So I’ve been seeing russian piping tips all over the internet and I finally broke down and bought a set – seriously the LARGEST set I could find – now I probably wont use most of these ever again – but I like having everything so I can try them out and make informed choices!
For this tutorial I only used about half the tips in the set – the ones that obviously were for flower making – still have to play with the other half and see what they can do! But that’s another post for another day!
ANYWAY when some friends of mine were having a small wedding recently I wanted to make something special for them and they gave me free reign… All they wanted was buttercream, so I used the flower colors from her daughters dresses to color the buttercream and decided to give my new Russian tips a try!
It turned out PERFECT! Understated but still a statement! All buttercream, and how lovely are the colors! So the colors – as you can see in the video I made a half a dozen colors, the green was just for leaves. The rest of the colors I intermixed to give each piping tip it’s own variation. Now you can simply fill your piping bags, layering different colors as you fill it, or trying to keep one color to one side… but I wanted a more uniform look.
so I spread out the frosting onto 6 different sheets of plastic wrap, varying the stripes and colors. Then I rolled it up – candy style – I refrigerated it until ready to use. Then I just cut off one end and slid it into the piping bag with the tip! worked great!
So the key to the russian piping tips? 1st your buttercream texture – not too stiff – or you’ll have broken edges, not so soft that it’s droppy or the details get lost. 2nd your pressure – press too hard and you lose the details – don’t press hard enough and the flowers won’t stick… So I’d say it DEF takes practice to find what works for you.
The balance in the texture and the pressure is what it will come down to. and of course each tip is also a little different, some needed the pressure to be changed a little for it to work best. Finally I’d recommend NOT making your cake under lights that raise your kitchen temperature by like 50 degrees… my frosting kept getting to warm under my work lights so I kept having to put the frosting in the refrigerator.
So what about you? have you tried them? will you? have a suggestion for a cake that would look amazing with them? Let’s hear it!
Ashlee Marie
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Sheila
Can you provide the best icing recipe to use with russian tips please.
Ashlee Marie
I really need to add a simple swiss meringue buttercream recipe to my site. Here is my raspberry version https://ashleemarie.com/lemon-cake-raspberry-swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe-shortbread/ just leave out the fresh and freeze dried raspberries for a simple recipe.
Ntombi
Wow thank you for making this video, I bought the tips and will surely try them. A big thank you 😘
Ashlee Marie
you are so welcome!
Jessica Zawacki
Where did you get the coupler I see in the video? I have some Russian tips but no coupler to be able to change tips easily.
Ashlee Marie
here you go https://amzn.to/37AEh8Y I think one came with my tips.
Tristan Worthington
Would you mind sharing the buttercream recipe you used? I tried my Russian tips with a buttercream recipe using confectioners sugar, vanilla extract, butter, salt, and milk. I might have made it too “dry”. I appreciate any and all your help. I have four dozen cupcakes due this Saturday and would love to use my tips. Your cake with your Russian tips looks spectacular!!
Ashlee Marie
you can add milk or water (just a little at a time) until you get the texture you want. I prefer a swiss meringue buttercream vs an american buttercream (here is the recipe I use – just don’t add the fresh or freeze dried raspberries https://ashleemarie.com/lemon-cake-raspberry-swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe-shortbread/)
Bren
Rediscovering love of cupcake decorating now that I an retired. 80% flower failure with Russian tips though. Could not get them to stick to surface when trying to make the design. Could this be the icing was to dry? The other 20% upside was, it taste delicious and ate some of my failures!! I could actual recognize a few roses, but very few, so added more confectioners sugar. LOL. Maybe to dry and hard to push through bag. Can’t wait to try again, Do you have a buttercream recipe you recommend?
Ashlee
It’s all about find the right consistency, if it’s not sticking then yes the frosting is too dry. Def some trial and error. I’ve used american buttercream, and it worked just fine. I haven’t tried either of the meringues but even when you get the consistency right your hand can warm it up and make it too soft, so refrigerate it for a min if you need to
Frances Meadows
This cake is so beautiful, I wonder if you would tell me the colors. You said 6 different colors. So each color had its own tip. Would love to make this ,please give more details.
Ashlee Marie
eeek I probably used about 15 different colors to create these – I was matching a wedding party. I wouldn’t even know where to begin again with all the colors I own. I recommend starting in small batches of frosting.
Gina
Same thing happened to me. Either got the icing too goopy or too dry. I’m gunna keep trying though. These tips create the most beautiful decorations!
Ashlee Marie
are you using an american buttercream or something else? I like a swiss meringue buttercream.