Preparing, Filling & Using a Piping Bag

Appears in

Published 2014

Using piping (pastry) bags and nozzles (tips) enables the chef to achieve a professional finish.

Fold back the piping bag to form a cuff, if required place a piping nozzle into the bag and cut off the point of the bag to form an opening. (1-3)
Press the bag into the nozzle to form a seal to prevent mixtures from pushing through while you are filling the bag. (4)
Hold the prepared bag with one hand, or rest in a jug. Scoop in the piping mixture to no more than halfway. An overfilled piping (pastry) bag can be difficult to use. (5-6)
Fold back the bag and twist to create pressure, pushing the mixture until it comes through the tip. (7)
When holding a piping bag, have one hand maintain the pressure created in the twist, squeezing with your hand so that the mixture comes out. Your other hand should be at the tip, holding the piping nozzle and guiding the flow of the mixture being piped. (8)