Maria, here's an entire thread about getting ragged edges on roses: It's buttercream

Yeah, looks like the buttercream -- thanks for all this good info!

Maybe my poor carpel tunnel hands will do this without trying. Finally something good can come of it! Roses that look more like peonies.

 
Hey do you know what Brite White or Angel White Icing Base is? See recipe inside...

So I went to the cake supply store to get high ratio shortening and talked to her about using icing at rm temp/outside (it's been around 85) but will be full shade and she said no to any butter. smileys/frown.gif
I'm sad about this, I thought I could at least do half/half. I really want an icing that tastes good and not like the grocery store or some such.

She told me I needed brite white too (I read it is called Angel White Icing Base except here on the west coast) to add to the shortening, in fact tried to sell me a icing base that had a mix of both (and gave me a recipe*). I kept asking if I needed it even if the cake was not going to be white and she said yes, that it helps consistency. However English was not her first language so it gave me pause. I also don't know what's IN it -- is it chemicals? I don't want to feed chemicals to a baby (in fact this will be her first taste of sugar).

It happens I am making a white icing, but it doesn't need to be bright white. Off white I'm sure would be find. It's not a wedding.

Color me confused.

I'm a bit thrown by this as I thought I had a recipe I was going to try (at the link) and per the comments planned to add "Butavan" (clear butter/vanilla extract, which I now see is an artificial flavoring) and a tad of almond extract as folks said it helped with the taste (of the shortening).

*recipe from cake supply store:

Swiss Alpine Buttercream

2 lb powdered sugar
1/2 cup water
1 bag icing base (high ratio shortening + brite white)
1 T flavor (or to taste)

Mix sugar/water on low speed till creamy, then add icing base and flavor. Mix on high speed for 20 minutes. (She said if I wanted a crust on the icing I should add more sugar.)

Also she claims that doubling this recipe will give me enough for 100 cupcakes, which seems crazy not enough to me.

http://iambaker.net/the-perfect-crusting-buttercream/

 
No, I've never used this. I searched everywhere and finally begged some

High-ratio shortening from a baker in Central Orlando a few years back. He scooped a pound into a bag and sold it like that.

I had been reading Whimsical Bakehouse and they recommended it: "for the emulsifiers that allow it to remain stable at a wider range of temperatures and enable it to hold more air when beaten, making icing fluffier. It can also incorporate more sugar and liquid than regular shortening without breaking and accepts color agents better."

Honestly, for the small amount I ended up using, I didn't notice a difference. But then I wasn't worried about temperatures and melting.

Funny. Probably a decade ago, I read Earlene's website where she recommended Butavan. However I could never find it. Now she sells it! Many of her cakes/icings at that time used shortening...no butter.

 
I heard use high ratio is b/c of the "new" healthy Crisco; They have Butavan at Sugarcrafters.

When someone mentioned Butavan online and I went to surgarcrafters I figured out that was some kind baker's shorthand speak. They had some at the cake store though so I picked up a bottle.

Many people online mentioned the new crisco sans trans-fat does not produce as good of results as the former crisco, so they resort to using the high ratio shortening (not cheap! - 1 b 8 oz = $7.89)

With my melting concern I'm taking no chances. Also I wish I bought this stuff when I went to the cake supply store in SF the other day -- much cheaper for everything.

However, the Brite White isn't the same as the high ratio shortening, but the icing base (the one they sold at least) had both. I now read online that Brite white is a white fudge base that adds flavor, volume and gives you a less greasy icing.

Humm. Information overload!

http://www.sugarcraft.com/catalog/misc/flavorings.htm

 
I tried High-ratio shortening - couldn't tell the difference

I used Crisco in my test batch and the high-ratio in my final. Really didn't notice a difference at all.

 
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