Piping Bag

I realized a lot of people don't know how much they can minimize the mess by just holding their piping bag properly. I guess it's not really the "proper" way of holding it, since there is no right and wrong. But if you use this one simple trick, I promise your clean up will be a lot easier. Plus, it might improve your piping control.

1. Hold your piping bag between your thumb and your index finger

2. Fold the tail over your index finger and pull down tight

3. Pull the tail back toward your thumb and hold tight

4. Twist the bag once or twice while holding the bag

   
   

Twisting the bag and holding it this way prevents the buttercream from escaping backward out of your piping bag. I've noticed this is the biggest culprit to getting random buttercream smears all over your workspace.

Additional Tips:

• Fill your piping bag according to your piping speed and skill level. Fill the bag up to 2/3 or more if you are experienced piper. If not, try to fill half or less. This ensures the buttercream from melting too fast for slow pipers. It may be annoying but it's better to fill your piping bag couple times than struggling to pipe flowers with melted buttercream.

• Pipe with your middle and ring finger. For smaller and more detailed stuff, use your pinky or/and ring finger. I almost never use my index finger to pipe anything. I feel like using your index finger doesn't offer great control. Using your last 3 digits offer great control and allows you to even pipe very small amount of buttercream when adding intricate details.

• Put down your buttercream piping bag when you're not piping. Sounds obvious but I've seen people hold on to it while they talk or scroll through their phones for several long minutes. It melts while you do that! Just place it down if you are going to stop piping. Your hands are lot warmer than you think.

• Use gloves! I use work gloves with anti slip dots. It prevents your buttercream from melting too fast while working and the anti slip dots boosts your grip.

Last Note

The piping bag I personally use are the one from Amazon by Weetiee. Their piping bags are 95% of the time amazing. The other 5%, I think it's manufacturing error? But still, it's good enough that I recommend it whenever I get asked. Price is very reasonable and it's tough enough to withstand my cold buttercream pressure.