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Colouring meringue
Hi all,
In the begginer’s course regarding royal icing, Ceri, the instructor, mentioned that when it comes to coloring royal icing one should not use paste or gel colours, as the glycerol in the changes the consistency of the royal icing.
Instead, he instructed to use powder or liquid colors. Since meringue is quite similar to royal icing, what do you use to colour it?
I make Swiss meringue and always used a very minute amount of Wilton colouring gels.
Thanks in advance for your enlightening answers.
Yael
Hi Yaels
For meringue as in macarons and Royal icing, I use powder colours v liquid or gel colours. Powder colours don’t change the consistency of the meringue.
If you’re making royal icing decorations, the glycerol in paste and gels will soften the meringue. Any pieces which you make will not dry hard or hold their shape.
In meringue based buttercream, oil based colours (candy colours) work best as the oils in the colour emulsify with the fats without causing lumpy beading. Similarly, powder colours, first made into a paste with a little fat, combines well without changing the consistensy of the buttercream. Having said all of that, if what you are already using for your sm works for you, stick with it.
Hello there my dear!
Thanks again for your great advices, you are truly amazing ?
I had the feeling that in the moment I add this little dab of gel paste, the meringue collapses.
Now I understand why! Honestly, it made me really upset.
After all the tedious work I’ve put into this, it collapses or become softer to pipe.
Sometimes I had instances that the meringues were very dry in the inside, but the outside was sticky. Can the use of gel paste cause this? I’d be glad and very thankful for your opinion.
Hi madeitwithlove,
Thanks again for your great advices, you are truly amazing ?
I had the feeling that in the moment I add this little dab of gel paste, the meringue collapses.
Now I understand why! Honestly, it made me really upset.
After all the tedious work I’ve put into this, it collapses or become softer to pipe.
Sometimes I had instances that the meringues were very dry in the inside, but the outside was sticky. Can the use of gel paste cause this? I’d be glad and very thankful for your opinion.
Hi Yaels
Yes, gel paste can have that effect but I think the culbrit is more likely to be humidity issues. If you live or made the meringues on a humid day it is likely the sugar has taken on mositure from the environment causing the stickiness. If you pop the meringues back into the oven on the very lowest setting for about 20 minutes, it will help dry them out without heat discolouration. The dry inner suggests perhaps you may have baked them too long or not enough egg whites to dry ingredients. I add a little corn flour to my meringue to give it a soft chewy texture, same as in the pavalova recipes.
Hi madeitwithlove,
Thanks again for your comments ?
It happens sometimes, but they already sticky in the oven even though they are not outside.
I dry them with a fan assisted program. We love our meringues to be crisp in the inside, so I use the Swiss method. 2:1 the amount of sugar compared to egg whites. I’ve found out that if I add powdered sugar to the meringue at the last stage of beating, they will never come out sticky outside. I’ll also use your advice and buy some powdered colours.
Thanks again for all your help ❤️
Cheers
