Instructions

1. Add liquid food coloring to French meringue or regular meringue after you have whisked the egg whites with the sugar. Whisk the egg whites and sugar until they are dense and creamy.

2. If you are using Italian meringue base for your macaroon, add the food coloring after the mixture has cooled down. Italian meringue is made by whipping egg whites until they are firm and adding a hot sugar syrup to the egg whites. The mixture is whisked until the bottom of the bowl feels cool.

3. Fold in the liquid food coloring using a spatula. Gently slide the spatula on the side of the bowl. Bring the spatula under the egg whites and bring the bottom up to the top. Continue to use the same movement until the color is even.

4. Hisako Ogita,a Japanese pastry chef, recommends adding a small amount of water to the liquid food coloring and gradually adding it to the egg white and sugar or syrup mixture. Quickly whisk the color in using an electric whisk.

5. Add gel or paste food color to the beaten egg whites just before they reach the glossy and stiff stage. Food paste or gels contain no water. Stephanie Jaworski at Joy of Baking recommends using food-coloring paste or gel.