Piper

[MadBadger]

So I want to buy that piper thingy that is used to pipe cream, frosting, etc onto cakes to make it look all nice and fancy. I really just have no idea what its called.

[The empressof all]

1. They are called Pastry Bags

You are talking about the cloth things that you put frosting into right? They also have plastic contraptions now. They also have paper pastry bags that you can throw away after you use them so you only have to wash the tips.

[MadBadger]

2. Exactly. I knew I had heard of the term before.

I'm not sure which kind Id want. if the plastic contraptions are easy to use though (and not a total bitch to clean up), then Id go with those. Could really improve my cheesecakes and chocolate cakes

[The empressof all]

3. If you don't plan to use them all the time just get the throw away kind

I have a few tips and use the paper ones or even just use a baggie. I found the cloth ones a pain in the ass to clean. In theory you should just be able to rinse out and air dry but I don't have a lot of room in my kitchen to have damp bags laying around. If you do more than a few cakes a month then by all means go for the cloth.

I wouldn't recommend the plastic contraptions. My sister has tried them and they are flimsy and don't give you the control you will want. They look like they would be easier but using a tip and a bag is pretty easy. I have carpel tunnel and really bad arthritis and I can still do it. It takes some practice so don't give up.

[proudohioan]

4. I had a plastic one at one time; I personally did not care for it.

It just didn't seem as easy to control, and it was kind of a bitch to clean up.

Cheesecake and chocolate cakes sound yummy!

[Warpy]

5. Pastry bags, although I've usually used just the tips

in a snipped out corner of a plastic baggie. The freezer bags work the best since they tend to hang together longer.

Pastry bags are more useful for things you can justify the cleanup for, like piping mashed potato rosettes on top of a shepherd's pie just before you toast it under the broiler so people will think you fussed and it's not really leftovers.

Since I'm no longer that fancy, the plastic bag does the job fine for the occasional batch of choux paste when I'm being naughty.