Naturally dyed hard boiled Easter eggs

Dyeing edible Easter Eggs is a lot of fun and very easy to do. Lots of common vegetables and plants produce dyes, but two of the most common for Easter are Brown Onion Skins and Red Cabbage. There is a different method of preparation for each.

Red Eggs (cooked in the dye)

Ingredients:

• Brown onion skins – the crackly outer layers
• Uncooked eggs (in the shell)
• Water
• Small amount of vegetable oil

Tools:

• A pot that will fit the eggs in a single or double layer
• A lid to fit the pot
• Cooling rack

Method:

1. You will need enough onion skins to cover and pack around the eggs. The more onion skins the darker the eggs.
2. Place as many eggs as you wish to dye into the bottom of a heavy saucepan. (Don’t use one that has a white enamel lining).
3. Pack onion skins around the eggs in a thick layer. Put some underneath and some on top.
4. Cover with COLD water until the water is just above the eggs. Pack in more onion skins if you had some in reserve.
5. Place on a medium to high heat and bring to the boil for one minute and turn off the heat.
6. Cover with a lid and leave for at least 8 hours (preferably overnight). Stir occasionally to make sure that the eggs are well coated. (When the water has cooled you can pop the whole pot into the fridge if you wish).
7. The egg shells will turn a rich burgundy colour.
8. Drain and dry on a cooling rack.
9. Polish eggs with a small amount of vegetable oil on a cloth.
10. Pop them in the fridge until needed. They are colourful and tasty.

Blue eggs: (steeped in pre-prepared dye)

Ingredients for the dye

• Roughly chopped red cabbage
• Water

Ingredients to dye the eggs

• Hard boiled white eggs (a dozen will fit in 5 cups of water). Brown eggs will not be as vibrant but still work.
• Vinegar
• Small amount of Vegetable oil

Tools

• Pot to cook the cabbage in
• Strainer / colander
• Measuring jug
• Glass bowl or large jar to steep the eggs in
• Tablespoon or ladle
• Cooling rack

Method:

1. Add cabbage to the pot.
2. Cover with water (approximately 1 cup of water to 1 cup of cabbage)
3. Simmer on low for 25 – 30 minutes until the water turns purple
4. Strain the cabbage water into a measuring jug
5. For each cup of cabbage water add 1 Tablespoon of vinegar to the bowl (or jar)
6. Add the cabbage water to the bowl.
7. Stir and let cool.
8. Add the hard boiled eggs carefully to the bowl or jar. Use the tablespoon or a ladle.
9. Pop in the fridge for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
10. When the eggs are at the desired colour, remove from the water and let dry on a cooling rack
11. Polish with a little oil on a cloth
12. Keep refrigerated

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