Ateco Star Tip #33

One of the things I find most annoying about most so-called "star tips" is the star they pipe is 6-pointed. I actually flinch when I see Fourth of July desserts depicting the American Flag featuring this abomination. The only thing that's worse is when the dessert winds up being pink, white and blue because whoever created it didn't do their homework to figure out how to make red. Anyway, I discovered the Ateco Tip #33 right after this year's Fourth of July, so I'll have to wait almost a whole year to press it into service in that capacity. As you can see, it has five points; no more, no less:

 Here's what a single star looks like. Hold the tip at a right angle just above whatever surface you're going to pipe on (in this case, a Nilla Wafer). Squeeze until the star forms, stop pressure, and pull the tip straight up and away.

 When piping a shell border, you can hold the tip so that there is one ridge in the center…

 …or two (in the case of the shell on the right).

I totally covered the surface of a Nilla Wafer with tip #33 stars. If I'd used white icing, it could have been a dandelion! Next time…