Gelatin is popular among housewives who love to pamper their family and guests with delicious and beautiful jellied meats, jellied meats, desserts and original confectionery products.

It is enough to use gelatin two or three times in cooking to understand what its optimal ratio with liquid should be in order to achieve the degree of hardening that is needed for a particular dish. For novice housewives, it is preferable to deal with gelatin in the form of coarse-crystalline powder. Gelatin in plates requires more skill and additional steps, while powdered gelatin is extremely easy to use.
Before diluting gelatin, carefully read the instructions. Plates and powders require different soaking times. To save time, you can always use instant granules.

Experienced housewives know that maximum effect can be achieved by diluting gelatin in cold boiled water. It is in water that its granules and plates dissolve completely, which does not happen when it is dissolved in broths, milk and juices. However, this is not critical, and you can easily follow the recipes on gelatin packages, which often recommend soaking it directly in the liquid that is to be gelled.

Before diluting gelatin, you need to decide what its ratio to liquid will be. It must be remembered that 20 grams of gelatin per liter of liquid will give the effect of “quivering jelly”, which is suitable for dairy desserts and some aspics. 40-50 grams per liter will make the product denser. It can be cut with a knife. This is the optimal ratio for fruit and berry jellies, aspic from fish, tongue and tender chicken jellied meat. By dissolving 50-60 grams in a liter of water, you will get a fairly dense, elastic jelly, which is ideal for pork and beef jellied meats, as well as for decorating cakes, pastries, fruit and berry pies.

How to dissolve gelatin?
The optimal ratio of gelatin and water will be 1:10, that is, for a tablespoon of gelatin you need to take 10 tablespoons of liquid. This is enough to completely dissolve the granules. Soak the gelatin for 40-50 minutes. If you are dealing with instant gelatin, 20-25 minutes will be enough. After the expiration date, stir the liquid and make sure that the gelatin has completely dissolved. If there are any undissolved particles left, you can let it sit for another 5-10 minutes, but it is better to strain the liquid and continue cooking the dish.

Now you need to add the dissolved gelatin into the broth or juice for the jelly. At this time they should be on the stove, as hot as possible, ready to boil. Stirring constantly, pour the swollen gelatin into the bowl in a thin stream and, stirring, wait until it boils. As soon as the liquid boils, you need to remove it from the heat. If you do not remove the pan from the stove in time and continue boiling, there is a high probability that gelling will not occur.

Before pouring the liquid into molds, it must be cooled to room temperature. To make the aspic or jellied meat beautiful, do not forget to place decorations on the bottom of the dish. These can be figures cut out of carrots and decorated with green leaves, on top of which fish, tongue or meat should be placed and poured with broth. Before serving, the contents of the mold are laid out on a plate or dish and your culinary masterpiece can become a real table decoration. Dairy, fruit and berry jellies are usually decorated immediately before serving by placing pieces of fruit, citrus slices, and mint sprigs on a plate next to the dish; or top with lemon zest, coconut or fresh berries.

Learning to cook dishes that require gelling is not difficult at all. They will bring bright variety to the usual menu.

I have long wanted to make a material for you on working with gelatin, so as not to describe the same thing in every recipe. Now I will give a link here in recipes, and those who are still new to working with gelatin will get something useful and new.

It is important to remember that all gelling agents differ in texture results, as well as in the technique of use. Therefore, gelatin can never be replaced with agar-agar or pectin, for example. You won't get the same texture, the same mass behavior, or the same result.

Types of gelatin

Gelatin is a protein gelling substance. It is used in many areas. If we talk about cooking, then this is the production of jelly, confit, mousses, souffles, marshmallows, ice cream and so on. Let's start with the simplest thing. Most often gelatin is leafy And powder.

Leaf gelatin.

Working with sheet gelatin is much easier; each sheet has an exact weight (usually 2.5 or 5 grams). Therefore, you can easily dispense with scales and use scissors to cut (visually) the desired mass of gelatin. The second plus is that leaf gelatin can be soaked in any amount of water, and it will take as much as it needs, again we do without scales and unnecessary manipulations. It is usually ready to use faster than powdered gelatin.

The disadvantages of sheet gelatin are that it is most often more expensive than its powder counterpart; it is made from pork or beef.

Powdered gelatin.

It is cheaper, and also comes with fish (halal), this expands the audience of consumers of products made from such gelatin. Powdered gelatin must be soaked in water in a ratio of 1:6 (sometimes a 1:5 formula is used). This means that if a recipe calls for 10 grams of gelatin, you will soak it in 60 grams of water.

In all other senses, powder and sheet gelatins are absolutely identical if they have the same gelling strength.

