What is Mica Powder Used For?

Slofoodgroup Team December 28, 2022

Mica powder is a naturally occurring mineral that is used to provide a brilliant sheen in a variety of applications—especially in baking and cosmetics. Scientifically speaking, mica can include a long list of silicate but most mica powder used in culinary applications is made up of aluminum potassium silicate, which supplies that eye-catching pearl essence. 

Mica powder has a long list of synonyms, including luster dust, pearl dust, peal pigment powders, highlighter dust, and the list goes on-and-on. That said, not all luster dust is made of mica. Furthermore, not all mica powder is the same, so regardless the name, make sure you are buying a food-grade product if you plan on using it for culinary applications.

So What Can You Use Mica Powder For?

Mica powder is purely decorative, with an absence of taste or nutritional benefits, so its uses are all based on aesthetic appeal, whether that be for culinary or cosmetic adornment. In this post, we will provide several ideas for utilizing luster dust for kicking your food and beverage creations up a knotch. 

Dust mica powder atop store-bought desserts.

We’ve all found ourselves in a situation where we are in charge of supplying a dessert but are short on the time or energy to make it from scratch. Store-bought desserts don’t need to be drab, though. With a little bit of luster dust and just a couple of minutes, anyone can add their own personalization to anything. Simply grab a clean, dry brush and dust the powder over the entire dessert or sporadically as an accent. 

Make decorative details pop with a bit of vanilla extract and luster dust. 

Mica powder doesn’t have to be dusted on, it can also be mixed with alcohol to make a gorgeous paint. For sweet, baked goods, we like to mix it with just a bit of vanilla extract for added flaver, but any extract or straight alcohol will do the job. Using a fine-tipped brush, paint it on the fine details of your decoration to add sheen and make them pop. 

Add luster dust into clear distilled spirits or champagne.

Glamorize champagne and cocktails by swirling in a bit of luster dush, sprinkling it over top, or mixing with a bit of sugar to add to the rim of the glass. 

Mix mica powder into your next salad dressing. 

You can’t go wrong with this simple dressing: maple syrup, white balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, fresh thyme, minced garlic, and a bit of salt and pepper. If you really want to astound those you are serving, though, add in some pearl essence before shaking it up and tossing your salad. 

Turn your next cheese display into an art project. 

Bring out various colors of luster dust and get your culinary van Gogh on after you put together your next cheese display. Just mix together the luster dust and alcohol together until you have your desired, paint-like consistency and get to work on your edible canvas. 

Add sparkle to homemade play dough. 

Ok, so play dough isn’t necessarily a culinary creation. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t enter the mouths of young children, though, so it’s best to ensure all ingredients used are safe for human consumption. Food grade mica powder is the perfect addition for adding a bit of magic to the age-old 

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