Decorating By berryblondeboys Updated 6 Aug 2007 , 11:32pm by OhMyGoodies
I must be a total dunce. I mean, it's one of the first things they teach in the Wilton 1 course, but I can't do it!!! What is wrong with me?!?!?! I keep trying, but am I missing some trick to it? I just get what looks like a doubled up ridged glob of toothpaste, not a pretty shell!!! I LOVE the look of the reverse shell combined with the regular shell border, but I can't do it!!! HELP ME LEARN!!!
Melissa
I'm not at home so I don't have access to my favorites to give you a link to a video of shell borders, but I did google this video for you, it has a few diff. borders including the shell. I have same prob. with borders, I can't seem to "get" the pressure control.
http://video.about.com/baking/How-to-Decorate-Cake-Borders.htm
I too have trouble so I'd like some tips as well! 
oh I am sooo glad you have posted this. I too really really struggle with that foolish shell border 
It either ends up looking like my frositng bag sneezed all over the cake of it takes me so long that the bc has melted by the time I finsh it. I wish I could help, unfortunatly I can't but I can say this, lets learn toghether to be the best darn shell border makers in the US..lol 
we can do this
The video shows a pretty good shell border, actually. (The cake wasn't exactly iced smoothly, but hey....that's another story)
You just need to remember to apply the most pressure at the beginning of the shell and as you taper back for the "tail" to lessen pressure. Don't abruptly stop or you won't have a tail...and you need a tail.
Consistancy is key. Start the head of each shell in the same spot relative to the shell before it. If you're going to space your shells very close together you need to have a good tapered tail or it's going to look all clustered together and sloppy.
It's one of those things that you just need to practice until you find your rhythm and get a good shape.
Good luck!!
Angie
I feel everyones pain. I could not get the shell border to look right to save my life. Finally one day I held the bag a different way and "Bam" it worked. Now the reverse shell is a different story. I am still trying to master this one. Keep trying I am sure you will get it.
In that video, it says to hold it at an angle... I haven't heard that before. Are you supposed to start, go back a little and then pull forward? When I do that I get a doubled up cream or an inchworm look. I'll have to whip up some more buttercream and take some pics to show you all what a pathetic shell border I make and then maybe you can tell me what I'm doing wrong.
Melissa
From what I was told, you should NOT lift up and then go back a little. I had a rough time too until this past weekend I was reading the directions and where ever I was reading it said NOT to lift up the tip, to let the icing fan out (it will lift the tip a little by itself) and then stop pressure when you pull away. It seemed to help me because then it did have the shell effect to it. HTH, I'm by no means an expert with the shell haha.
Keyshia
Wow... I've got to say that I am not at all impressed with the techniques in that video. The pearls were not touching, the stars were not uniform in size, and the shell border was just wrong.
DO NOT go backward when piping a shell border. Place your tip at a 45 degree angle to the top of the cake. Squeeze the bag. The icing will naturally form a rounded shell without you ever moving your hand. Once the rounded shell has been formed, THEN gradually release pressure and pull back to make the tail.
I know, not something I would put out saying I was a professional!
Anyhoo, I just used the last of my BC in the bag left over from yesterday and by george, I think I'm beginnign to get it. Just a couple questions. What tip do most of you use? I had the 18 on, so I just kept that one on for testing. Second, should it be a thicker consistency frosting? Mine was a little soft, so the ridges weren't as defined.
Melissa
I am the president of the "can't do shells club"! My shells never have tails. I can sort of do the reverse but I have to REALLY concentrate and think about it..afterwards I have to take a nap because it was mentally exhausting!!! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz just thinking about it made me yawn!! hee, heee
the shell border is my favorite one b/c its so simple all you truely have to do is at a 45 angle squeeze firmly and let the icing lift you up to form the head and once it kind've lifts U up them begin to come back and down and at the same time release some pressure. ITS FUN!!!!!!!! GL Ladies
u need patience with making a shell, holding the bag at 45 degrees and a little off ur working surface helps , when u squeeze make sure u do not move and stay in the same position until u see the icing form what i call a "bump" stop squeezing and pull bag sharply towards u, the trick is the angle of the bag and the few seconds u wait for the icing to fan out , the idea is not to MOVE ..........until it forms a bump!!........hope this helps ............
