Are you tired of clogged tips?
Do you want to make fine lines with icing?
Do you want to decorate “Frustration Free?”
Do you want flat abs? (oops…wrong infomercial!)
Well, I have a “tip” for you!!!
I do not like infomercials but sometimes they get your attention. Well, I want your attention for today’s “Quick Tip.” Did it work?
This is a “0″ PME Tip. It is your friend. It can help you make little lines that will add so much detail to your cookies that you will want to take pictures to carry in your wallet and show all your friends. You are going to LOVE her and her little sister!
Lil Sister is a “00″ PME! One size smaller than the “0″. I would LOVE to have all PME Tips but the truth is they are more expensive than the Wilton tips. I can also grab Wilton tips when I go to Wal-Mart, Michael’s, or Hobby Lobby without having to order them online.
These tips were all bought about the same time and both sets get used a lot. See how shiny and new the PME tips look? I am only speaking from my own personal experience but the Wilton Tips tarnish after some use. I don’t want something else I have to scrub, polish or treat with tender loving care. You can buy PME Tips here.
They also decorate differently. My icing comes out with a better flow and seems smoother. It is hard to explain but I prefer the PME tips because I feel I can decorate better with them. Also, I don’t have to replace them as often. As a matter of fact, I have never had to replace one. I can’t say that about the Wilton Tips.
Let’s start at the beginning. This is what I use to assemble my icing bags for decorating. 1 bag (Wilton or Ateco), 1 tip, 1coupler (Ateco or Wilton) and 1 Wilton Icing Bag Tie.
First, cut the end of the bag.
Insert coupler base into the bag and push it down to the end.
Slide the tip on the base. Make sure none of the bag is sticking out of the sides of the tip. If your bag is on the inside of the tip, the icing will be on the inside of the tip and not on your hands.
Screw the ring onto the base. Now you are ready for the icing.
Before this next step, I want to thank Tracy LH for showing me how to do this. Sweetopia also has a tutorial on her site. I asked her if she would mind if I did my own tutorial and she was so nice and encouraging and told me I could. She is sweet like that!!!! Be sure to go see her tips here.
Now let’s make some “Frustration Free” icing.
Supplies for No Clog Tips:
Knee High Stockings
Icing
Plastic Wrap
Bag
Cup, Glass or Mason Jar
Stretch your stocking over your glass,cup, or if you are me a Mason Jar. Then, you need to prepare your icing. I am making bright green. Use the spray bottle to add water until you get the consistency you want. I like my icing on the thin side for “0″ and “00″ PME Tips.
Now for the fun part! I am so excite!!!! (clap, clap, clap!)
Pour the icing into your twice freshly washed, never been on anyone’s foot before, brand spankin new stocking.
Once you pour all the icing in, remove the stocking from the jar.
Place the bag with the coupler and tip into the jar and fold the top of the bag down over the edge.
Wrap a piece of plastic wrap around the stocking icing ball (that is what I am going to call it) and hold over the open bag.
Squeeze the stocking and let the icing flow through the stocking into the bag. The plastic wrap will keep your hands icing free (thanks Tracy LH!)
Now, let’s close off your bag so your icing doesn’t flow all over your table. The purple little band in my hand is a Wilton Icing Bag Tie. I will show you how it works.
Hold down the little part that looks like an arrow while stretching the other end around the top of the icing bag like I am doing in the picture.
Pull the loop over the arrow part. The sides of the arrow will hold the band in place.
Holds perfectly!!!
Now let the icing flow out of the “0″ PME Tip! No clogs!!! Stop pulling your hair out and decorate some cookies!!!!!
NOTE” If your icing wants to curl when it comes out of the tip it is probably because it is too thick. Don’t stress. It just takes a little practice and you will get it! I promise!!!!
Happy Creating,
wonderful advice! I have always been so intimidated by this. Guess it time for me to order some teensie tips!
Go for it!!!
I have been meaning to try this technique forever — you just gave me the push I needed. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
I am good at pushing people! Just ask my husband! lol
Love this. I rarely use my 0 and 00 because the tip clogs drive me nuts!!
Now you can do it the “Frustration Free” way
Why not just put the knee-hi down in the bag? That would save a lot of ickiness.
Laurel, if you wrap the plastic wrap around the icing ball in the stocking, there is no mess! I did not get one drop of icing on my hands or on the table. I didn’t even get any on the side of the bag! So simple!
