Create delicate pastel shades in your royal icing by starting with a small amount of intensely colored icing, then gradually blending it with white icing. This method ensures beautifully pale hues without losing vibrancy.
Achieving Pastel Perfection with Royal Icing
The key to achieving perfect pastel colors in royal icing lies in a two-step process:
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Create a Saturated Base: Begin by mixing a small amount of your desired color into a small portion of your royal icing. This concentrated color will be the foundation for your pastel shades. Don't worry about making the base color too intense at this stage; it will be diluted later.
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Gradual Dilution with White Icing: Gradually incorporate white royal icing into your saturated color base. A little at a time, mix thoroughly until you achieve the perfect pastel shade. This controlled approach prevents accidental over-saturation and ensures a smooth, consistent pastel color.
Examples and Techniques:
- Lilac Icing: Mix 1 teaspoon of deep purple icing into about 1 cup of white icing (as mentioned in the Lila Loa blog post).
- Pastel Lavender: A small amount of deep purple icing into a larger amount of white icing will create this color (per Lilaloa blog).
- Pale Colors from Intense Icing: Mix 1 drop of Royal Blue and 2 drops of Electric Pink into approximately 1/4 cup of white icing to get a custom pastel (per personal account, March 2017).
The amount of colored icing to white icing will depend entirely on your desired pastel intensity and the specific food coloring you're using. Remember that it's easier to add more white icing than to correct an overly saturated pastel.
Practical Tips from Experienced Bakers:
- Prepare in Advance: Prepare your colored icing a day in advance; the color will become more saturated over time. This makes it easier to achieve delicate pastels by making it easier to make subtle changes to the concentration.
- Leftover Icing: Use leftover icing to easily create pastel shades. Small amounts of darker leftover icing added to white icing will make pastel shades.
- Royal Icing's Pastel Nature: Royal icing naturally leans towards pastel colors, which is why often a large amount of food coloring is required for brighter, more vivid shades.
By following these steps and tips, you'll consistently achieve gorgeous, subtle pastel colors in your royal icing.
