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Gelatin
Gelatin is an odorless, tasteless thickening agent that forms a gel when mixed with liquid and heated. It is thermo-reversible, meaning that when heated above its melting point, it liquefies, but when cooled again, it returns to a jelly-like consistency. Common examples of foods containing gelatin include moulded desserts, marshmallows, gummy bears, and jelly beans. Gelatin is also used as a stabiliser, thickener, or texturiser in foods such as jam, yoghurt, cream cheese, and margarine. Alternative options include agar agar, guar gum, xanthan gum, and pectin.
Powdered Beef Gelatin
Powdered beef gelatin is derived from the hides or bones of cattle and is processed into a fine powder. It's extensively utilized in the food industry as a gelling agent, thickener, and stabilizer. Common applications include jellies, puddings, marshmallows, ice cream, yogurt, and various dairy items. Additionally, it finds use in confectionery items like chewing gum and jelly candies, enhances the texture of meat products such as sausages and bacon, and serves in pharmaceutical capsules and cosmetic formulations for thickening and stabilization.
Leaf gelatin works like granulated gelatin found at your local grocery store, but it comes in a different form. Instead of powder, it comes in thin sheets or gelatin film leaves. The sheets dissolve more slowly than granules, but they also produce a clearer gelatinised product.Professional chefs typically use sheet/leaf gelatin because it creates a clearer gelatin with a purer taste. Many chefs also prefer sheets for ease of use. They allow for counting the sheets instead of measuring the powder, and there is no chance of undissolved granules forming.
Leaf Gelatin
HOW TO USE LEAF GELATINE?
1.Place the gelatine leaves in a bowl filled with cold/very cold water and leave to soak for 5-10 minutes. (Use approximately 1 cup/250ml of cold water for each leaf.)
2.Once softened, remove the leaves from the cold water and gently squeeze out any excess water.
3.Add the sheets to the room-temperature liquid specified in the recipe. Heat the mixture and stir until the gelatin dissolves. Do not boil, or the gelatin will not set. Do not add chilled liquids or mixtures after the gelatin has dissolved, or it will not set properly.