I can’t wait to try this!! I have some PME 0 tips coming to me from Copper Gifts as we speak!
I am glad I didn’t wait to post this then. Let me know what you make!
Thank you so much for this tutorial. This is one tutorial I will try for sure. Thank you!
Let me know how you like it!!
Awesome tutorial and “tip”
I just got my PME 0 & 00 tips a little while ago and have been dying to try them out! I will definately try this and avoid frustration!!!!
Thank you!!!!!
Ooooh — the plastic wrap around the stocking is SUCH A GOOD IDEA!!!!! Thanks!
Before I completely turned to sandwich bag I actually tried this method twice, and it really works! Thank you for all the tips, it is great to see picture tutorial as I’ve always wondered how others do this.
I totally agree about hair pulling, it is so annoying when your tips clog all the time, this is a great advice!
Happy Baking.♥
I do this all the time and it works like a CHARM!!! Haven’t had anymore problems since I started using this technique. Trust me it works. Give it a try.
Oh my goodness! I have a 0 and 00, but have only tried to use them once, but nothing came out, so they are just sitting there looking pretty. Now, thanks to your great tutorial I can put them to work.
Thanks again for sharing!
Yeah!! I am glad you are going to put them to work!
Great tip, and lovely pictures. I just posted about my love of PME tips as well. I need to try this. I love the tiny tips, I just struggle with getting the icing just right to use them. I’m going to do a bunch of baby cookies soon and I’d love to make tiny details on the onsies. Here is my blogpost if you are interested
Love it!
I used my 1.5 PME tip to do some lace work on sample Valentine cookies over the weekend and fell in love with that tip. It worked great and I only had to “unclog” it with a straight pin once during the decorating. Don’t know if I’m ready to go smaller but your idea is great!
The 1.5 is my all time favorite tip! I am glad you liked it. I hope you try the “0″ and “00″.
Thank you for the tutorial. I have stayed away from these tips but I’m anxious to try them now.
I was contemplating using this trick as it’s what we do when we make henna paste. I wasn’t sure how people would feel about a stocking, but now I’m not worried! Thanks! You’d be amazed how many henna techniques transfer to cookie decorating.
Hi, i was just wondering what was remaining in the sock after you squeezed it through?It would have been nice to see a picture of all the gunk thats been causing the problems.Guess im gonna just have to try it myself.Thanks for the tip,hope theres more to come.
I love this tip! (and I have hated the PME 00 tips)!!
I have also heard of putting a little square of a stocking (washed of course) between the tip and the coupler (on the outside). I have tried that once or twice and it seemed to work too – but not 100% I have not tried your tip (but will!) and see how it compares. I might actually get to use me 00′s!
I don’t even own any of these tiny tips because I’ve had so many problems with the one tips. Very interesting about the curling, I had no idea. I thought if I thinned the icing too much the lines wouldn’t be distinct. Guess I just need to get the smaller tips. Thanks!
I am working on an icing tutorial. I hope I can answer some of your questions on consistency. Just don’t give up!! You can do it I promise!! I am only an email away:)
Thanks for the great tips! I’ve always been so frustrated when I try to use my 0 and 00 tips. I can’t wait to give this a try!
Great technique! I am sure this makes it easier. Let’s go 0 and 00! Thanks for your advice.
Thanks for sharing this tutorial; it’s very encouraging as I would never have considered using such fine tips!
Are you sure you don’t have anything for flat abs??? Okay, I’ll get some more tips and thanks for the tip!
I WISH!!! LOL!
So you are basically straining the icing through the stocking; the stocking itself does not go down into the icing bag, correct? I am going to have to try this! I have cursed my 0 tip more times than I can count, LOL! I found thinning my icing a little more helps, but doesn’t completely solve the problem. Thanks for the tip!
You are correct! Once you strain the icing through the stocking you are DONE with the stocking except for washing it. Only the icing goes into the bag.
What a great tutorial. I have never done Royal icing decorating but I am edging towards it. I decorate with buttercream as everyone loves the taste of it so much. Going to try this. I know I will need losts of practice since I have never used Royal icing lol.
I hope you like it as much as I do. Just remember, I am only an email away!!
Aw thank you so much. I may need your help!
Lisa, thank you so much for this tutorial. We are completely agree with you, it is (was) so fustrating!!
Lisa,
Thanks for the tutorial!
Who knew learning these tips could be so much fun? I love your humor! Now, if only you make acquiring flat abs as much fun.