The power of gelatin

Several classifications of gelatin have been accepted in the world. In general, the strength of gelatin is measured in blooms (bloom, in honor of the creator Oscar Bloom). The most common gelatin is with a strength of 125-265 bloom. The greater the strength of gelatin, the greater the amount of mass it can stabilize.

The second classification is silver, gold, bronze and platinum (America, Australia and other countries use this system). Moreover, in these countries, gelatin sheets weigh differently, so that each sheet stabilizes the same amount of liquid. For example, a Bronze strength sheet weighs 3.3 grams, while a Platinum strength sheet weighs only 1.7 grams. In this case, both stabilize the same mass. This simplifies the work with recipes; they indicate the number of sheets, and the consumer decides what strength to use independently.

Bronze
125-135

Silver
160-170

Gold
190-220

Platinum
235-265

Every time you read a recipe, your task is to find out what strength of gelatin the author used. After all, it is obvious that if your gelatin is weaker or stronger, you will not get the intended texture of the dessert, and you may even lose the product altogether if the fillings (components) float.

At the same time, remember that sheet and powder gelatins of the same strength are completely identical in terms of the final result. You can safely replace one type of gelatin with another if it is more convenient for you to work with them.

On the other hand, there are no rules that dictate how dense the resulting mass should be - a barely stable gel or a hard jelly, similar to marmalade. You decide all this yourself, keeping in mind the use of the product, its shape and type (you can make the filling softer in tarts, and denser in a mousse cake).

Preparing gelatin

Gelatin must first be soaked in cold water. Moreover, the colder it is, the less likely it is that the destruction of the protein in gelatin will begin, and you will lose some of its strength. It is safest to use ice water or water with ice cubes.

Leaf gelatin can be soaked in any amount of water. He will take the required amount himself. A tall glass or flat wide container is suitable for this. I recommend soaking leaf gelatin in whole sheets; if you cut the sheet into pieces, some of them may be lost (you simply will not see that the pieces remain at the bottom of the glass).

Leaf gelatin will be ready and soft very quickly. It can be used.

Powdered gelatin should take up all the water (swell). At the same time, you will see that a loose mass remains in the cup without visible signs of free water. This is the pulp you add to the mass.

If it turns out that the gelatin is already ready to use, but you are not yet, put it in the refrigerator. Thus, we will stop the heating of the water and the gelatin will not lose its strength.

Launch of gelatin

In order to start gelatin, it must be introduced into the mass at a temperature of 50-60 degrees. At this temperature it will begin to combine with moisture in the mass. This is called dissolving gelatin. Masses into which gelatin is introduced cannot be boiled; this will destroy the stabilizing properties of gelatin (with the exception of heat-stable gelatin).

To be sure to do everything correctly, bring the mixture to the first signs of boiling (small bubbles, foam). Remove the saucepan from the stove. Squeeze out the leaf gelatin (or collect the swollen powder) and add to the mass. The temperature of such a mass will already drop to 70-75. This is safe for the gelatin and will help it disperse well. Stir the mixture with a spatula. If you are working with more than 500 grams of mass, you can use a blender to be sure.

Remember that gelatin begins to stabilize when the temperature drops to 15 degrees. And it takes from 6 to 24 hours for the mass to completely stabilize. That is why products with gelatin are recommended to be prepared in advance.

Gelatin is reversible, which means that if the thickened mass is heated to 50 degrees, it will become liquid again.

Friends and enemies of gelatin

Some ingredients can help or hinder gelatin in stabilizing masses. This means that you need to work with these ingredients more carefully or take into account their ability to help/interfere with gelatin.

Friends of gelatin

Sugar, alcohol (up to 40%), milk

Enemies of gelatin

Tropical acids (kiwi, pineapple, papaya - their enzymes destroy gelatin), strong acids (Ph above 4, for example, wine), salt

Gelatin mass

Many modern confectionery shops use another type of gelatin - gelatin mass.

Gelatin mass is pre-stabilized gelatin with water. The idea is that you soak the gelatin powder in ice water (1:6). And we wait for the mass to swell. Then heat the mass in the microwave. In small pulses for 10-15 seconds, until the mass becomes uniformly liquid. We put the preparation in the refrigerator for a day. The next day we get a gelatinous mass - elastic and transparent.

Next, you simply cut off the required amount of gelatin mass and dissolve it in a hot mass (or heat it again in the microwave until liquid and add it to a cold mass, for example, whipped cream).

The advantage of the gelatin mass is that we get the finished stabilizer faster - there is no need to soak the gelatin and wait for it to swell. The only subtlety is recalculating the masses according to the recipe. For example, if a recipe calls for 10 grams of gelatin, you would use 70 grams of gelatin mass (10 g gelatin + 6 parts water). The gelatin mass can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

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Gelatin is a substance of animal origin that is quite actively used in cooking. It has no smell, color or taste. The tendons, ligaments and bones of livestock are used in the production of gelatin. It is thanks to these components that gelatin is used to prepare various jelly-like dishes, jellied meat, jelly and much more. But in order to prepare a truly tasty dish with the right consistency, you need to know how to properly dilute gelatin.

