Today we're going to discuss how to make bright red icing! The easiest way is to learn all about our industry-changing food colors, Master Elite Powder Food Colors!
Master Elites are highly intense powder food colors, specifically designed to tint large batches of ingredients! Master Elites can color royal icing, buttercream (American, Swiss, etc), fondant, macaron batter, cake batter - even bread or cookie dough! The only medium Master Elites cannot tint is chocolate, as they are not fat soluble. We have a full Master Elite Blog Breakdown you should check out if you're new to this collection! Click here!
The number one rule when using Master Elites - you must activate the powder food colors with some moisture and today we will be specifically focusing on using a few drops of water in royal icing!
Red Rose is the shining star of this collection and the color that changed this industry 3 years ago! Vibrant red is probably the HARDEST color to achieve in icing, but Master Elites have taken out all of the guess work! So let's get into it.
Red Rose Food Color
$9.00
This product contains Red 3 and is scheduled to be de-listed and phased out by the United States Food and Drug Administration Registry by January 15, 2027. MASTER ELITE RED ROSE IS THE BEST RED FOOD COLOR FOR YOUR… read more
To achieve the most vibrant red icing, you'll need to use a little more color than you typically would with our Master Elites. Red Rose is a hybrid of lake colors and dyes - this helps it achieve the most vibrant red possible in any ingredient.
For 2 cups of royal icing, you will want to use 1/4 tsp of Master Elite Red Rose. For precise measurements, be sure to check out our Color Ring Measuring Spoons! Click here.
Place your 1/4 tsp of Master Elite Red Rose on top of your icing bowl (this can also be done in a mixer) and add 3-4 drops of water to activate the color.
Take a scribe to swirl the powder around in the drops of water, allowing it to sit for 1-2 minutes so those color crystals break down before mixing. This will help keep the icing from having streaks when mixing!
Next you will begin to mix the icing! Now, if you see some color dots left over, not to worry - the powder is still breaking down, it just has not come in contact with enough moisture.
Once the first mix is finished - let your icing sit with a warm cloth over it (to keep it from crusting over) for 5-10 minutes. This will allow just a little more time for those crystal to dissolve completely! Then you will just need one final stir and all of the powder will be dissolved!
And voila! The BEST RED ICING EVER! Pro tip - stop when your icing is a shade lighter than you're looking for, as the color WILL DEEPEN as it dries!
These steps and techniques can be applied to ANY ingredient mentioned previously, only the moisture activator will vary.
For example: use heavy cream or milk for activating Master Elites in buttercream, egg whites in French / Italian Macarons and water in cookie or bread dough! Again, for all of the details on almost any confection - see the FULL BREAKDOWN OF MASTER ELITES HERE (videos included)!
All products used in this demonstration are listed below.
Thank you for stopping by the blog and we hope you enjoyed this tutorial!
TEAM SUGAR ART
The Color Ring
$5.00
The Color Ring: a set of 5 stainless steel mini measuring spoons! This tiny metal measuring spoons set is the PERFECT compliment to Master Elites and any of our dust lines! Use these beauties for more exact measurements when tinting… read more
Red Rose Food Color
$9.00
This product contains Red 3 and is scheduled to be de-listed and phased out by the United States Food and Drug Administration Registry by January 15, 2027. MASTER ELITE RED ROSE IS THE BEST RED FOOD COLOR FOR YOUR… read more
Squeeze Bottles 6 Pack
$5.00
Grab a set of 6 (that's right SIX) squeeze bottles from The Sugar Art for just $5! These are perfect for storing WATER, VODKA + EVERCLEAR for all of your sugar art applications! Check out the video below and how… read more
