Krashanky
Natural Easter Egg Dyes
Krashanky are traditional Ukrainian Easter eggs. Traditionally the eggs are dyed a single colour that is extracted naturally from vegetables. The Krashanka is placed into the family’s Easter basket and blessed at the church on Easter Saturday. Easter Sunday’s traditional breakfast begins with the krashanka.
Step 1: Prepare the Dyes
Today's krashanky are multi-coloured from pale yellow to vibrant purple. We use everyday food ingredients to dye Easter eggs. Golden rule: if it stains your skin, it will dye the egg. Dyes made with natural products vary from batch to batch.…expect something different every time, unexpected and pleasant.
Simple everyday ingredients are all it takes to make natural dyes: eggs, colouring agent, vinegar and water. The classic “red-brown krashanka” is made with dried onion skins. Collect onion skins in a paper bag weeks before Easter. Turmeric produces a vibrant yellow colour. Shredded purple cabbage produces assorted blue colours. Dilute the dye concentration 3 parts dye to 1 part water to make a sky blue colour. Beets produce anything from pink to maroon (add the beet stems as they release a lot of colour).
Step 1A: Prepare Colouring Agents
YELLOW: 3 TBSP turmeric
ORANGE: 3 TBSP chili powder
SKY BLUE: 1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
BLUE-PURPLISH: 4 cups shredded red cabbage
PINKISH: 4 cups sliced beets
REDDISH-BROWN: 8-16 dried onion skins
TIP: Experiment with other fruits, vegetables and spices such as saffron, sumac, blueberries, black coffee and cayenne pepper. Remember if it stains it will dye the egg.
Step 1B: Make The Dye
For making vegetable based dye:
Add colouring agent to the 2-3 quart stainless-steel pot
Add 4 cups water
Add 2 TBSP white vinegar
For making spice based dye:
Add Spice agent to a 2 quart stainless-steel pot
Add 2 cups water
Add 2 TBSP white vinegar
Then:
4. Place colouring agent, water and vinegar into a 2-3 quart pot stainless-steel pot
5. Bring contents to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover for 30 minutes
6. Allow to cool overnight
7. Strain through a sieve reserving the liquid in a mason jar. Store in refrigerator until ready to use
Step 2: Colouring The Eggs
Place raw eggs gently into the pot and cover with dye and boil 10 minutes for pale. For an intense colour, remove pot from heat source, and leave the boiled eggs in the liquid for 30 minutes. The heat allows the dye to saturate the eggshells and produce uniform colour throughout.
TIP: Do not boil dye with eggs in an aluminum pot. The acid from the vinegar will react with the aluminium and will alter the colour of the dye.
TIP: Another method is to submerge boiled eggs into the cooled dye overnight. Cover with a lid and store in refrigerator.
TIP: Try dyeing brown eggs with the reddish-brown hue or heritage blue eggs with the purple hue
Step 3: Finishing Touches
Gently remove the eggs with a spoon or tongs from the dyeing pot onto a cooling rack or onto paper towels. This allows the colour to set and dry. DO NOT PAT THE EGGS DRY.
For a shinier finish, squirt a dab of vegetable oil onto a paper towel, and gently polish the eggs once they are completely cool and dry.
Store your krashanky in the refrigerator.
