Why You Should Use Oil Based Food Coloring for Chocolate

You may have heard of the expression “oil and water” to express the idea that some media won’t mix. This metaphor is aptly applied to situations in which ingredients or companies won’t mix, and it is rooted in reality - oil and water do not mix.

This is especially relevant to bakers and chefs because oil and water are in most if not all recipes by some extension. For our part, specializing in bakery and confectionery goods, we sell a variety of oil based products, including food colorings, such as oil based food colorings for chocolate.

Oil Based Food Coloring for Chocolate

Chocolate, whether you prefer to use compound chocolate or genuine couverture chocolate, lists some of its chief constituents as oil or other hydrophobic compounds. In the case of couverture chocolate, actual cocoa butter is solid, which is a fat that is present in cocoa beans.

One might think that it is not necessary to use oil based coloring for chocolates if compound chocolates like Merckens Wafers are used instead of couverture, but this is not the case. Although cocoa butter is not present in compound blends, they contain vegetable oils in its stead, such as palm oil. These make the compound chocolate easier to melt, mold and form without the need for tempering, but they are oil nonetheless.

Sometimes, chocolate confections could use a little bit of help from food coloring in order to complete a better visual effect. When you’re using white chocolate, you’re working with a blank canvas and may potentially want to add in some bursts of color, but you’ll need to use the proper food coloring to do so.

Don’t try to use water-based food coloring for chocolate, as it will not mix well into the blend and your chocolate candy or other confections will not come out as desired. Instead, you should opt for oil based food colorings for chocolate to ensure a smooth, even consistency and a visually pleasing finished product.

Oil based food colorings for chocolates often produce very bright, very vibrant colors and their use is not limited to chocolate alone. They can be used to color other foods that have a high incidence of oils or fats, and they’re ideal for many other different types of candy as well.

They are not, however, the only type of food coloring available, and not the only type that can be used to create confection and candy colors.

Other Types of Food Coloring

In addition to oil based food coloring for chocolate, there are several other types of food coloring that can be used in cooking, baking, and confectionery applications, including some of the following.

-Liquid colors - Many liquid food coloring agents are water based, very affordable, and easy to obtain. These are, however, among the weakest forms of food coloring and moreover, not suitable for use in most confectionery applications as icing or chocolate making, simply because they are thin, do not produce bright colors, and may not mix nicely into the candy or chocolate medium.

-Gel paste colors - Gel food colorings are similar to liquid, water based food colorings, except they are very concentrated and a little bit can be used to produce a deep, rich color. Typically, gel paste food colorings are made with a glycerin base, and although they are brighter, they are still not typically suitable for chocolates or icings, which contain a large amount of oil.

-Powdered food coloring - Powdered food colorings are an outlier in this list because they are not liquid based, instead they are made of powdered pigments that can be added to a variety of different foods. These are actually suitable agents to use for coloring chocolates and other foods with high oil content.

Natural Colors - A Note

Many food colorings, perhaps most, use powerful, bright synthetic pigments. However, some still use natural coloring agents because of personal preference. Just a note - they tend not to be as concentrated and can add undesirable flavors to your creations.

Using Food Coloring

When you use food coloring, regardless of whether you use gel pastes, powders, oil based colorings or even water-based blends, keep the following considerations in mind:

-A little bit usually goes a long way. Add a little at a time, mix well, and observe the effect. You can always add more, but you can’t take any out.

-When coloring icing, mix thoroughly and let it sit. The color may intensify with time.

-You are not limited by your colors. You can create new colors by blending and you can also lighten or darken colors accordingly.

Contact Us for More Information!

Still have questions about what food colorings you use when, and where? Get in touch with us at 724-274-6314 or email us at info@stovercompany.com and we would be happy to help. Meanwhile, keep in touch with us on InstagramFacebook and Twitter

Share:

connect with us