I worked in a bakery for more than a year and for the first 6 months I couldn't do a shell (umm hello how did I work in a mass production bakery right?!?) Well The ladies I worked with were great, I could do a reverse shell so that is what most of my cakes had on them.
The ladies I worked with took time to practice with me. The best advice I can give is to practice on making one good shell at a time. Dont' look at it as a string of shells. Just practice on a board one shell. When doing a cake take it one shell at a time, don't try to do more than that until you feel comfortable with the technique. It took me awhile to get it right, but hey I learned a lot of other cool borders instead!
I could do the shell okay, but all of a sudden I had a eureka moment when I got the shells to look the way I wanted. What i now do is start the shell and push forward with the tip just a bit, then pull back.. Of course more pressure at first and decrease pressure as you pull back. My shells are very pretty now! I also discovered I like the tips like 32? I think it is? It has more ridges or whatever.
Here is an example:
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=398863
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=708343
I use a 21 for the bottom shell and the reversed on top of the cake I use a 18
I could do the shell okay, but all of a sudden I had a eureka moment when I got the shells to look the way I wanted. What i now do is start the shell and push forward with the tip just a bit, then pull back.. Of course more pressure at first and decrease pressure as you pull back. My shells are very pretty now! I also discovered I like the tips like 32? I think it is? It has more ridges or whatever.
Here is an example:
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=398863
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=708343
I love your cakes and am so envious of your shells!!! OK, I'm about to make a batch (well four batches to store actually) and I'm practicing tonight!!! I'll take pictures of my progress!
Melissa
I'm a shell flunkie too. 
I understand the whole 45 degree thing, but 45 degrees in relation to what? I think DianeLM answered that part for me. Do you make the shell into the place where the cake meets the board?
merissa - Your shells are fantastic! Thanks for sharing the tip number. I actually bought that one this weekend and I can't wait to try it. I like the "ridgier" shells best!
When you hold your bag so that the tip is pointing straight down and the bag opening is straight up that is a 90* angle...
When you bend your wrist slightly to the right (or left if left handed) the tip is now facing / like that 
kinda... bascially picture a clock around your hand and your bag and tip are the hand on the clock... you want your bag to be at like 3:33 I guess it would be cause the bag TOP would be at 3 o'clock and the tip would be inbetween 6 and 7 o'clock lmao
I know that's really confussing but if you view any video or photos of people demonstrating it being done you can see the way they hold their hand and the bag and tip... lemme check You Tube and see if I can find a better video...
Ok I can't find another video that shows it any better.... but if you go back to the beginning of this thread and watch the video again paying close attention to the direction in which the tip is pointed... in making stars and beads you hold the tip at 90*s when making the shell or reverse shell you hold it at 45*s which is just sideways basically... hope this isn't too confussing lol if you need more info please feel free to PM me.
Also... yes placement of borders is strictly to hide the edges... both the raw plain edge of the top of the cake as well as to cover the cake board on the bottom (If it's the same size as the cake but normally it's larger then the cake) or to hide the gap where the cake meets the circle. Borders main reason for being is to give a finished look to the cake... if you notice in the video posted here at the end they show the cake "finished" with the bead border... notice how plain and crappy (IMO sorry) it looks without a bottom border... having both borders makes the cake look balanced and finished, and the two borders do not have to be the same I've done a basic shell border (my version lol) on the bottom and a reverse shell on top or star on top and shell on bottom or what have you....
OK, I was cleaning up the kitchen and I found that I had left the red out from Sunday, so I tried tip 32 and this is what I got. Each time got better!
Then:
Then I started to "get" the tail part:
Then I added the reverse shell since I couldn't do that either on attempt #4:
Last attempt before DS said enough! #5:
Melissa[/img]
Looks pretty good I'm thinking the spacing on the reverse shell is the only problem I see which really isn't a problem lol.... It looks like you're getting the hang of it. Maybe it would look different TO ME if it weren't red... cause that is a killer red lmao
I know, it's RED, it's leftover from the lego cake that I did. I had frozen it and taken it out for the dora cake I did over the weekend. I still have to make the buttercream and then it will be in white and not so glaring! LOL
LOL I wasn't really complaining too bad hun didn't mean to imply anything... just harsh on the eyes when it's so much on itself ya know lol. But I'm sure the white will look better... and I don't mean that the red ones look bad... but meaning maybe it'll register better with my brain when I see it in white lmfao
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%
