Page 34 - IntraMuros November 2021

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.

32 | INTRAMUROS NOVEMBER 2021