Fix a mistake
Peaks and tails on piped dots and stars: how to fix them
Dots and stars end in a pointy peak or a tail instead of a neat finish.
Quick answer
A likely cause is still squeezing while you lift the tip. The fix: stop squeezing before you lift, then flick the tip sideways to break the icing off cleanly.
What it looks like
- Dots look like little cones or have a curl on top.
- Stars have a tail dragged off to one side.
- Drop flowers have a peak sticking up from the centre.
Likely causes
- Still squeezing while you lift the tip.
- Lifting slowly, so the icing stretches up with the tip.
- Icing that is too stiff, so it holds every peak.
How to fix it
Stop, then lift
Stop squeezing before you lift, then flick the tip sideways to break the icing off cleanly.
Keep the tip in the icing while you squeeze
For dots, hold the tip just inside the dot as it grows, so the icing builds around it.
Smooth small peaks
If a peak stays, a damp fingertip or brush can press it down. Fixing the stop and lift is the real cure.
Where it shows up on our sheets
It is most common with dots, stars and drop flowers. These sheets have strokes where the scorer looks for it first:
| Sheet | Tip | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Lines and dots | 3 | strokes 4 to 6 (dots) |
| Stars | 21 | strokes 1 to 4 (stars) |
| Drop flowers | 2D | strokes 1 to 3 (drop flowers) |
How Icing Coach spots it
For dots, stars and drop flowers, Icing Coach compares the shape of each one with the round blob it expects. Units that come out lopsided or uneven, which peaks and tails often cause, show up as a zone.
Every score uses the four corner markers on the printed sheet to flatten your photo onto the template, so it compares your icing with the exact shapes you piped over. How the score works.
Sheets to practise it on
These have the stars, drop flowers, line where it shows up most. Pipe one, score it, then pipe it again and compare. You need tip 21, tip 2D or tip 3.
Stars practice sheet
Plain stars in rows, a pyramid and a ring. The easiest way to learn pressure and how to lift straight up.
Drop flowers practice sheet
Quick piped flowers with a closed star tip. One squeeze and a quarter twist makes a flower.
Lines and dots practice sheet
Straight lines and round dots with a plain round tip. The first sheet everyone pipes: it teaches steady pressure and a clean finish.
