Fix a mistake
Rosette open in the middle or off-centre: how to fix it
The rosette has a hole in the middle, or its swirl is not centred on its circle.
Quick answer
A likely cause is starting on the edge instead of in the middle. The fix: start in the middle, make one full turn around it, and release right over your starting point.
What it looks like
- You can see a gap or the template in the centre of the rosette.
- The swirl sits to one side of the circle, with one edge bulging out.
- The outer ring does not close, so the end of the swirl sticks out.
Likely causes
- Starting on the edge instead of in the middle.
- Making the first turn too wide, which leaves the centre empty.
- Releasing before you get back to where you started.
- Holding the bag at an angle instead of straight up.
How to fix it
Start in the middle
Start in the middle, make one full turn around it, and release right over your starting point.
Hold the bag straight up
Keep the bag upright over the centre of the circle, a little above the surface.
Keep the squeeze steady all the way round
Do not ease off as you finish the turn. Stop squeezing first, then flick the tip away along the swirl.
Use the circle as your guide
The grey circle on the sheet is the outer edge. Let the icing just reach it all the way round.
Where it shows up on our sheets
It is most common with rosette. These sheets have strokes where the scorer looks for it first:
| Sheet | Tip | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Rosettes | 1M | strokes 1 to 8 (rosette) |
How Icing Coach spots it
Icing Coach checks that the middle of each rosette is covered and that the icing is centred on its circle. A bare centre or a swirl that sits off to one side is marked as an open or off-centre rosette.
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 rosette where it shows up most. Pipe one, score it, then pipe it again and compare. You need tip 1M.
Rosettes practice sheet
Swirled rosettes with a big open star tip. Spiral out from the middle, then close the circle.
