Description

How fortunate to have the grand dame of intricate piping and painting teach for her first time in a publicly broadcast format – for Cookie Connection no less! That’s right, Julia and Watch-Learn-Create challenge host Manu Pezzopane were most honored to have Evelin Milanesi, aka Evelindecora, join them via ECamm Live for Cookie Connection Challenge #52 in October 2022. Of course, Evelin was the consummate pro, as she’s taught countless in-person and private online classes over the years.

In this special one-hour-plus video, Evelin reveals all of the tips and tricks behind her signature, very detailed and delicate piped crochet technique. While this technique is obviously well-suited for wintertime knitwear cookies, Evelin has used it to add texture to everything from gingerbread houses to Valentine’s Day hearts! So, if you were wondering how and when to apply this technique, please rest assured – it’s an incredibly versatile piping method that works wonders on almost any cookie type!

Once you’ve purchased, you’ll automatically receive a receipt with a link to a downloadable resource list that includes one of Evelin’s recipes and links to her key tools. Then, simply return to this page to view the tutorial as often and for as long as you like. If you are logged into the site, the sneak peek video above will disappear and be replaced with the full-length video. To log in, simply go to the upper right account area of the site (in laptop viewing mode), and enter the username and password you created at the time of purchase.

About this Guest: A world-renowned cookie artist most noted for her fine piping and painting skills, Evelin Milanesi lives in Milan, Italy. After 25 years of painting on canvas and working on huge mural designs, Evelin began her sweet cookie journey in 2012. At the very start, Evelin decided not to sell cookies, but to focus on creating new cookie designs and themed sets to teach in cookie art classes. Now, Evelin teaches the essentials of royal icing cookies, explaining all of her secrets and providing as many tips as possible to help students achieve the best results in the shortest time. Evelin’s extraordinary decorating skills are demonstrated in all of her work, which ranges from modern to romantic, and from edible miniatures to huge cookie scenes. For Evelin, royal icing is a magical medium, always new and challenging, with so many different avenues to explore. Evelin’s awards are too numerous to list comprehensively, but she says she’s most proud of her Cake Masters Magazine Cookie Award (2016) and her Cookie Connection Cookiers’ Choice Awards (2015, 2016).

Notes: Though this challenge initially ran in October 2022, it’s worth repeating that the piped crochet technique taught in the video can be applied to cookies of any shape and for any occasion. To see the cookies that challenge entrants made with these techniques, check out the Challenge #52 recap post on Cookie Connection for inspiration. If you have any questions about this tutorial or Evelin’s work, you can find her on Instagram. For other guest tutorials originally filmed for Cookie Connection challenges, check out the “MORE LIKE THIS” section below.

Details

Skill Level: All, as Evelin starts with the very basics of laying out the pattern on paper, even before any piping begins

Video Format: Recording of live demo by Evelin Milanesi; unedited

Video Length: 1:04:13

What You’ll Learn (~5 Techniques)

• Baking flat, perfectly square cookies, including Evelin’s preferred baking mat and filing tool
• Outlining and flooding for picture-perfect results
• Icing consistency for piped crochet work
• Methods for practicing piped crochet
• Quick coloring hack to ensure soft, elegant colors every time

What You’ll Receive:

• Forever-access to video recording on this site
• Resource list with Evelin’s vanilla-cinnamon sugar cookie recipe and links to her key tools used in this video

Video Outline (Time Stamp):

• Introduction of guest Evelin Milanesi by host Manu Pezzopane (0:00 – 1:46)
• Overview of Evelin’s piped crochet technique (1:47 – 3:14)
• Discussion of cookie shapes and sizes, including tips for outlining/flooding and drying icing (demo begins; 3:15 – 10:05)
• Discussion of royal icing consistency for piped crochet, including pastry tip preference and color-mixing tips for achieving elegant hues (10:06 – 13:07)
• First approach to piped crochet technique on paper, including preferred piping direction and pros and cons of toothpicks versus scribe tools (13:08 – 26:20)
• Practicing piped crochet on acetate (26:21 – 31:28)
• Piping crochet pattern on square cookies, with different cookie exposures (31:29 – 48:05)
• Discussion of piped crochet variations (48:06 – 51:21; demo ends)
• Discussion of Challenge #52 rules and prizes, plus closing remarks (51:22 – 1:04:13; you may want to skip this part since the challenge is now closed)

Purchase Agreement: Julia M. Usher, LLC is the sole copyright owner of this video tutorial. Evelin Milanesi is the sole copyright owner of the companion handout, and has granted permission to Julia M. Usher, LLC to distribute it in perpetuity along with this tutorial. Reproduction, distribution, resale, and/or any other use for financial gain of this video or handout, in whole or in part, are strictly prohibited. However, as the purpose of the tutorials in Julia’s Watch-Learn-Create challenge series is to teach, any knowledge gleaned from this video and handout can be used to make cookies or other products for either personal use or sale. In purchasing this tutorial, you acknowledge that you agree to these terms of use.

Julia’s Return Policy: Due to the online nature of this tutorial, all sales are final.

Video Production: Evelin Milanesi and host Manu Pezzopane, via ECamm Live. Again, this class is a recording of a live online demo, so production value will vary throughout the video depending on internet conditions at the time. It is also unedited, so there may be brief pauses as the guest gathers tools or cleans between demo steps.