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egg yolk paint cookies

Egg Yolk Paint

This recipe is written with decorating cookies in mind, but egg yolk paint has a long and storied history in the art world, this can be used for craft and art projects as well.

Ingredients
  

  • 2 egg yolks
  • water added several drops at a time (say, 5 at a time per yolk) to a desired "paint" consistency
  • food colourings I prefer gel - if using liquid, start with dye, then add water.

Instructions
 

  • whisk water into egg yolk and test the consistency with a pastry or paint brush - add water until you hit a good paint consistency
  • whisk in food colouring to desired colour.
  • paint your raw baked goods (cookies? scones?) as a final step before they go in the oven.
  • bake per recipe's instructions, admire your beautiful treats.

Notes

Ever since moving to the UK, I prefer gel food colourings, if I'm using liquid, which here can be quite watery and not as saturated colours like the drops I grew up with, I would add the colourings alongside or even before the water so the "paint" doesn't get too thin.
If the paint thickens while you work, just add a couple more drops water. 
The colours will bleed if they touch while the paint is still wet, so if you want to have colours with clean lines next to each other on cookies, either leave a small gap between colours or work in layers letting the background colour set while you paint other cookies, then come back to do the next colour. 
This pairs really nicely with stained glass effect on easter cookies. 
This can also be used on crafts, air dried or dried in the oven - could be a fun kid's paint.  If painting things that won't be eaten, you can colour the paint with whatever moves you (ground chalk, powdered paint or ink).