Page 34 - IntraMuros November 2021
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LIFESTYLE












































        SIMPLE TOOLS                         sleeve. Keeping your tools clean makes for   textures in the succulents so that the eye can
        The  great  part  about  succulents  is  that   clean work and immaculate results.   easily follow the design of your cupcake.
        they  only  require  simple  tools  to  achieve
        the same impact as complicated sugarcraft.   SELECTION OF SUCCULENTS      TRANSPORTING YOUR CREATION
        Once your icing assembly line is set up, you   When  deciding  what  type  of  succulent  to   Succulents are a perfect place for beginners
        should not need fabric icing bags as these are   pipe, remember to be patient with yourself   because  they  are  easy  to  transport  to
        usually used to insulate the icing from the   while you are learning. If you are a beginner,   show  off  to  friends  and  family.  Unlike  the
        heat of the hand in bigger scale kitchens. At   rather  choose  a  succulent  that  requires   more  complicated  designs  of  traditional
        home, you can use disposable bags that can   one nozzle and one colour. If you are more   flowers,  they  can  easily  be  piped  directly
        be tossed when you are done – which makes   advanced, you can experiment with realism   onto the cake or piped well in advance and
        cleaning up much easier.             – I often use a good reference picture or a   refrigerated or frozen until you need them.
                                             real specimen to push my colour matching   If you are transporting them, it’s best to do
        To make sure that you properly control the   skills. Try to achieve the perfectly balanced   so in a covered cardboard box as they will
        speed and extrusion of your icing from your   green by experimenting with the tonal value   crust over if left out at room temperature,
        bag, avoid overfilling it. Much like holding a   and adding black or brown.  not to mention it makes them far less fiddly
        pencil in the correct place gives you control                             to handle.
        over lettering, holding your bag in the palm   ARRANGEMENT AND TEXTURE
        of  your  hand  gives  you  control  over  your   During a class, I had a very nervous student   We  have  long  adored  the  geometric  curls,
        creation. Personally, I find that 100g of icing   who had tagged along with a friend. Once   glorious textures and extraordinary colours
        per bag fits perfectly in my hand and gives   she piped her first succulent, her reservation   of  succulents.  Knowing  the  simple  piping
        me pinpoint control.                 melted  quicker  than  buttercream  in  an   techniques behind making them takes them
                                             African  summer  and  she  left  beaming   from being an indulgence we dream of right
        When  it  comes  to  the  precision  of  your   enthusiastically  about  the  bouquet  of   to  our  tables.  This  modern,  arid  aesthetic
        final  product  don’t  underestimate  the   succulents adorning her cupcake.  is  hot  in  the  icing  and  gardening  worlds,
        importance  of  keeping  your  hands,  tools                              turning  regular  cupcakes  into  the  perfect
        and work surface clean and organised. Trust   To  get  the  most  out  of  your  succulent   prickly treat for your next picnic.
        me,  nothing  is  more  disappointing  than   arrangement use succulents that vary in
        accidentally piping the wrong colour directly   texture to create dimension. If you are more   For more summer secrets, follow Grace on
        onto a cake or turning around to find half of   advanced  and  want  to  add  flowers,  make   Instagram@  grace_stevenschef,  or  visit  her
        your  succulents  hanging  squished  to  your   selections  that  won’t  compete  with  the   website at www.gracestevens.co.za.


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