Basic Decorating Techniques

Daffodil

Getting Ready:

• Prepare parchment decorating bag with coupler: petals use tip 104, center use tips 3 and 1.
• Fill bag half full of medium consistency royal icing.

Tip: 104 for petals 3 and 1 for center

Icing: medium consistency, yellow

Positions:

• Nail: in left (right) hand
• Bag: 45°angle at 3:00 (9:00) for petals; 90° angle for center
• Tip: wide end lightly touching center of nail, narrow end pointing out and raised 3/4 in. above nail surface for petals; slightly above flower for center Completed Flower Size: 1/4 the size of the top of your flower nail.

Sequence:

Petals
1. Using medium pressure, move tip out 1/2 in. to edge of nail. Spin nail to the end of your finger, letting the spin of the nail form petal. Relax pressure, move tip back to starting point. Stop, lift tip away.
2. The first three petals should cover half of your flower nail.
3. Repeat to make three remaining petals. Edges of petals should be cupped slightly; pinch ends using fingers of Decorator's Brush dipped in cornstarch.

Center
4. Hold flower nail stationary. Move tip 3 in a circular motion, piping an open coil flower center, making sure the base of the coil is narrower than the top, like a megaphone shape. Stop, lift away. While turning nail, add tip 1 zigzag trim to top edge of coil. Dry in medium Flower Former.