Have you ever had problems choosing gelatin? Or maybe there were problems with dilution or working with gelatin? If this doesn't bother you, that's great. Today I want to tell you everything about gelatin: how to choose it correctly, how to use it correctly and how to never make mistakes when working with gelatin.
What is gelatin
Let's figure out what gelatin is without further ado. Gelatin is a product made from collagen, which is obtained from animal products. Gelatin is 98% protein and is also a source of amino acids.
Pure gelatin is a powder or small granules of a transparent or slightly yellowish tint. You can also find gelatin in the form of sheets - sheet gelatin.
What does gelatin give us and why use it? For me, gelatin is one of the fastest and easiest ways to thicken the filling. Most often, gelatin is used in confectionery for the preparation of jelly fillings, mousses, panna cotta, soufflés, marshmallows and other desserts that require a “thickener” in the composition in order to keep their shape and have the correct consistency.
How to replace eggs when baking
Sometimes, at the most inopportune moment, the housewife does not have this product on hand. In this case, the same gelatin will come to the rescue. One package replaces three eggs in baked goods.
Gelatin helps turn ordinary food into culinary masterpieces.
If, of course, you use it correctly.
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Types of gelatin
There are many recipes that use gelatin. But different recipes may indicate different gelatin: powder, granular or sheet. Let's figure out what the difference is and whether it exists at all.
| Granulated and powdered gelatin | Leaf gelatin |
| Granular gelatin most often appears as small granules that vaguely resemble crystals. And powdered gelatin is smaller and free-flowing, reminiscent of sugar crystals. Soak granulated or powdered gelatin in cold water. For both options there are certain soaking proportions: 1 to 6, that is, for 1 gram of gelatin 6 grams of water. But the soaking time is different. Typically, powdered gelatin is instant and does not require much time for soaking - 5-15 minutes. To soak the granulated gelatin you will need 20 minutes or more. Follow the directions on the packaging. | Leaf gelatin is very thin plates, approximately 2.5-5 grams. Leaf gelatin must be soaked in a very large amount of cold water. The gelatin itself will absorb the required amount of water. The soaking time will be approximately the same as for powdered gelatin - 5-15 minutes. It is believed that working with sheet gelatin is easier because it does not require manipulation of scales. |
So, as you can understand, there are three types of gelatin: granular, sheet and powder. Despite the fact that granulated and powdered gelatin have approximately the same release form, we will combine powdered gelatin with sheet gelatin and classify them as an “instant” type of gelatin. And granular is “ordinary”. By the way, about “instant” and “regular” gelatin: there is no difference whether you use instant or regular gelatin, it’s just about the convenience of work for you personally.
Any type of gelatin can be replaced with each other, for example, you can easily replace powdered gelatin with sheet gelatin. There is no need to do any recalculations for this. If the recipe specifies 6 grams of powdered gelatin, then you need to take 6 grams of sheet gelatin (the same applies to granulated). The only thing that is important to consider when replacing such gelatin is strength, but we will talk about this later. And remember that there is no specific amount of water for leaf gelatin, we just put it in a lot of water.
Restrictions on use and harm of gelatin
Despite a number of advantages, this product still has some contraindications, and some should avoid using it altogether. The prohibition applies to the following persons:
- having a tendency to form blood clots, since this drug can thicken the blood;
- suffering from constipation. For these people, the problem will only get worse;
- Do not use if you have gallstones or kidney stones;
- contraindicated for gout;
- You should not eat if you are diagnosed with hemorrhoids.
As a preventative, gelatin is ideal for preventing a range of health problems. But he is unable to solve serious pathological changes. Even if you decide to use the product for preventive purposes, consult your doctor to see if you have any contraindications. sources
The power of gelatin
Gelatin strength is how thick or dense your filling will be after adding gelatin. That is, how well it will hold its shape and resist stress. And the higher the gelatin strength rating, the better it will work in your desserts. Typically, gelatin strength is measured in blooms.
For the preparation of desserts, gelatin with a strength of 180-160 blooms is usually used. But, unfortunately, indication of the strength of gelatin in recipes is very rare. Therefore, here you can only experiment.
