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Colouring sugar

17 years ago

I want to make some decorated sugar cookies for a playgroup. I usually get my coloured sugar from the Bulk Barn. Our playgroup is nutfree and I know that most with allergies stay away from this store. Can I colour sugar? I know I can do royal icing but it's such a pain and I've been into the icing the cookie (as sloppy as I want) and then dipping it in coloured sugar. Turns out super cute. If I ever find my password or get around to creating a new account on photobucket I'll post my pics of a couple of cookie bouquets I made. Thanks.

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Comments (7)

jojoco
17 years ago
If you have wilton gel pastes, you can easily make colored sugar. Simply place a dab of the gel in a tupperware container filled with a cup or so of sugar. Put the lid on and shake it. You may have to add more color. The shaking will distribute the sugar fairly evenly.
Jo
shirleywny5
17 years ago
I color sugar using liquid food coloring. Place 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sugar in a bowl and add the coloring, one drop at a time and mix with the back of a spoon. When all mixed, it will look moist like brown sugar. Spread it out on a plate and zap it a few times in the micro, seconds at a time. Make sure it is thoroughly dry before storing in small containers. I store mine in zip lock sandwich bags and store all in one larger container.
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Thanks. They are rolled sugar cookies. The icing I used was icing sugar and meringue powder with water. I'd say I use about 3/4 tsp powder to about a cup of icing sugar. I add the water a tsp at a time until it's very spreadable, almost soupy. Drop a bit on a cookie, spread with fingertips to edges (almost edge - whatever you like) and dip in coloured sugar. They dry within an hour. I even double dip them about 10 minutes later when I want a second colour. I also attach butterfly bodies with the icing. When I bake them I usually lay the stick (whether it's the lollipop stick or a wooden skewer) down first and press the cookie on top (lightly). It doesn't stick as well with the wooden sticks so I will use the icing on the backs to keep them in place. It's super fast too. We can do 20 cookies within 15 minutes. I did a baby bouquet with royal icing and it took me 2 hours with the mixing, spreading and it still looked pretty bad. Cute, if I said I was drunk when I did it or if I said the kids did it. I will try that trick Sands but I think, by nature, I am wobbly.
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cookie8
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks Jo. I do have the gel pastes. I hope to find some large crystals sugar to do this. I've never looked into it but hope I luck out at the local supermarkets.
annie1992
17 years ago
Like Shirley, I just use the liquid food coloring from the grocery store, mix to the shade I want and then let it dry before storing.

Now if I could just figure out how to make those shaped sprinkles...

Annie
compumom
17 years ago
Skip the supermarkets and go for a restaurant or chef's supply store. Here in Los Angeles, I buy it at Surfas.
Maybe a candymaking shop would have some crystalline sugar too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Surfas
triciae
17 years ago
I use KA's Sparkling White Sugar for cookies. It's easy to color with dry and/or gel colorings. It's also beautiful on its own on top of a pie, muffins, sweet quick breads, sugar cookies, brownies, etc.

/tricia

Here is a link that might be useful: Sparkling White Sugar
sands99
17 years ago
just make sure you use either non-stainable lexan containers or disposables from the deli. I have Tupperware lexan and you can't stain that stuff with *anything* I make colored sugars all the time.

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