How to Make Food Coloring for Macaroons
Macaroons are delightful French biscuits made from whisked egg whites, ground nuts and sugar. The typical macaroon is white with a cream or icing filling, but there is nothing to say you can't make your own food coloring to tint macaroons. Along with a color change, why not add different fillings as well? Strawberry jam for pink macaroons, peppermint cream for green, lemon curd for yellow -- your imagination is the only limit. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Frozen raspberries
- Strainer
- Bowl
- Small pot
- Glass jar
- Fresh mint
- Food processor
- Saffron strands
- Blueberries
Instructions
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Red or Pink Food Coloring
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1
Use raspberries to make red or pink food coloring. Empty around half a packet of frozen raspberries into a strainer over a bowl. Leave for around 5 hours to defrost.
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2
Pour the juice caught in the bowl into a small pot, and reduce the liquid by half. Use the thawed raspberries as desired.
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3
Cool the reduced raspberry juice, and store in a glass jar until needed. Add the coloring to the macaroon mixture drop by drop until the desired color is achieved.
Green Food Coloring
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4
Mint makes a tasty green food coloring. Place a cup of fresh mint into a food processor and blend until a paste is formed. Place the paste into a small pot, and cover with water.
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5
Simmer the mint and water until the water is reduced by around half, then strain the liquid through a strainer into a bowl. Discard the mint leaves.
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6
Cool the reduced mint juice, and store in a glass jar until needed. Add the coloring to the macaroon mixture drop by drop until the desired color is achieved. This will also impart a slight minty flavor -- if this is undesirable, kale or spinach can be used instead.
Yellow Food Coloring
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7
1/2 tsp. of saffron powder can substitute for saffron strands. Bring a cup of water to a boil on the stove in a small pot. Add 3 to 4 saffron strands.
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8
Reduce the water by half, then let it sit for 1 to 2 hours until completely cool.
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9
Strain the mixture into a glass jar until needed. Add drop by drop to the macaroon mixture until the desired color is achieved. A teaspoon of turmeric powder can substitute for saffron; however, use older turmeric as the fresh-ground spice can have an overpowering taste.
Blue Food Coloring
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10
Blueberries make a blue coloring; mix them with raspberries for purple food coloring. Boil 1/2 cup of blueberries in 2 cups of water on the stove in a small pot. Simmer until the water has reduced by half.
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11
Strain out the liquid into a bowl, discarding the boiled blueberries. Return the liquid to the pot, and reduce again by half.
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12
Cool the blueberry liquid, and keep in a glass jar until needed. Add to the macaroon mixture one drop at a time until you achieve the desired color.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Err on the side of less homemade food coloring, as the liquid can upset the consistency of the macaroon mix. Around 6 to 8 drops is the upper limit.
References
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