There are several ways to find out the strength of gelatin. For example, in Russia the Valens system is used. Descriptions and gradations are specified in GOST 11293-89. The difficulty is that many do not know these designations and find it difficult to choose gelatin. Gelatin is isolated:
T2.5 – T11 – technical;
P9 – P19 – food;
K10, K11, K13 – confectionery.
The number next to the letter indicates the force in Newtons.
You can read more about the power of gelatin in this article. But let me remind you of the gelatin correspondence table according to Valens and Bloom:
| Brand | P11 | K13 | P15 | P19 |
| Pa Valentu | 1100 | 1300 | 1500 | 1900 |
| According to Bloom | 150 | 170 | 190 | 210 |
But most often we focus specifically on the meaning of Bloom. What should you do if the recipe indicates a gelatin strength of 180 Bloom, but you only have 160? You will have to recalculate the amount of gelatin. This can be easily done using this table:
Benefits for joints
Gelatin strengthens joints and ligaments in the body.
The most famous beneficial property of gelatin is strengthening the joints and ligaments of the human body.
Under the influence of loads and over time, due to trauma, inflammatory processes, metabolic disorders, the elasticity of cartilage tissue decreases, the joint begins to wear out, which leads to its damage, accompanied by pain and swelling processes.
Collagen, a protein that forms the basis of gelatin, forms the framework of intra-articular cartilage. The use of gelatin contributes to the partial restoration of destroyed collagen fibers, which in turn stabilizes the condition of the joint and improves its mobility.
How to soak gelatin
Let's move on to the most important and interesting part of our article. I’ll tell you in detail about how to work with gelatin correctly. And first of all, we need to soak the gelatin so that it swells and we can use it for its intended purpose.
Let's start by soaking the powdered and granulated gelatin. The amount of water to soak the gelatin will depend on the desired weight of gelatin. For example, the recipe indicates 6 grams of gelatin, then you will need 36 grams of water (1:6). Pour the gelatin with the required amount of cold water and stir until the gelatin combines well with the water. That's it, after that we set the gelatin mass aside and wait for complete swelling. The time may be indicated on the gelatin packaging. For example, for powdered gelatin the soaking time will be shorter than for granulated gelatin.
Soak powdered and granulated gelatin in a ratio of 1:6. For powdered gelatin the time is 5-15 minutes, for granulated gelatin from 20 minutes.
With leaf gelatin everything is simpler. You can weigh the plates in advance and you will know exactly how much each plate weighs if, for example, you purchased gelatin by weight. Let's say the plate weighs 5 grams, and the recipe says 7.5 grams. Then we use one whole plate and another one divided in half. Leaf gelatin can be easily cut with scissors.
Next we will need a large amount of cold water. Place the sheet gelatin in water and leave for some time (5-15 minutes) for the gelatin to completely swell. Leaf gelatin itself will absorb the required amount of water.
Soak the leaf gelatin in plenty of ice water for about 5-15 minutes.
At this point, the first stage of working with gelatin has been completed - we have “soaked” it.
Instructions for using leaf gelatin
✍ We will need:
- gelatin sheets (quantity according to recipe);
- ice water (or cold water + ice cubes);
- hot water or other liquid base (amount according to recipe).
Instructions:
- Pour ice water into a bowl, wide container or large tall glass.
- Remove the gelatin sheets from the protective film and immerse them entirely in the liquid. It is not recommended to break them into pieces so as not to lose the pieces later, thereby violating the ratio of the gelling component to the base.
- Leave the sheets to soften. They will need no more than 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, you need to heat the water in which the gelatin will dissolve. It should not boil at the time of connection with the sheets. It is optimal to bring the water to the first bubbles and remove from the burner. The minimum temperature to activate gelatin is 50-60 °C.
- Squeeze out the leaves, transfer to the prepared hot base, stir until dissolved. If the temperature is correct, no additional heating will be required. If gelatin dissolves reluctantly, it should be placed in a water bath.
If you need to gel a large volume of the base, then gelatin is first dissolved in part of it (for example, in a glass), then combined with the rest of the mass. When working with a large amount of gelatin, you can additionally process the mass with a blender.
Technology for diluting leaf gelatin [video]
Not every sheet gelatin can be used to prepare the intended dish. This gelatin has proven itself well in practice. We recommend!
