Ready to roll icing - can you add liquid food colouring to it?

[JoshandJamie]

or does it have to be that paste stuff? I want to make black icing for mini skull and crossbones on cupcakes (pirate party) and have read to roll icing in white and black liquid food colouring but am not sure if you can add the liquid stuff to the ready to roll stuff. Any ideas?

Thanks

[McDreamy]

Yes I have used liquid before I am sure. I am going to use again on Weds when I make DD's birthday case, she's bound to want it pink!!!

[LIZS]

You can but it is messy, pastes are better or order some in black.

[JoshandJamie]

Thanks - Where can you order it from?

[LIZS]

here

[Millarkie]

You can add liquid colour to it - try to use a cocktail stick to add it to the icing - makes it slightly less messy.

[JoshandJamie]

Thanks - will give it a try with liquid and if all else fails, will order more.

[MaureenMLove]

Black icing is very, very hard to make from either paste or liquid imho! It just goes dark grey! You'll need to add so much liquid, it will get very messy. If you can avoid it all together and buy black icing, do try.

[dilbertina]

I have had some success with "painting" white ready to roll icing with food colouring to give stronger colour - word of warning though - some of them taste disgusting if painted on (the "natural" ones worst IME!)

[JoshandJamie]

is there anywhere you can buy black ready to roll icing in a store - I don't really have time to order it and wait for it to arrive!

[curlywurlycremeegg]

supercok do little packets of coloured reday to roll, have had black before by them, should be able to get it at a big supermarket

[JoshandJamie]

my silly sainsburys just had white. Will do a bit of online sleuthing.......

[curlywurlycremeegg]

splat have used them before and are very good and quick delivery

And whilst you are there:
piratr stuff

Have a good party!

[JoshandJamie]

you ladies are the font of all knowledge!

[Prufrock]

Whatever you do, don't try to mix it by hand unless wearing latex gloves, or your hands will stay black for four days. IME.

Supercook do four pack tubes of writing icing as well, which includes black - might be easier to draw rather than cut out?

[stealthsquiggle]

oooh a thread I can really help on, and no-one has come up with my top tip yet either.[jumps up and down in excited manner]

The secret to really black (as opposed to battleship grey) icing is...


cocoa powder!!

mix loads in first, and then add black paste food colouring. You might even get away with the liquid stuff, but I have never tried it.

Second top tip..


let it rest

When you think you have it almost black, wrap it in clingfilm and leave it for a while. It gets a lot blacker, I kid you not.

[JoshandJamie]

Yowser! You ladies seriously need to get out more. Here I thought I was a the picture of domestic goddessness even attempmting to make something other than bog standard cupcakes and it appears I am woefully inept.

Did I mention that I'm also making jelly pirate boats in orange skins. Anyone ever made those before? Any top tips before I congeal my entire kitchen in orange jelly?

[stealthsquiggle]

Never tried jelly boats, sorry, but I think I remember some tip about making them in half oranges and slicing with hot wet knife for clean lines

You're right, I should (get out more!).

[Prufrock]

For the jelly oranges. stick them in the freezer for 20 minutes before slicing (with hot wet knife as squiggle said - redip it into boiling water after every cut)

[JoshandJamie]

FAbulous. I did find anabel karmel's recipe for them - she said to use half the amount of water you normally would for a box of jelly - but surely they would be ludicrously sweet then??

Her recipe is here

[seeker]

Stealthsquiggle - really? That's a brilliant tip and I will use it at the weekend!