GB2511059A

GB2511059A - A stamp for decorative icing and a process of decorative icing

Info

Publication number: GB2511059A
Application number: GB1303050.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lesley Bassett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-02-21
Filing date: 2013-02-21
Publication date: 2014-08-27
Also published as: GB201303050D0

Abstract

A stamp (1) for use in decoratively icing a cake has a pattern of projections 4 extending from a front face (2). When the front face of the stamp (1) is applied to icing paste an impression of the pattern is transferred accurately and quickly to the icing paste facilitating subsequent decoration of the icing paste. The projections are preferably conical or frustoconical rods. The stamp may have a flat front face with ends 7 that arc rearwardly. Where an impression has been left in the icing by the projections, the impression may be used as a guide to ice a repetitive pattern of spots onto the cake.

Description

A STAMP FOR DECORATIVE ICING AND A PROCESS OF

DECORATIVE ICING

Technical field

[001] The present invention relates to the craft of decorative icing of cakes and other confectionery.

Prior art

[002] During the process of decorating a cake with icing, the body of the cake may be partially or completely covered with a first layer of icing which serves as a base for further, more elaborate decoration. It is often the case that the further decoration consists in part of a repetitive pattern of spots extending around an upstanding side wall of the cake. The quality and value of the cake decoration is assessed in part by the regularity of size and distribution of the spots. At present the typical process adopted by the confectioner decorating the cake is to prepare a pattern for the spots on a strip of paper which may be pre-printed graph paper.

The strip is then fastened around the upstanding side wall overlying the first layer of icing. The pattern is then transferred to the first layer by pricking through the paper with a pin or similar sharp instrument to leave a marking hole in the surface of the first layer. Care must be taken not to damage the first layer in the process and a fine detailed pattern requires considerable time and meticulous attention to mark and transfer.

[003] Having transferred the pattern to the first layer, the pattern is then removed and the confectioner then manually applies icing using a syringe or bag to each marked point.

[004] More skilled or less careful confectioners may attempt to form a pattern directly onto the unmarked first layer; however the quality of such procedures is then very dependent on the skill of the confectioner.

[005] High quality, hand decorated celebration cakes, such as wedding cakes, retail for substantial sums. There is therefore a demand for devices to improve the quality of the product and to reduce the labour involved in production. The present invention aims to achieve at least one of these objectives.

Statement of invention

[006] Accordingly the present invention provides a stamp, comprising a platen with a front face supporting a pattern of projections to apply the front face to icing covering a cake to leave an impression of the pattern in the icing.

[007] The stamp may include a handle, which is preferably fixed to facilitate manually gripping the stamp. The handle may be an integral part of the stamp made by moulding from plastics material. Alternatively the handle may be made as a separate component which is permanently or temporarily attached to back of the platen.

[008] Preferably the projections are upstanding pins. The pins may be conic or frustoconical in shape, tapering away from the front face to facilitate impressing the icing surface. Preferably the front face is flat and elongate and may have arcuate ends to allow the front face to progressively engage the icing surface and so avoid damaging the surface.

[009] The stamp is preferably formed as an integral moulding from plastics materials selected to be suitable for culinary use.

[010] Stamps may be provided each with a different one of a range of patterns.

[011] Further according to the present invention there is provided a process of impressing the surface of icing covering a cake or other confection comprising the steps of: providing a stamp having a front face supporting a pattern of projections; pressing the front face against a layer of icing paste to leave an impression of the pattern of the projections.

Brief description of the drawings

[012] A stamp for decorative icing will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings, in which: figure 1 illustrates the use of a stamp to decorate icing on a cake; figure 2 is an isometric view from the front and below; figure 3 is an isometric view from behind: figure 4 is a front elevation; figure 5 is a plan view; figure 6 is a side section; figure 7 is an isometric side section; and figure 8 is an isometric view of the underside of a variant of the stamp.

Detailed description of the figures

[013] In figure 1 a stamp 1 is pressed against icing covering an upstanding sidewall S of a cake C. The cake C in this example is cylindrical in shape and has curved side walls S. It is therefore convenient to use a stamp 1 with a flat face 2. which is held with a long axis extending in the circumferential direction tangential to the wall surface S. This facilitates application by rolling the front face 2 across the wall surface. The front face 2 of the stamp 1 is flat and has a region 3 which supports a pattern of projections 4.

[014] The region 3 is of generally rectangular shape and located with a long axis extending parallel to and unequally spaced from a top edge 5 and bottom edge 6.

The region extends to either side of the flat front face 2 so that some of the projections 4 extend from arcuate side end faces 7. The areas of the front face 2 above and below the region 3 are smooth in order to avoid deforming the icing paste. By locating the region 3 unequally spaced from the top and bottom edges the height of the region 3 can be adjusted by inverting the stamp.

[015] In variants of the stamp different patterns of projections may be disposed on the face and the region may cover the whole face or any part. The projections in the example are pin or rod like.

[016] The projections 4 are laid out on the nodes of a rectangular grid aligned diagonally at 45° to the horizontal top edge 5 and bottom edge 6. It will be appreciated that variants of the stamp may have different patterns of projections.

[017] Each projection 4 has a circular base 8 from which extends a frustoconical member 9 tipped by a filleted end 10 substantially parallel to the front face 2. The tip of every projection lies in a plane parallel to the front face 2.

[018] As can be seen from figures 6 and 7 the stamp is formed with a hollowed out convex back reintorced by stiffening members 11, 12 and 13 which extend parallel to and spaced from the top and bottom edge walls 5 and 6. A handle 14 can be secured to the stiffening member 12 to project rearwardly of the stamp.

The handle comprises two similar panels shaped to conform to the interior contours of the stamp and secured together by a web (not shown). The handle can be applied to the stiffening member 12 by a press fitting structure (not shown) which snaps onto a complementary structure on the stiffening member 12..

[019] As the front face of the stamp is pressed against the icing paste coating the side wall S, the projections leave an impression I of the projections in the side walls.

[020] Figure 8 illustrates a variant of the stamp having a handle 14A in the form of an an arch extending from the back of the platen. The handle may be an integral part of the plastics from which the stamp is moulded or may be temporarily or permanently secured to the back of the platen.

Claims

Claims 1. A stamp, comprising a platen with a front face supporting a pattern of projections whereby the application of the front face to icing paste covering a cake can leave an impression of the pattern in the icing.
2. A stamp according to claim 1 wherein the projections are upstanding rods.
3. A stamp according to claim 2 wherein the rods are conical.
4. A stamp according to claim 2 wherein the projections are terminated by a flat tip with a filleted edge.
5. A stamp according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the front face is flat.
6. A stamp according to any preceding claim wherein the projections occupy a region of the stamp unequally spaced from top and bottom edges of the stamp.
7. A stamp according to any one of the preceding claims wherein ends of the front face arc rearwardly.
8. A stamp according to claim 1 and as herein described with reference to the accompanying figures.