How to Use a Pastry Bag: 101

Chip or cookie?For me a chip…Ok, CHIPS!!I am a savory girl.But Lara, Lara is a sweet girl in more ways than one.And she likes to make her own. So yesterday we went to a cool place in LA (tell you about it tomorrow) and bought baking confections, a pastry bag & tips.Confession - I never used a real pastry bag before today.But not one to be intimidated by a bag with a hole in it, & certainly not one to disappoint Lara, we learned how to use it.It wasn't hard at all.  So if you haven't or aren't sure, let us give you the 101 class on how to use a pastry bag

• Purchase a bag or a pack of disposable bags

We bought a real bag 'cause Lara wanted to feel like a real chef.After washing & drying the bag between each color frosting, I think she sees the wisdom of disposable bags.  Matfer Bourgeat makes excellent disposable pastry bags.  The French name confers real chef status toss away or not.

• Purchase a few tips & a coupler for your bag(s).

The tips are inexpensive (.99 each for ours ) and come in a variety of sizes. A coupler allows you to change tips without emptying the bag & fishing out the one you are finished using.  Couplers make life less messy.

• Slip the coupler, or tip into the pastry bag & let it peek out the small opening.

Some bags need to be cut at the bottom.  If so, make as small a cut as possible for the coupler or tip to peek through.

• If using a coupler, attach the tip.

• To fill the bag twist the bag where it meets the coupler/tip and lay the bag open inside a wide mouthed jar.

This makes it much easier to fill the bag with the buttercream or whatever you are using, especially if you are doing this solo.

• Don't over fill the bag a 12" bag will hold 1 1/2 cups, a 16" bag 4 cups, give or take.

• In general if you are creating flowers/decorations hold the bag at a 90 degree angle.  If it is lines or writing you want use a 45 degree angle.

Here is the real key to piping with a pastry bag…you listening?

• ALWAYS squeeze from the top!

Piping with a pastry bag is all about controlling the flow with pressure. You can only do this if you squeeze from the top.You can squeeze your toothpaste & your honey anyway you want, but a pastry bag has to be from the top.Here is Lara's "Blue Hawaii", the ocean, rendered in buttercream...I don't think we will get orders for a wedding cake anytime soon, but pretty good effort for our first squeeze of the bag!  And we had such fun...So what about you, sweet or savory?** Kelly **