Trade Secret – How to Custom Color Your Own Nonpareils
Nonpareils are great! They are an easy way to add interest, texture & color to your baked goods. There are a couple of problems with them, however. I find it very hard to find the exact right color that I’m looking for most of the time. Unless I’m needing a primary color, nonpareils of other shades are almost impossible to find. Second, they are expensive! Aside from the white nonpareils, colored versions are quite expensive and hard to find in large quantities. So it was time to try and color some in my own DIY experiment. What I found was a very easy, inexpensive way to make any color nonpareil that your heart desires… Here goes:
1. Starting with some readily available, inexpensive white nonpareils… put your desired amount into a small bowl. I’d start with a batch no larger than 1/4 cup. Place a drop of food coloring GEL (of your chosen color) on top of the nonpareils. With a food-safe artist’s paintbrush, start stirring. Stir until your nonpareils have a consistent coat of the desired color. Below is a photo after about 2 minutes of stirring in a dark teal. We’re about halfway to where I want to be. Note: Darker colors will take longer stirring to achieve uniform coloring. Just keep stirring… trust me, it will eventually happen.
2. Pour your newly colored nonpareils onto a paper towel and let dry for 15-20 minutes.
3. Sprinkle until your heart’s content & dazzle your friends with the amazing colors you can create in your nonpareils!
Here are some I just finished for my daughter’s peacock party coming up this weekend. All of these colors were made from a single bottle of Wilton’s white nonpareils that I found at my local grocery store for $1.29.
Stay tuned where next week I’ll show you some great ways to used colored nonpareils in your party treats. And please check me out on Facebook – www.facebook.com/CookieCraft – where we’re constantly uploading new projects, photos & products that can make your parties perfectly amazing!
