[athenaeus]

Could you please, share some tips regarding the use of grenadine as natural food color?
For example I want to prepare some apples in a syrup and I want to give them red color.
How much should I use? I TS or 1 cup?

I have a bottle of grenadine just in case but I haven't managed yet to use it properly!

TIA

 

[alexia]

Funny you should bring this up just now! I still have the remnants of a pear tart in which I tried using grenadine to color the poaching pears. I poured (not measured) about 2 Tbs grenadine into the poaching liquid for 4 pears. It did nothing for the color of the pears, though the poaching liquid was a lovely pink. I was afraid that more grenadine would overwhelm the pear flavor. I used a softer variety of pear instead of Bosc, so the cooking time was brief. My guess is that to use enough grenadine to color your apples will probably degrade the apple flavor. This was the first time I tried this and I don't think I will repeat it.

Have you considered a little bit of beet thrown into the poaching liquid? Or perhaps some pomegranate seeds or juice? The staining ability of beets is such that you would probably need so little beet that a few beet gratings would not be likely to change the taste of the apples.

 

[athenaeus]

Well Alexia there is always the colour solution ;-)

I have thought about the beet BUT I cannot spoil a whole beet root just for using a tiny piece...
Maybe it's this Jewish DNA of mine LOL

 

[alexia]

Beet salad for dinner that night?

 

[mbcakes]

I'm sure I'm out of my league here but here's my 2 cents...you can buy dried beet juice granules to give color without adding too much flavor or wasting a beet. Most health food stores sell them. What gives grenadine its color? Maybe a wrong assumption but are you talking about grenadine syrup? I thought it's color came from good ol' red dye #5?!?!?

 

[richardl]

Have you ever heard Fruit juice of Cactus?
It's deep red colored and with a sweet and sour taste.
I would recommend this for a natural and healthy red food color.

 

[m brown]

Pour warm symple syrup with grenadine (3:1) over starfruit slices, let set over night in the cooler, remove fruit and dry in cool oven till crisp but not brown.

very pretty!

 

[athenaeus]

Thanks for your suggestions! Cactus syrup? Athens is not so exotic and I didn't find it anywhere

 

[richardl]

You can find Cactus syrup at here:1 Gallon Cactus syrup! :lips: