Can you use reg food coloring to add color to fondant icing?
Thanks,
Shana

If you mean the little bottles of food coloring you find in the grocery store for dying easter eggs, no, not if the fondant is already made.

That food coloring is mainly liquid (water & I think alcohol). It'll make a soppy mess of fondant, not impart much color for the effort, and the water can allow sugar crystals to form making a mess of the fondant texture.

Now, if you're making your own fondant, you could mix some in in place of the water in the recipe. It would take an awful lot to make a dark color, but you could probably get a pastel without breaking the bank.

For already made fondant, the gel and paste colors are what works. If you can find a store that carries Wilton, they're just fine.

I recently found GEL colors by Betty Crocker at my grocery store in the spices area. Those would work fine, too.

HTH
Rae

The Gel is it like in the cooking section where they keep the little cake icing etc? I will be making my own for now to learn how to put on that way I won't waste a lot of money. Back to the Gel I think I know what you are talking about its the Gel that you write with? sorry for asking so many questions this will be my first. If it is how much would I use? Thank you again.
Shana

I use these when coloring anything...from fondant, to buttercream, to cake mix:

http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=3E30B2D9-475A-BAC0-5D5C3DB846DFD354&killnav=1

Went to Wal-mart tonight and found what you are talking about but I also found in the craft section some Gel that said sparkle Gel for cookies, cupcakes etc I think it was made by Wilton is that the same stuff you are talking about? I know the tube is bigger and was under 2.00. The other package had more colors. When I use this I only use a little till I get the color?
Thanks again,
Shana

Shanas, I don't know if what you bought will work in homemade fondant, I think the sparkle gel is more of a icing as opposed to a food colorant. What I use is Wilton icing colors, they are gel paste food colorants, you can buy them at Walmart in the cake decorating section (or Michaels or Joanns). you can buy individual colors or you can buy them in 8 packs or 12 packs (each one in the pack is different color) and they are pretty reasonable and last a long time. Yes there are better brands but I have had great success with my Wilton colors and they are readily available.

see this link
http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=3E30C97E-475A-BAC0-5A609FE5C5506685&killnav=1

and it is much easier, when making a fondant color to cover the whole cake, to add the color when the marshmallow is melted but before you add the powdered sugar (that is assuming you are making MMF)

hth

I didn't buy anything yet I wanted to ask you first. I did see those too that you were talking about so tonight I will go buy those the ones by Betty C. ours are in the spice section too and in a small box. How much do I use? I am very grateful that you are taking the time out to help me. Its so very kind and thoughtful of you. I am brand new to baking. Thank you again,
Shana

These are the Betty Crocker gel colors in a tube, in a box that I talked about:

http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/dessert-decorating-products/products/gel-food-colors/classic-gel-food-colors

I mentioned them because they're readily available at grocery stores.

The Wilton colors come in small pots with screw off caps. Some are gel and some are paste. They come in a wider variety of colors and they're more expensive because each pot costs over $1.

With either one, you add them to your fondant, buttercream, cake mix, etc. to get the color you need. With the tubes, you squirt it in and with the pots you add it using a toothpick or knife tip--never put either one back into the pot of color until it's been cleaned or you'll contaminate the color and have to throw it away.

How much you add is up to you and depends on the color you need. Dark colors are hard to obtain without getting a funny taste.

Glad to be of help
Rae

Do I add it to the fondant when I mix it all up or after? also I seen last night they had flavor drops. I remember reading somewhere about adding drops to the fondant to add flavor have you every used that? if so do you just add 1 teaspoon or 2?
Thank you again for everything.
Shana