I tried to make purple royal icing last night - what an eyesore!! I used Wilton's Violet paste (the only purple they had). It looked like something out of a CSI-Miami episode. Disgusting blue gray - I kept adding more and more color and it never turned purple - just deeper and deeper intestine-blue color! (Not that I've seen real intestines...).
Is it the Wilton color? Does Americolor have a vibrant purple? Funny thing is, it looks nice in buttercream, and if I tint cookie dough it looks quite bright and pretty.
I have got a really nice deep purple with using wiltons violet color....the problem for me was that it showed up blue in pictures.
Was your color still good? They say you can add glycerin or something to it to make it better.
Maybe you got a bad jar...good luck trying again!
It's good to know that both of you have had success - it narrows down the problem somewhat.
Just thought of something... I added a bit of lemon juice to my icing for flavor and to cut some of the sweetness. Could that tiny bit of yellow have affected the purple? If not, then I got a bad batch of paste.
I too have never had any problems getting a good purple from the wilton violet paste.Chances are you have an old bottle.Buy another one and try again or better yet....buy Americolors...they are even better!!!
I tried to make purple royal icing last night - what an eyesore!! I used Wilton's Violet paste (the only purple they had). It looked like something out of a CSI-Miami episode. Disgusting blue gray - I kept adding more and more color and it never turned purple - just deeper and deeper intestine-blue color! (Not that I've seen real intestines...).
Is it the Wilton color? Does Americolor have a vibrant purple? Funny thing is, it looks nice in buttercream, and if I tint cookie dough it looks quite bright and pretty.
Are you adding lemon juice, lime juice or any other type of acidic substance to your icing? if you are that's the problem.
It's good to know that both of you have had success - it narrows down the problem somewhat.
Just thought of something... I added a bit of lemon juice to my icing for flavor and to cut some of the sweetness. Could that tiny bit of yellow have affected the purple? If not, then I got a bad batch of paste.
Yikes!!!! I did not read the entire thread I saw this as I hit submit. As I said before the acid is reacting with the dyes and causing it to be an off color. Make the icing without the lemon juice and you will not have an issue. Lemon juice, lime juice and even cream of tartar causes violet to change to a bluiesh color and it will give brown a greenish appearance.
Also, for the suggestion to use Americolor I think someone in a previous thread had the same issue with Americolor and lemon juice.
Also, if it is exposed to direct light, it will fade.
From colorboy (the CC resident color GENIUS):
"Food colors are very sensitive to light and the red #3 and Blue #1 will fade under ultraviolet light. The Ph of your icing will attack the color if it is too high or too low, Try adding a pinch of baking soda."
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