All about food colouring

Ah, the smell of spring is in the air, the grass is greening and plants are budding. After a long winter, this is the time to capture spring beauty in the kitchen with colourful cocktails, pastel eggs, and pretty pastries. Concerned about food colouring and food safety? Here's some information choosing food colouring and what to watch out for.

Food colouring: Less is more, and store wisely
Food colouring enhances the appearance of food, and is an important part of any baker's arsenal. Use sparingly, however, as it is easier to add more than to take out, and a few drops go a long way. Like other pantry items, food colouring should be stored in a cool and dark place. If its original packaging is damaged or if it is not sealed properly, liquid and gel colours will dry out very soon, so it is important to ensure the lids fit properly before storing.

What's the difference between liquid, gel, and powder food colouring?
Most home cooks know food colouring as tiny bottles found at supermarkets, but there is also colouring gel or paste, as well as powder. Paste and powder food colouring can be found in cake decorating shops and specialty markets.

Small-batch colouring
Liquid food colouring is commonly used for small batches of icing or cake batter. It is inexpensive and can be easily found at supermarkets, but it can dilute in mixtures and is best used for more pastel colours.

Large-batch colouring
For professionals who work on large batches and need more vivid colours, they use gel or paste colours. Food colouring paste is great for cream-based mixtures, such as buttercream and fondant, as it does not affect the consistency of the mixture. It is also used for foods that may seize or separate with the addition of water, such as white chocolate.

Colouring dry foods
Finally, food colouring powder is best used to tint foods that need to stay dry, such as sugar and coconut flakes. It is also suitable for royal icing and gum paste, but not buttercream frosting, as the resulting colour will not be sharp enough.

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