HOMEMADE HOLIDAY SPRINKLES
First of all, you can never have too much sprinkles. Second, if you have a bit of time, why not make your own? They are really easy to make, and you can make them in almost all shapes and sizes. And, furthermore, you can add flavourings you like. For the batch I made, I chose to use sweet mint, strawberry, and wild blueberry extracts.
The only downside to homemade sprinkles is the wait time, because they do require quite some time to set up. And, depending on the type of food colouring you use, they can bleed a bit onto whatever you decide to adorn with them. I recommend using gel food colouring, because the colours are much more vibrant, they are a bit more stable, and you use less colouring in the finished product.
Ingredients
100 grams icing sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons cold water
½ teaspoon thick honey
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
assorted food colouring
Preparation
Sift the icing sugar twice, and add it to a medium bowl. If using powdered food colouring, add it in at this point. Add in the water, peppermint extract, and honey. Start whisking gently, letting the sugar absorb all the moisture. Once the majority of the water has been absorbed, start whisking more vigorously until you get a very thick paste. If you are using gel food colouring, add it in at this point, and mix it thoroughly.
If it seems too runny, or if it is really humid, add another tablespoon of icing sugar, and whisk it in well. Pour the sprinkle mix into a sturdy piping bag fitted with a tiny nozzle (like Wilton 2), and pipe lines or dots on two sheets of baking paper. Let them set and dry up to 24 hours. It can take a little less, but after 24 hours, they will be completely dry and ready to use. If you piped lines, use a pizza wheel or a thin knife to slice them, and store them in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
By Tina Vesić
