Adding food flavouring to your pastries, doughs and toppings can be a fun way to spice up the eating experience for tasting amateurs and gourmands. Additional flavouring will emphasize and tie together the ingredients you used, by complementing the existing flavours or by using contrast notes to add more dynamism to the different elements of your sweets. However, choosing the right flavouring for your pastries can be a challenge, since there are a lot of types of flavourings and, of course, flavours to select from. That’s why we came up with a pastry-centred food flavouring guide, for any beginner, intermediate or advanced baker to keep close by when they need a hand to grab onto.
Different types of food flavouring and how to use them
Choosing the right food colouring for your treats can be a really overwhelming choice for a beginner baker. Each type comes with a bunch of rules for which food you should and shouldn’t use them. A good rule of thumb to follow is to use water-based flavouring with water-based foods, and oil-based flavouring with fat-soluble bases. Here’s our guide to food flavouring types:
Water-based food flavouring
It is a go-to for use in beverages! Spice up your breakfast smoothies with a dash of honeycomb flavouring, mix in some caramel flavouring to your morning coffee and enhance the flavour of your raspberry jam with some raspberry flavouring to make the taste even more satisfying. Besides beverages, you can also incorporate them into frosting or icing to give it a unique flavour, and you’ll also commonly find water-based flavouring in all types of baked goods from cookies and cakes to muffins.
A super fun way to spice up your baking is to complement the frosting taste to the cake batter in a way that adds a pleasant punch to both – for example, the trusty apple and cinnamon combo or pomegranate and kiwi paired together. Another use of water-based flavourings is sauces – try using the raspberry flavour in your balsamic vinegar dressing and notice all the oohs and aahs it brings out in your guests. In the water-based flavouring selection at I Love This Shop online, you will find Roberts Flavours, which are also coloured to match the taste. Make sure you don’t use water-based flavourings with chocolate as it is fat-soluble and it will separate from the flavour, creating an unpleasant texture.
Oil-based food flavouring
It will work perfectly even at high temperatures, which makes them great for a variety of treats that require a long-lasting taste. Firstly, chocolate making – oil-based food flavouring goes hand in hand with fat-soluble foods, such as chocolate – we love adding unique flavours to our chocolate truffles and custom bars we make for our loved ones. Besides that, these flavours are widely used by candy makers when making lollies, as they can withstand high temperatures and will keep the strong flavouring even after being heated for a long time.
This flavouring will also work in marinades and sauces (add some rosemary flavouring to your marinades), with popcorn or other snacks! It will be especially popular with kids, as it allows them to try out new flavours in a safe way with snacks they know and trust.
Oil flavourings can sometimes get overpowering, so don’t forget to check out the labels on each one, as they may require different amounts added for a tasty experience. At I Love This Shop you’ll find LorAnn oil flavours that you will never get enough of!
Flavouring emulsions
They are water-based flavourings that don’t contain any alcohol, which makes them great for foods that don’t require any baking such as custard, ice cream, frosting etc. Since the flavour doesn’t evaporate as easily without alcohol, these will also work when baking and cooking as the flavours won’t bake out. Due to high water content, emulsions won’t work well with chocolate and hard candy but can be used to flavour any lolly and choco-truffle center. LorAnn’s emulsions we carry in our selections are formulated to have the same strength as an extract, but instead of being diluted in alcohol, it is suspended in a water base. Use them in frostings, cake batters, dairy products and so much more.
Natural or synthetic flavouring?
As bakers, we often ask ourselves how much natural flavouring we should use and when it is better to use synthetic ones. Your decision depends on many factors, including personal preference, cost, and regulatory requirements. However, we are here to help you make the most informed decision possible.
Natural flavourings
They come in different shapes and forms, but are usually derived from fruit, vegetables, herbs or animal sources and are minimally processed. Even though they are generally considered healthier, they can still cause allergic reactions or other health issues in some individuals. Natural flavourings don’t contain any artificial ingredients; they are more desirable than synthetic flavours, but this also makes them more expensive and unpredictable, as they are not as consistent in flavour and will not achieve the same results every time.
Synthetic flavouring
It is created in a laboratory and can be designed to mimic natural flavours or create new, exciting and unique flavours. Even though these aren’t seen as “authentic”, synthetic food flavours are stable and consistent and will help you achieve the same results every time you use the same dosage with the same ingredients. Another benefit to synthetic flavouring is also cost-effectiveness in comparison to natural flavourings and can be a better alternative for many food manufacturers and bakers, making larger quantities of pastries and treats.
Food as a flavouring
That is always another option when it comes to looking into what you should flavour your beverages, pastries and other treats with. Using fresh ingredients such as fruits, nuts or chocolate in doughs or fillings can create an authentic flavour for foods that rely on the flavour and texture of specific ingredients. However, there are a lot of times when adding fresh fruit to the mix just isn’t an option, as it could ruin the texture of the pastry – for these times we recommend using food flavouring.
Fun flavour pairings to try out
We all know about odd food pairings that work together surprisingly well such as chocolate and cheese, raspberry and balsamic vinegar, etc. However, there are some oddly complementary pairings that you can have in your pastries. Make a frosting with one flavour, and incorporate the other flavour with your dough, sprinkle it on top or find innovative ways to incorporate new flavours into your pastries.
Lemon and lavender. Balance the bright and zesty flavour of lemon with the floral and fragrant taste of lavender, creating a refreshing and aromatic dessert. Serve with a complimentary tea!
Ginger and pear. The warm and spicy taste of ginger can be paired with the sweet and juicy taste of pear, creating a comforting and flavorful treat.
Earl Grey tea and orange. The fragrant and floral taste of Earl Grey tea can be paired with the citrusy and zesty taste of orange, creating a flavourful and refreshing dessert.
We invite you to try out some of these flavourings and mix them in different ways, to find the most comforting or punchy experience for you and your guests.
And as always, don’t forget to experiment and discover new and fun ways to spice up your everyday baking, cooking and drinking.
FAQ
Natural food flavouring is usually derived from herbs, fruits, vegetables or animals and is usually minimally processed. They are considered healthier, but are also more expensive and unpredictable, as they can’t produce the same results every time.
Does food flavouring expire?
Food flavouring does expire but at different rates. Natural flavouring usually expires faster than synthetic ones. Oil-based flavours have the longest shelf life if stored correctly. You should check the labels on your food flavouring to make sure you’re storing yours correctly.
How much food flavouring to add?
This depends on a lot of factors. It depends on which type of flavouring you use, the desired strength of the added flavour and it can even vary depending on the brand. For example, LorAnn super strength oils require ⅛ to ¼ of a teaspoon per kg of chocolate or a coating, and Roberts Flavouring required half a teaspoon per ¼ cup, or between 0.25 to 3%.