In preparation for Valentine’s Day cookie making, I started experimenting with color mixing.
Color is such an important part of great cookies and unfortunately, can be hard to get just right. Playing with color mixing ahead of time is a good way to work through some of the challenges and hopefully make some great color discoveries.
Here are some of the results. I used Americolor soft gels and royal icing. Starting with a small bowl of icing, I slowly added drops of icing, mixing after each addition, until I achieved the color I wanted. Some colors, such as ivory, take only the tinniest amount to color the icing, so begin slowly and build up to the desired shade and color. Icing color may develop overtime and all colors will darken as they dry, so err on the side of less color. I color my icing before I thin it down with water for pipping and flooding consistency.
1. deep pink
2. 3:1 rose pink: xmas red
3. 2:1 tulip red: soft pink
4. 1:1 deep pink: fuchsia
5. 3:1 electric pink: electric purple
6. 5:1 electric pink: electric purple
7. 2:1 electric pink: dusty rose
8. 4:1 electric pink: dusty rose
9. 1:1 soft pink: ivory
10. mauve
11. ivory
12. 1:1 ivory: electric pink
13. 1:2 ivory: electric pink
I discovered that electric pink and deep pink are better for mixing than soft pink, which I find too orange for Valentine’s Day cookies. Soft pink is good for corals, but not for true pinks or blue pinks. Happy mixing!