How to dissolve gelatin

There are no secrets here. It is enough for the gelatin to dissolve in cold water, after which, usually, a certain amount of liquid is added to the desired volume and heated.

When preparing a dish of a certain consistency, you need to know how to dissolve gelatin correctly.

• Maintain proportion. To get the so-called “shaking jelly” you will need to dilute only 20 grams of pure gelatin in a liter of water. If you want to get a denser jelly (about the same as jellied meat), use about 50 grams of gelatin per 1 liter of water.
• While heating, do not let the solution boil, otherwise the gelatin will lose its properties.
• When making fruit jelly, try to chop the fruit as finely as possible. Otherwise, the jelly from the fruit will peel off easily.
• Do not cool the mixture in the freezer. The dish will not become jelly-like, but will simply crystallize.
• When purchasing a pack of gelatin, always pay attention to the expiration date of the product. Expired gelatin loses its properties.

Jelly recipe

Here is one of the simplest recipes for making jelly. You can use any jam, fresh fruit or juice as a basis. First, take 15 grams of gelatin and dilute it in 100 grams of water, then add 1.5 cups of preheated juice. After this, you need to put the mixture on low heat for 15 minutes, then pour it into molds and let it harden. Now you know how to dilute gelatin.

Quite often included in the recipes of many dishes. It is added to various main courses, jellied meat, and cream for cakes. Not every novice cook knows all the intricacies of working with this product. And not every experienced housewife knows how to dilute gelatin correctly. This process is quite simple and easy.

Before use, gelatin must be dissolved in cold water or any other liquid. Then, when it swells, you need to add water and heat the mixture. In principle, on each package with this product there are instructions and a detailed description of the proportions in which to dilute gelatin. If done correctly, your culinary masterpiece will delight your family and guests. Reading the packaging is a very useful thing, because you may come across instant gelatin, and it is much easier to prepare. Also pay attention to the expiration date of the product, since old product can ruin the entire dish.

How to dilute gelatin? It all depends on what exactly you are cooking. If the goal of your efforts is cooking, then place 1 tablespoon of regular gelatin in a deep bowl and pour in a glass of cold broth. Leave the contents for about forty minutes to swell. After this, add another two and a half glasses of broth to the mixture and put on low heat. You need to stir continuously until the gelatin granules are completely dissolved, do not boil. After which we pour the dish into plates and let it thicken.

How to dilute gelatin to make jelly, which children adore so much? Many parents try not to give their children such desserts, but this is in vain. Gelatin contains many useful substances, amino acids, vitamins, it improves blood clotting. However, it can cause allergies and is contraindicated in large quantities in the presence of cardiovascular diseases. So, take a gram packet of gelatin, pour half a glass of liquid (water, compote, syrup, juice) and leave for an hour. Then add another one and a half glasses of warm liquid and

Place in a water bath or low heat. You need to cook for ten to fifteen minutes, stirring constantly. After this, you can pour the jelly into molds and let it cool for 3-4 hours. To remove the dessert onto a plate, you need to lower the mold into hot water (but so that it does not get on the jelly) for a minute.

How to dilute gelatin for butter cream, which is ideal for sponge cakes? Fill a packet of gelatin (15g) with a glass of cream and leave for two hours. After this, heat the contents in a water bath, stirring constantly until the granules are completely dissolved. While the mixture is chilling, beat two more glasses of cream with three tablespoons of powdered sugar and vanilla. Pour in the cooled but not hardened gelatin, rearrange the cakes and put them in the refrigerator. The cake will be ready in three hours.

Many housewives are interested in how to dilute instant gelatin. Here things are much simpler. Fill with liquid until the granules are completely dissolved, leave for fifteen minutes. Then heat it up a little and pour it into the total mass. Bon appetit everyone!

Every self-respecting housewife has used gelatin at least once in her life to prepare some dish. It would seem that there is nothing complicated in diluting gelatin, because often this process is described in detail in recipes. And yet there are some features and important points that need to be taken into account.

What is gelatin?

What is gelatin? This substance, at its core, is a natural biopolymer. Natural gelatin without dyes has neither smell nor taste. But this food additive (designated as E441) is used quite often to give dishes a jelly-like consistency.

The main component of gelatin is collagen in almost pure form. Collagen is treated with alkaline or acidic solutions, and the result is gelatin. By the way, natural raw materials are used for production: fish scales and bones, as well as tendons, bones and ligaments of cattle.

Where is it used?

