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Americolor Oil Food Coloring?

wannabechocolatier

By wannabechocolatier
in Pastry & Baking

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JeanneCake

JeanneCake

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I'm trying to remember what candy color brand we have at work; I think it's a combination of ChefMaster, Americolor, AUI and maybe one or two ChefRubber.    It's ok; but we use it more for coloring coating chocolate when we need a color for dipping cookies.  So your mileage will vary.....

 

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pastrygirl

pastrygirl

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If it is a liquid, it's not what you need for decorating chocolate bonbons.

 

Color painted into molds needs to be cocoa butter based and solid at room temp.  I like Roxy & Rich, sampler sets on sale here:  https://www.chocolat-chocolat.com/product/assortments-of-11-pearl-gemstone-cocoa-butters/

Edited by pastrygirl (log)
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wannabechocolatier

wannabechocolatier

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3 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

If it is a liquid, it's not what you need for decorating chocolate bonbons.

 

Color painted into molds needs to be cocoa butter based and solid at room temp.  I like Roxy & Rich, sampler sets on sale here:  https://www.chocolat-chocolat.com/product/assortments-of-11-pearl-gemstone-cocoa-butters/

 

They've got powders. 

 

Their colors are $1/gram, which is half the price chef rubber has for red, for example (in the smallest quantities): https://www.americolorcorp.com/product/3-gram-powdered-food-color/?attribute_pa_powder-food-colors=red

 

Gets to be a bunch more expensive when you buy in bulk, but I just find it strange there's no info on anyone using them for chocolate work online

 

 

Edited by wannabechocolatier (log)
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minas6907

minas6907

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I have used the Americolor powders for cocoa butter, they work fine. I also thought you were asking about the Americolor oil colors. Like @pastrygirlsaid, you wouldnt use those for molded bonbons, they are generally for coloring confectionery coatings like @JeanneCakementioned.

 

But I have used the Americolor powers you linked to and have had good results. Keep in mind that you need to mix a little white cocoa butter in order for the color to become opaque, and show up nicely on the bonbon. Say if your cocoa butter only has red color added to it, it will show up on the bonbon, but it can be a little transparent, it wont be as vibrant as the roxy or chef rubber cocoa butters.

 

As for your questions about what is more economical, what I personally have done is bit the bullet and purchased chef rubbers white cocoa butter for a bright vibrant white to have on hand, so thats the only color I have purchased. Otherwise, I got a case of cocoa butter in bulk, and make my own colors, generally with food grade luster dusts, I just like them better then the plain Americolor powders, seem to have a bit more depth. Generally, when I make a cocoa butter color, I'll add the luster dust and a little bit of the chef rubber white so I can have a nice solid color on the bonbon. In the last few years, I got some food grade titanium dioxide, so more recently I'll just add a little of that instead of melting down the chef rubber white. I keep all my prepared colors in small glass jars, and reheat as needed.

 

I dont produce bonbons all throughout the year, as if I had a product line to maintain, normally its been for weddings and showers, so I'll make a new color as I need it. Making colors as I need them suits my needs.

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wannabechocolatier

wannabechocolatier

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2 hours ago, minas6907 said:

I have used the Americolor powders for cocoa butter, they work fine. I also thought you were asking about the Americolor oil colors. Like @pastrygirlsaid, you wouldnt use those for molded bonbons, they are generally for coloring confectionery coatings like @JeanneCakementioned.

 

But I have used the Americolor powers you linked to and have had good results. Keep in mind that you need to mix a little white cocoa butter in order for the color to become opaque, and show up nicely on the bonbon. Say if your cocoa butter only has red color added to it, it will show up on the bonbon, but it can be a little transparent, it wont be as vibrant as the roxy or chef rubber cocoa butters.

 

As for your questions about what is more economical, what I personally have done is bit the bullet and purchased chef rubbers white cocoa butter for a bright vibrant white to have on hand, so thats the only color I have purchased. Otherwise, I got a case of cocoa butter in bulk, and make my own colors, generally with food grade luster dusts, I just like them better then the plain Americolor powders, seem to have a bit more depth. Generally, when I make a cocoa butter color, I'll add the luster dust and a little bit of the chef rubber white so I can have a nice solid color on the bonbon. In the last few years, I got some food grade titanium dioxide, so more recently I'll just add a little of that instead of melting down the chef rubber white. I keep all my prepared colors in small glass jars, and reheat as needed.

 

I dont produce bonbons all throughout the year, as if I had a product line to maintain, normally its been for weddings and showers, so I'll make a new color as I need it. Making colors as I need them suits my needs.

Would white chocolate shells suffice instead of mixing in titanium dioxide? France having banned it has kinda scared me off.

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minas6907

minas6907

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6 hours ago, wannabechocolatier said:

Would white chocolate shells suffice instead of mixing in titanium dioxide? France having banned it has kinda scared me off.

I do understand your concerns about the titanium doixide, and I dont like it either, I suppose I view it as a necessary evil. I think its safe to say that most cocoa butter products your goign to be purchasing will have titanium dioxide in them. Again, its there to make the cocoa butter more opaque and stand out more on the bonbon. The chefrubber cocoa butter has, as well as the roxy and rich.

 

Roxy and Rich Label I know the label isnt super clear, but I can make out e171 in the ingredients.

 

I've heard the flower pedals mentioned (I think) mentioned here on the forums as a more natural colorant, but never looked into them, it might be something that interests you, I'm not sure on price.

 

As far as what you asked about using the color on white shells, it will work fine, but it wont pop like the colors you purchase. Cocoa butter is more transparent then you might think, thats why titanium dioxide is added.

 

When your learning chocolate theres so much experimentation to find what works best for you, and its a kind of a bummer sometimes since this hobby is difficult to do on the cheap.

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