How to dissolve gelatin
Let's move on to the second stage. At this stage we need to melt the gelatin to work with it. There are two options here: introduce the swollen gelatin into the hot mass, or melt it and add it to the warm or cold mass. It is important to observe temperature conditions.
When using sheet gelatin, remove it from the water and squeeze it a little. We use the swollen powdered or granulated gelatin immediately.
If we introduce swollen gelatin into a hot mass, then the temperature of this mass should be up to 80 degrees MAXIMUM!!! Gelatin disperses in the hot mass at 50-75 degrees. Mix the mixture well until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
If we introduce swollen gelatin into a cold or warm mass, then you will have to work with gelatin a little differently. Before introducing gelatin into the mass, we need to heat it to a liquid state. This can be done by heating the gelatin in pulses (10 seconds each) in the microwave or in a saucepan over very low heat. Immediately add the melted gelatin to the mass, mix well and use it immediately.
Be careful, gelatin in a cold mass begins to set very quickly!
Weights
Such bulk components must be measured in minute doses, for which it is necessary to have scales with high accuracy on hand. But when it is not possible to use such devices, the following tips will come to the rescue:
- One teaspoon contains approximately six grams of powdered gelatin;
- A tablespoon contains fifteen grams;
- A dessert spoon can hold ten grams of powder;
- An ordinary faceted glass can hold two hundred grams of gelatin;
- A tea glass measures the product in the amount of two hundred and fifty grams.
When using leaf gelatin, remember that one leaf is equivalent to two grams of gelatin granules. That is, one tablespoon of powdered gelatin replaces six sheets.
Temperature for working with gelatin
Summarize:
| Dilution of gelatin | Launch of gelatin | Gelatin stabilization |
| Gelatin is diluted in cold or ice water | If you need to introduce gelatin into a hot mixture, then its temperature should be at least 50 degrees and no more than 75 degrees; If you need to introduce gelatin into a warm or cold mass, then heat the gelatin to a liquid state. Important! Do not boil or overheat the mixture. | Gelatin begins to stabilize at temperatures below 15 degrees. |
Recipe for diluting gelatin with proportions for jelly and cake
Most often, gelatin is used to prepare various desserts. These are cakes, jellies, cheesecake, marshmallows and more.
The taste, shape and appearance of the finished dish depends entirely on the proportions of gelatin, so it is important to maintain the ratio of the product to liquid and other ingredients, as well as to be able to dilute it correctly.
The classic recipe for diluting gelatin for making sweets is indicated on the back of the package, but in some cases it may not be available.
For the desired consistency of sweets, you must adhere to a certain proportion:
25-30 g (2 tablespoons) of granulated gelatin per 1 liter of any liquid. If the finished dish is expected to have a high sugar content, the amount of thickener is increased slightly. This is suitable for simple jelly with a medium density and soft texture, and some cold snacks.
Gelatin mass
Recipes often indicate the amount of “gelatin mass.” What it is? Gelatin mass is already melted and newly stabilized gelatin. That is, gelatin is soaked in cold water, heated to a liquid state and sent for stabilization. Ready-made frozen gelatin is transparent in color, holds its shape well (like jelly) - and there is a ready-made gelatin mass. The finished gelatin mass is not the weight of powdered, granulated or sheet gelatin, it is already soaked gelatin with water. That is, for example, the recipe requires 84 grams of gelatin mass - this means you need 12 grams of gelatin and 72 grams of water.
The gelatin mass can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Contraindications and side effects
Not all people can use gelatin. In some cases, it can harm the body and provoke a number of diseases or exacerbations.
The use of gelatin is not advisable due to its high protein content when:
- Kidney pathologies.
- Urolithiasis and cholelithiasis.
- Hemorrhoids and chronic constipation.
- Cardiac diseases and vascular atherosclerosis.
- Increased blood clotting.
- Thrombosis and thrombophlebitis.
Rarely, but still there is an individual intolerance to gelatin; harm to the body may consist of an increased daily amount of gelatin. Side effects from taking it can be eliminated by consuming a mixture of dried fruits.
Cooking recipe: figs – 300 g, dried apricots – 300 g, prunes – 300 g and honey – 100 g, turn into a homogeneous mass using a mixer and take one teaspoon twice a day.
An infusion of dried fruits is also useful. For any side effects from consuming gelatin, consultation with a doctor is required.