Gelatin is used not only in the food industry, but also in pharmaceuticals, cosmetology and industry. For example, it is included in medicinal capsules, candles, glue, newspapers, photographic paper and even banknotes.

Compound

The composition of gelatin is rich and unique, which makes this supplement very, very useful. So, it contains proteins, carbohydrates, starch, ash, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, sodium, phosphorus, vitamin PP and some others, as well as as many as 18 essential amino acids.

What happens?

Let us list the main types of edible gelatin; there are two of them:

• Gelatin A is obtained by treating pork skins with acidic compounds.
• Gelatin B is produced by alkaline treatment of cattle bones.

In fact, these two types are not much different from each other. The second type has a higher viscosity, but the gelling characteristics are absolutely the same.

This supplement is usually available in three forms:

• Granules. This form is the most common and convenient.
• Powder is essentially crushed granules.
• Sheets. They are thin and transparent.

How to breed?

So, how to dilute gelatin correctly? There is nothing complicated about it. If it is powder or granular, then your actions will be as follows:

1. First, prepare the required amount of gelatin.
2. Pour the powder with a small amount of cold water (not ice, but cool). There shouldn't be too much water. So, for one teaspoon of gelatin, half or even a third of a glass of water is enough.
3. Now you need to wait about 40-60 minutes. The gelatin should swell and the resulting composition should resemble clear jelly.
4. Now you need to heat the resulting mass after swelling to such a state that the gelatin is completely dissolved (it will seem that this is ordinary water). But you need to heat it up slowly and carefully. It is best to use a water bath rather than a gas burner for these purposes. Take a saucepan, pour water into it, bring this water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Immerse the container with gelatin in water so that the liquid does not reach the edges a little, but completely covers the container. Stir the gelatin constantly, and as soon as it has completely dissolved, remove it from the bath.
5. Next, combine the gelatin solution with the rest of the products (according to the recipe).
6. Refrigerate the dish and enjoy.

Leaf gelatin should be diluted in approximately the same way, but it is better to use a flat and wide container. In addition, it is advisable to soak the sheets one at a time, as they swell much faster, namely in 5-15 minutes. After swelling, you should squeeze out the sheets and do the same as with powdered gelatin, that is, heat until dissolved.

Maintain proportions

To dilute gelatin correctly, it is important to maintain the proportions and use the right amount. If you have a prescription, follow the directions given in it. If you prefer to improvise and create masterpieces in the kitchen, then learn the basic rules. In general, the exact amount of gelatin will depend on the desired consistency of the finished dish. There are several options:

• If you want to get a trembling, tender jelly, then use 20 grams of gelatin per 1 liter of liquid.
• For a jelly that will hold its shape well, about 40 grams of gelatin will be required per liter of the liquid component of the dish.
• Would you like to cut jelly with a knife? Then don’t skimp on gelatin and take 60 grams per 1 liter.

How to measure the right amount?

Kitchen measurements are a separate topic. Of course, improvisation is great, but not in the case of bulk components, the number of which in the total mass should be scanty. The ideal option is to use a high-precision kitchen scale. But if you don’t have such a device, then remember the following:

• One teaspoon (without a slide) contains only 6 grams of powdered gelatin.
• One tablespoon contains approximately 15 grams.
• A dessert spoon holds about 10-11 grams of gelatin.
• A faceted glass contains approximately 200 grams of powder.
• A tea glass contains approximately 250 grams.
• If you decide to use sheet gelatin, remember that the weight of one sheet is approximately 2 grams of granulated gelatin. It turns out that a tablespoon of powder is the same as 6 sheets.

What can be replaced?

Can gelatin be replaced with something else? Quite. Agar-agar, which is also actively used in cooking, can be an excellent substitute. But it is worth remembering that the gelling properties of agar-agar are superior to those of gelatin, so less of this additive will be required. So, 5 grams of agar-agar is approximately 7.5 grams of gelatin (approximately 4 sheets). This means that per liter of liquid you will need approximately 2 teaspoons, that is, about 10-12 grams.

Finally, useful tips for real housewives:

• Under no circumstances should you boil the gelatin solution! In this case, it will simply lose its properties and will not give the dish the desired consistency.
• It is not recommended to use gelatin that has expired. Perhaps it will swell and even thicken, but it can spoil the dish, giving it an incomprehensible and unpleasant aftertaste.
• If you are preparing a jelly-like dish with chopped components, then cut them as finely as possible, since when hardening the gelatinous mass can slide over large pieces, and as a result the consistency will differ from the desired one.
• Food should be cooled gradually, preferably in the refrigerator. Do not try to speed up the process; do not put the container in the freezer. In this case, the gelatin will simply crystallize and you won’t succeed.
• Do not exceed the recommended dosage, you will simply ruin the dish.

Dilute gelatin correctly, and let your dishes be tasty and beautiful!