Mixing colours to make icings for different pastries is more than art for bakers; it is science. Of course, you can buy specific food colourings or coloured icings in shops out there, but convenience and practicality are things that a good baker can have for an attitude. The ability to mix colours to come up with specific shades that you need for pastries is essential for bakers, especially for beginners.
Peach is a lovely colour to look at, commonly used in pastries for weddings and professional parties. Its beautiful hue speaks of elegance and serenity. However, it can be a tricky colour for bakers to do as it often looks like pink and sometimes looks like the colour orange. It is a colour that different people may describe depending on their various perceptions of it. There is a peach with an orange hue on it and another with a pink hue on it; it also depends on its hue and shade. Mixing colours to achieve the peach tint for icings and fondants (whatever kind of peach it is) needs an amount of deep concentration and patience as the slightest overdose can ruin it and force you to start all over again.
The Peach Color
The peach palette ranges from different shades that any beginner might find confusing. Well, let me tell you that peach is a representation of the colour of the peach fruit. That didn’t come as a surprise. The three primary ingredients of peach colour are red, yellow, and white. You can try mixing them in small amounts depending on the shade of peach you want to appear.
The colour peach was first used in 1588 and developed by painters as one of their artwork components. However, the word comes from Middle English with counterparts in Middle French as peche and persica in Latin, meaning that it is a fruit from Persia. But as the peach fruit originates from China, the colour’s representation is also of Chinese origin. It is a symbol of immortality as this so-called peach tree of immortality is located on a mountainside somewhere in the Tian Shan mountains in western China. It is a crucial concept in the Taoist religion and takes the amaranth colour as a Western civilization counterpart.
Basic Color Theory
Before putting your hands into action, you need to understand the basics of colour theory first. Colour theory creates a logical structure and a foundation for colours. Once you have come with an understanding of this theory, it will be much easier to utilize them in art and design.
The colour theory says that each hue exists in a spectrum that is called a colour wheel. Complementary colours are hues that sit on opposite sides of the wheel, while Analogous colours are near each other. The primary colours are red, yellow, and blue, while secondary colours are green, violet, and orange. The colour peach is an example of an analogous shade since it is a mixture of variations of red and yellow.
Making Peach-Coloured Icing
Different kinds of icings take colour in different ways. Therefore, even if there is a recommended ratio discussed later, it is still important to experiment with it. You can also use a toothpick and add bit by bit to achieve the exact shade of colour that you want.
The recommended ratio for peach food colouring is one part red and three parts yellow. The three components of peach—red, yellow, and white—can also help achieve a peach food colour. For peach that has the shade of orange, you can also try using an orange food colouring and add a little of it to the buttercream or any dessert you are making. A pinch of pink and golden yellow food colour can also do the trick. Ensure that you dab the exact size of colours as different sizes can ruin the tint you are making. It is also good to remember that cake batter uses more food colouring than frosting, so make sure that you have adequate measurements.
Now on making peach colour, you must mix the food colouring into your icing. Mix it until you see a uniform texture on the icing, and make sure that there aren’t streaks or patches of other colours in your icing. Before you start adding carelessly, note that colour changes over time, so let it sit first for a few minutes and look at its colour. Continue mixing it thoroughly, and look if you have achieved the shade of peach that you want. If not, add a drop of food colouring—determine what is more appropriate to add—and remix it. Be patient until you see the shade that you want.
As always, feel free to experiment. There are different kinds of icing that you can try. If you try to mix the icing with water or milk, the colour may change too. For more colour combinations, you can try to look at a colour chart provided by Wilton.
Icing Care Unit
Of course, you would want your icing to be safe and not perish until you present it to your guests. Here are some tips that you can take to ensure that your peach icing won’t have degraded quality:
- Make sure to store the icing in a cool place away from sunlight and fluorescent light, as this can affect the icing colour.
- Put the food colour in the icing one to two hours before decorating it as the colour may change.
- Lemon juice, cream of tartar, and water can change an icing’s colour too. If it’s possible to omit it, do so. You can also replace water with milk.
Conclusion
- Peach can either be nearer to orange or pink, but it has three components—red, yellow, and white. You can also try mixing equal parts of lemon and pink, but its recommended ratio to use is one part red and three parts yellow.
- Use a toothpick to add colours bit by bit to achieve the exact shade of colour that you want. Clean the toothpick before dipping it on another food colouring or use different toothpicks for specific colours.
- Depending on the shade that you would want to get, the spectre of peach may vary. It is still best to experiment and have patience in mixing and matching colours. Don’t be afraid to experiment and have fun achieving your desired shade of peach.
More Pastry Techniques and recipes:
Best lemon meringue tart recipe