Cake Decorating Term Glossary Letter P

Pan Coat This is where you add  shortening to a paper towel and you wipe it in the pan to coat the pan and then you add some flour and shake it around the pan and then toss out the extra flour.

Pastillage glycerin, corn syrup or shortening and it dries even harder. It can be rolled very thin and is used primarily for decorative ribbons, shapes and appliqués, as it dries bone-dry and crusts more quickly than Fondant. It is also used to make sugar greeting cards, picture frames, bells, boxes or other containers which can then be decorated with piping or sugar flowers. It is considered "technically" edible, but if eaten, it will not harm you, but it is not palatable.

Pastry Cream A delicate milk and egg-based filling similar to pudding. Pastry cream can be vanilla, chocolate or coffee flavored.

Pearls Round, edible sugar balls coated with a pearl dust (in almost any color) used for decorative purposes. Pearls can be individual or in strings.

Petals The outermost segments of a flower.

Petit Four A delicate cake or pastry small enough to be eaten in one or two bites.

Pillars Separators used in a tiered cake, such as a wedding cake. They can be made of plastic or wood in several lengths to achieve the desired look.

Pipe To squeeze icing from a bag through a decorating tip.

Piping Decorative details created using a pastry bag and various metal tips. Piping details include leaves, borders, basket-weave patterns, and flowers.

Piping Gel Tint, flavor with concentrated flavored oil and make various designs. Even make a design transfer.

Pistil Female part of flower that bears the seed and houses the stigma and ovaries.

Powdered or Confectioner Sugar Granulated sugar that has been crushed to a fine powder. Used when making frosting.

Pulled Sugar A technique in which boiled sugar is manipulated and pulled to produce flowers and bows.