Food coloring is used for a variety of cooking and baking projects. However, some people shy away from commercial food coloring found in stores because of the dyes and other chemicals found in them. Making food coloring from scratch eliminates these dyes in the coloring because only plant-derived ingredients are used to create the colors. These food colorings are fine substitutes for the traditional pack of food coloring found in stores, though they may impart a slight flavor to the finished product. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
Red Food Coloring
1. Place two to three washed, unpeeled beets in a saucepan. Fill the saucepan with water so that the beets are just covered.
2. Boil the beets, covered, for about 30 minutes or until they can be punctured with a fork. Remove from the heat.
3. Reserve the liquid the beets were boiled in. Peel and slice the beets. Return 1 cup of the sliced beets to the liquid and allow them to seep for 4 hours.
4. Strain the liquid and reserve 3/4 cup. Add 2 teaspoons of white vinegar to the liquid. Store in a sealed glass container.
Yellow Food Coloring
5. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and allow the bubbles to settle.
6. Add stale turmeric to the hot water, a pinch at a time, until the water reaches the desired golden color. Stale turmeric is desirable because, unlike fresh turmeric, it is pretty much void of flavor when dissolved in water.
7. Allow the liquid to cool. Store in a sealed glass jar.
Green Food Coloring
8. Place 1 cup of fresh spinach leaves in a saucepan and cover with cold water.
9. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Boil the spinach for 1 minute, then drop the temperature to low and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.
10. Strain the liquid and allow it to cool. Store the food coloring in a sealed glass container.
Blue Food Coloring
11. Pour 1 cup of frozen blueberries into a saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover the berries.
12. Bring the water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer the berries for about 30 minutes, or until they are soft.
13. Mash the berries with a fork in the liquid. Allow the mashed berries to seep for a few minutes.
14. Strain the berries from the liquid. Pour the liquid food coloring into a glass container.
Tags: Food Coloring, food coloring, Bring water, glass container, sealed glass, about minutes