Mini Nifty Nozzle - English Rose 147M
Nifty Nozzles – The Genuine Russian Piping Tips
Nifty Nozzles are the genuine Russian Piping Tips.
Carol McFarland, previous founder of Sugar and Crumbs, acquired the Intellectual Property Rights for these nozzles. The nozzles were originally designed in Russia, and Carol worked closely with the designer to secure the Intellectual Property Rights in the UK and Europe.
There are more than 50 registered designs with the EUIPO.
There are now lots of copies and similar nozzles available, but it is always lovely to support the original owners and designers.
Nifty Nozzle Sizes
Our Nifty Nozzles are available in three sizes:
Mini
Large
Extra Large
Please note that the height of the nozzle is roughly the same across all three sizes. It is the size of the disc at the top of the nozzle that creates the different flower sizes.
Our nozzles are food safe and will not rust.
Caring for Your Nifty Nozzles
We recommend washing your nozzles when you first receive them and leaving them to drip dry on a piece of kitchen roll.
Because of the intricate cuts in the nozzles, occasionally a small section may be slightly raised or pushed down during transportation.
Don't worry. Simply use the end of a slim, flat object, such as the end of a pencil, to gently push it back into position. This will not break your nozzle.
Carol's Buttercream Recipe
There are lots of different buttercream recipes, but this is the one I personally use with Nifty Nozzles.
Ingredients
250g room-temperature butter
500g sieved icing sugar
1 tablespoon condensed milk
Gel colours of your choice
I personally use Sugar and Crumbs Flavoured Icing Sugars, a product I originally developed.
They are already flavoured and pre-sieved, which makes them particularly useful for buttercream. Adding liquid flavourings or essences can alter the consistency of your buttercream, and it can also make it more difficult to achieve exactly the same flavour if you need to prepare an additional batch later.
Method
Beat the room-temperature butter until it is soft, pale and fluffy.
Add the 500g icing sugar gradually to the beaten butter, incorporating all the sugar.
Add 1 tablespoon of condensed milk.
Turn your mixer on slowly and mix until the buttercream is beautifully smooth.
Divide your buttercream into bowls ready for colouring.
I recommend colouring only enough buttercream for one flower design at a time. Take out the quantity you need, colour it with gel colour and leave the remaining buttercream in the mixing bowl until you are ready for your next colour.
How to Pipe With Nifty Nozzles
1. Prepare Your Piping Bag
Place your Nifty Nozzle inside a piping bag.
Cut the very tip of the piping bag so that just the end of the nozzle is visible.
2. Add Your Buttercream
Fill your piping bag with no more than a handful of buttercream at a time.
If you overfill the bag, it becomes much harder to control.
3. Prepare Your Cupcake
Add a very thin crumb coat of buttercream to your cupcake just before you are ready to pipe.
Don't do this too far in advance, as the buttercream can crust over. You want the surface to remain soft so your piped flowers have something to stick to.
4. Pipe Your First Flower
For a basic design, begin by piping your first flower in the centre of the cupcake.
Allow the nozzle to sit gently against the cupcake.
Gently squeeze the piping bag while slowly lifting the nozzle upwards.
Once your flower has reached the height you want, stop squeezing and relax your grip on the piping bag.
You should then be able to lift the nozzle away cleanly and move on to your next flower.
5. Add Your Leaves
Use a leaf piping tip, ideally a number 352, to pipe leaves between and around your flowers.
Common Mistakes
Buttercream Too Soft
Buttercream that is too soft can be difficult to pipe, particularly while you are learning.
With practice, you will quickly begin to recognise the consistency that works best.
Squeezing Too Hard
If you squeeze the piping bag too hard, you are more likely to create a blob rather than a defined flower.
Holding the Nozzle Above the Cake
Don't dangle the nozzle above the cupcake.
The nozzle should gently sit against the surface before you begin squeezing.
Holding it too high can create a ripple effect, and your flower may not stick or release from the nozzle correctly.
Moving the Piping Bag Up and Down
Try not to pump the piping bag up and down while piping.
Unfortunately, this usually results in a rather messy flower!
Carol's Top Tips
Practise before promising to make them for someone. Give yourself time to become comfortable with the nozzle and the buttercream consistency.
Take your time and relax. Don't stress. Piping becomes much easier with practice.
Practise on Rich Tea biscuits instead of cupcakes. They are inexpensive, easy to use and you can still eat your practice pieces afterwards!
I don't recommend using other types of biscuits for practising because they can sometimes snap in half when you apply pressure.
Most importantly, enjoy it. Once you get the feel for Nifty Nozzles, you'll be creating beautiful buttercream flowers in no time.
