It’s trendy kitchen hack time!! I’m excited to share this neat technique with you guys to create your own edible glitter at home. This is perfect for those of us who don’t plan ahead and just have ideas that need to be created ASAP without wanting to wait for a shipment of specialty items, or for those of us who don’t want to spend any more money on baking ingredients we’ll probably only use a handful of times!
One thing I really love about this DIY edible glitter is how incredibly simple it is. You just need two basic ingredients: rice paper and food colouring. You can usually find rice paper sheets in the international or Asian aisles of most grocery stores (the same ones used for dishes like spring rolls or rice wraps!).
For colouring, you can pick any colour you like – I went with a chic black, since it’s spooky season! What’s cool is you can control how deep the colour is and sparkly the glitter comes out. Plus, you’re being eco-friendly by avoiding store-bought plastic glitter or unnecessary shipping.
Minimize the Mess
When working with food colouring, a little caution can go a long way. It can get a bit messy, and trust me, you do not want stained hands or countertops. What I find helpful is to use kitchen tongs to work with the rice paper sheets and to be mindful of potential splashes. It’s not a bad idea to put some newspaper down for your first attempt!
How Sparkly?
Controlling the sparkle in your edible glitter is all about the texture of the glitter particles you create. You can achieve different levels of sparkle by adjusting how finely you blend or crumble the dried, coloured rice paper. Here’s how:
- Finer Sparkle: For a more delicate and fine glitter, use a blender or food processor and blend the dried rice paper until you get small, fine particles. This will create a subtle, shimmering effect that’s perfect for adding a touch of elegance to your dishes.
- Bolder Sparkle: If you prefer a more pronounced sparkle, you can choose to crumble the dried rice paper by hand into larger pieces. This will give you a bolder and more noticeable glitter effect, which can be great for making your dishes stand out.
So, the level of sparkle is entirely in your hands, and you can tailor it to suit the look you want for your culinary creations.
Ingredients and Materials:
- Rice paper sheets
- Food colouring
- Water
- Blender or food processor
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
- Airtight container for storage
Instructions:
- Prep Your Workspace: Before you begin, ensure you have a clean and dry workspace. Lay down a sheet of newspaper to prevent messes, and prepare a cookie sheet with a layer of parchment paper.
- Prepare the Colouring Solution:
- In a flat dish or bowl, mix food colouring with warm water. Start with a small amount of colouring, and gradually add more until you achieve the desired shade. Stir well to ensure an even mixture.
- Soak the Rice Paper:
- Cut/snap your rice paper sheets into smaller, manageable pieces if needed.
- Place the rice paper sheets into the bowl. Ensure the rice paper is fully submerged in the colouring solution. Let soak until the rice paper is completely softened (about 1 minute).
- Dry the Rice Paper:
- Lay the coloured rice paper sheets out flat on your cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Allow the rice paper to dry overnight, or until it becomes crisp and brittle. This may take several hours to a full day, depending on the humidity of your house.
- Cut or Blend the Dried Rice Paper:
- Once the coloured rice paper is completely dry, you can create the glitter in one of two ways:
- Manual Method: If you want larger glitter pieces, use clean, dry hands to crumble the dried rice paper into small irregular shapes.
- Blender/ Food Processor Method: For a finer glitter texture, place the dried rice paper pieces in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you achieve the desired glitter consistency. Be careful not to over-blend, as you want to maintain the sparkle and texture.
- Once the coloured rice paper is completely dry, you can create the glitter in one of two ways:
- Store the Edible Glitter:
- Transfer your homemade edible glitter to an airtight container to prevent moisture from affecting its quality. Store it in a cool, dry place.
Now you have your very own edible glitter that can be used to add a touch of sparkle and elegance to your baked goods, desserts, or other culinary creations. Have fun experimenting and get creative with your glitter designs!
Here’s a short video showing the process:
And a longer video with all the details:
Glitter Cake Ideas
Once you’ve got your homemade edible glitter, the possibilities are endless. You can sprinkle it onto buttercream swirls (just like you would with sprinkles), or you can use it to fully coat your cakes, by rolling them in it for a complete shimmery layer. If you’re making a themed cake, you can even create stunning, stencilled glitter shapes by using a cut-out parchment silhouette.
Happy Baking!
