I am an egg virgin!!! Please tell me how the hell to colour boiled eggs?

[frumpygrumpy]

DD has a friend over and I'd like to give them boiled eggs to decorate.

Last year I steeped them in red food colouring after boiling them in red food colouring and nothing but nothing turned them red or even pink!

What am I doing wrong?

Go on, tease me then

i wanna know too

and can you eat them?

might surprise the ffamily with purple and pink eggs for easter breakfast

it's a lot easier if the eggs are white to begin with!
why not give them some markers after you've hardboiled them?

yeah, I'm going to do felt tips, glue, feathers, glitter, instead. custy, will let you know......

for dyeing it's easiest to start with white eggs (waitrose are a good source) and it can be a bit complex, not to mention giving you blue hands.
Food colouring isn't the best stuff either - Paperchase often have decent kits with powdered dye in.

Pretty edible eggs for breakfast can be achieved by wrapping eggs in onion skins (red or normal) and tying up with string before boiling as normal. Gives a kind of tie-dyed look.

Otherwise just start with normal hardboiled eggs and go mad with paints, felt tips, stuck on bits, glitter etc

Natural Dye

Various food and plant items
Sauce pans for each color
Slotted spoon
Strainer
Cooking oil
Soft cloth
Pour 1/2 cup water in each sauce pan. Add cut-up fruit, vegetables or plants (carrots, blueberries, grass, coffee all work well). Bring to a boil and simmer until water turns color you like. Remove from heat and strain reserving water. When water is cool add boiled or blown eggs. Let sit until they turn the desired color. Remove with slotted spoon and allow to dry. Polish with small amount of cooking oil and soft cloth.
Crepe Paper Dye

Different color crepe paper
Hot water
Small bowls or cups
Slotted spoon
Cooking oil
Soft cloth
Soak crepe paper in hot water in individual bowls or cups for each color. Add eggs and allow to sit in water until he desired color is achieved. Remove with slotted spoon and allow to dry. Polish with small amount of cooking oil and soft cloth.
Food Coloring Dye

Food coloring
Hot water
White vinegar
Small bowls or cups
Slotted spoon
Cooking oil
Soft cloth

For each color measure 1/4 tsp. food coloring in small bowl. Add 3/4 cup hot water and 1 tbsp. white vinegar to each color. Add eggs and allow to sit until they are the desired color. Remove with slotted spoon. Polish dry eggs with small amount of cooking oil and soft cloth.
Waxed Eggs

oh yes, it's the vinegar that makes the food colouring method work

(personally I get duck eggs as the chalky shells mean they take watercolour paint really well, so you can paint them all over to get a 'dyed' look without dying them)