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The Best Gelatin Tips

Gelatin can be used to make savory or sweet recipes. Unflavored gelatin comes in sheets or powder. It is eighty five percent protein. You can also get sugar free gelatin.

Gelatin is an ingredient in jello but using plain gelatin can give good results too. Using gelatin is similar in some ways to using jello but there are a few more things you should know before using it.

The following handy tips and tricks are good to know if you want to make gelatin recipes:

Storing Gelatin

  • Gelatin has an indefinite shelf life. Keep your gelatin powder or sheets wrapped tightly. Stored in a dry, cool place, they will last for years.

  • When you have made a jello recipe or gelatin dish, keep it chilled in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.

  • If you are going to leave your jello recipes or gelatin recipes in the refrigerator for more than a couple of hours, keep them in a covered container. This stops a thick, rubbery skin from forming on top.

How to Make Perfect Gelatin Recipes

  • Mix dry, unflavored gelatin with a little cold water and leave it for a few minutes before adding hot water. This stops it from clumping.

  • When you use sugar and unflavored gelatin, combine the sugar with the gelatin before adding the water.

  • If you are adding fruit or solids to gelatin, make sure they are drained well first, else they will dilute the gelatin mixture. You can mince, cube, slice, or chop the fruit and you can use one to two cups of fruit for every cup of gelatin.

  • If you use milk or cream with gelatin, instead of water, it will take twice as long to dissolve.
  • Don't bring a gelatin recipe to a full boil, else it will not thicken properly.

How to Get the Consistency and Firmness Right

  • The more sugar you use in a jello recipe, the softer the jello will be. This is because sugar inhibits gelatinization.

  • The firmness of your jello depends on how much water you use, how much gelatin you use and the temperature. You can melt gelatin down and re-chill it several times before it stops being able to thicken up.

  • One envelope, ¼ ounce or one tablespoon of unflavored gelatin should be mixed with two cups of water if you want a standard firmness. You can increase or decrease the amount of water, depending on what firmness you need. Four sheets of leaf gelatin equals one tablespoon of unflavored powdered gelatin.

  • If you double a gelatin recipe which calls for two cups of water, only use three and three quarter cups of water in the doubled up recipe.

  • Gelatin takes a couple of hours to chill. If you are making a very large gelatin mold or you have lots of fruit in it, you might need to give it four hours. Layered gelatin recipes take longer because you have to wait for each layer to set before adding another.

Making Savory Gelatin Recipes

  • Veal bones contain more collagen than beef bones, so they will give you a thicker broth and a more flavorful one. Gelatin from veal is really tasty.

  • You can use other liquids instead of water when making savory gelatin recipes. Try clarified meat or vegetable broth, vegetable juice, seafood juice, wine or a mixture of these.