Have you ever had one of those moments where you're so excited, yet annoyed at the internet for introducing you to a great time saving tip. You're elated to learn how to do something easier, but frustrated that you didn't know about it sooner. Folks, that was me this morning when I watched this video on how to prep an icing bag so there's almost no clean up when you're done. What no clean up? Watch the video right this way:
To start, the filling and cleaning of a piping bag isn't the end of the world. It gets a little messy here and there, but with a little practice it really isn't a big deal. That said, I wish I would have seen the video below a little sooner. It was shared with us from the fine folks over at Dollar Store Crafts via Karen's Cookies and it's so amazing, you might actually want to sit down for this. Yes, I know you're probably reading this from a computer and you're already sitting down, but you know it's 2011 and standing desks are all the rage. I'm just trying to be considerate here.
It makes frosting all those fun specialty holiday cookies a little less painful and a little easier to handle, especially if you're working with children. Even if you already used disposable piping bags, you still have to admit that it makes filling and cleaning even easier!
Related: How To Work With Royal Icing
(Image: Sarah Rae Trover, Karen's Cookies via You Tube)
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Awwwwwsoooooommmmme.
I don't even frost cookies and this is an awesome tip. I sometimes use frosting bags when I'm filling deviled eggs or making crostini toppings or putting creme fraiche or yogurt on blini, and this will work perfectly for that too--multiple fillings with one bag and little cleanup!
Mind. Blown.
I hate cleaning piping bags. Awesome tip!
NO WAY. The twisty is awesome!
I don't do much frosting with piping tips, but on the rare occasions that I do, I just use a ziplock bag. I guess I don't see how this is easier. You just throw the whole ziplock bag away, so you're still not washing anything, other than the tip.
coppertone24: I could never ever use a ziplock bag for even one aspect of my business, I think this tip is meant for folks like me who are plowing through 10-20 piping bags per project. This is awesome, not doing the whole "squeeze the bag out, cut the bag off just above the coupler, drag the rest of the bag off backwards over the coupler in a messy fit" routine would make the wee hours of finishing up sooooo much nicer! Thanks for the video!
I saw this tip on video a few weeks ago, and I starting watching with my lips skeptically pursed, only to transition instantly into surprise and enthusiasm. I transcript of my thoughts would have read, "Yeah, sure, this might be handy if you OH WOW THAT'S COOL."
I think I'll have to get a coupler. that is awesome!
Fantastic! I always use a million bowls or make my kids only choose 1 or 2 colors.... Thank you Karen!
Woah. Also wow. Also omg. This has basically changed my entire frosting world.
I have to admit this is a cool trick but I don't understand who this appeals to. I bought a 100 pack of disposable heavy-duty piping bags. I don't use the fabric ones. I forgot the price but even if you broke it down and it cost $0.25 (that's being really generous, I am pretty sure it was less), is it really worth the effort?
The only benefit I see is easier removal/cleaning of the coupler. I just don't see myself trying to save a quarter and reusing piping bags.
I have used the plastic wrap method when I'm mixing multiple colors in one piping bag, so the colors don't meld until piped. But for a piping bag with just one color of frosting, this seems wasteful. The only benefit is to be the reduced cleanup time, but I don't find it takes very long to clean a piping bag.
Where has this been all my life? I hate cleaning piping bags, it's such a messy process.
I want to marry her.
My jaw dropped at 1:58 and I couldn't close my mouth through the rest of the video. Oh. My. Gosh. My world has been rocked. HATE cleaning out my fabric bags.
What I wonder is how well this works for meringue. It can be a bit tricky and it may not work well with all of the spinning. I will have to test it out sometime.
AMAZINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!
No this is Amazing!!!!! I do agree washing out pastry bags are a hassle but the really great use for this tip is the filling of the bags you have to stick it in a cup the fold over half of the bag then spoon in your icing the fold up the bag and push the icing down to the tip. Or if you don't do that you have a mess of trying to fill the bag with the icing and it can get everywhere. Plus you don't get icing overflowing the top of the bag.
Its not so much the cleaning bags I hate, its the filling them- I have the most difficult time filling the bags.
This is fantastic, I want to ice something right now.