I really wish someone would! If you hear of the “Fun Flat Abs Without Rolling Around on the Floor Workout” please let me know. LOL
This really does work! Great tutorial, once again. Thanks, Lisa!
Oh, the BEST tutorial ever! thanks so much. I will have to find PME tips here in Oz. I love when experts share these types of handy advice. thanks thanks thanks!
Fabulous! I can’t wait to try this! I’m going out to get my nylon stockings today for cookie decorating tonight! Thank you!
Thanks for the tip! I just bought a PME 0 tip on Monday. I love the tiny thing!!! First time -ever- piping words on a cookie was on Monday as well. At first I was a little intimated by such a tiny tip but everything went really well! Next time I use my PME 0 I will have to try this tip!
God Bless
I am so happy you tried it! It is amazing how easy it is with the right consistency of icing and a clog free tip! Happy Creating!
That was awesome, thank you so much for sharing.
what a great tip, I can’t stand when the tiny tips get clogged. Great info
Thanks so much for the tip! What do you think the stocking actually does? Act as a strainer to keep lumps or air bubbles out?
It keeps all the small lumps out that will clog your tip. The smaller the tip the more it will clog. Hope that helps:)
Wow! Thanks for the clear , concise directions- I am definitely going to give it a try.
Great tip. Can’t wait to try. Does this work for Glaze icing as well or just RI?
I don’t use Glaze but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work!
Hi! I found your article very interesting, hoping in fact that you may help me. I have a few of those supatubes, and I really like them. The problem is, when I try to use them to write on my cookies, or underline them, as cartoon’s faces for exemple, most of the time the icing is stock into the tip, I have to use a needle every thirty seconds and put it into the tip to make it run again. I thought it was too thick, but if I add some water, I mean a few few water, it becomes runny as for flood the cookie… And is still often stock in the cookie anyway. I use Sweetopia receipe. Do you have any idea of recipe I could use instead that will prevent of this? Making a thick icing that won’t be stock into a smal tip as those one? Thanks. Alex from Mauritius.
SpassionGirl, I am sure Sweetopia has a good recipe but if you are looking to try another one here is the link to mine: http://thebearfootbaker.com/2011/12/antonis-royal-icing/. The key to your tips not clogging is to get rid of all the little bits of powdered sugar and Meringue Powder that didn’t mix smoothly. If you use this stocking trick, you should be able to use without clogs.
I looked up your island and WOW! You live in a very beautiful place!!
Oh My Gosh!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you. You are a cookie angel.
I hope you use this tip! It will help you have fun decorating instead of just working on tips! LOL
Hello again Lisa! Well I tries this method, but is it normal that the icing consistency become much more “running” icing? And I had a small ball of sugar left in the stocking… After pipping, my lines were definitly not thin as I wanted on the cookies … What would be your advice? Thank you so much for your help anyway! Alex from Mauritius.
Hi Alex! Running your icing through the stocking should not effect the consistency. Try adding less water when you mix your icing. If there was a “small ball of sugar” in the stocking after your strained it, that is good!! That is what you want! If that sugar ball was in your tip, your tip would be clogged and nothing would come out.
It took me several tries to get he right amount of water for the perfect consistency of icing for my “o” and “00″ PME tips. Those tips are a little challenging but very rewarding once you learn how.
If you have any other questions, email me at [email protected]! Together, we can do this!!!!
thanks for the tips -we’ll try soon. BTW I love your site
Oh My God!! Great Great Advice !!!!!
Just it?? The solution is a Stocking!
I love to make tiny details, but always avoid using Wilton nº 1 tip .
Thank you so much for sharing !!
Paula
Hi Lisa,
Thank you so much for this great tutorial – it seems so easy when you do it!
I just tried it out and I ended up with a huge solid lump of icing in my stocking and they aint’ going no where! No matter how hard i squeeze the stocking, the solid lump of icing just becomes more solid
Any idea what I am doing wrong?
Thanks!
It sounds like your icing is on the thick side. Try to thin it down a little. Also, I only use this tip when I write on cookies or use the tiny “0″ or “00″ PME Tips. Hope this helps
That definitely helps! I’ll try again with a thinner batch! I use this with the tiny 0 PME tip for outlining and writings (which is why I kept it pretty thick because I was afraid it will run like the flooding consistency).
Can’t wait for it to work! Poking the tip with a needle every 10seconds is driving me nuts!