Types of Gelatin and How-to Use Them
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Most of us grew up loving the look, taste, and consistency of Jell-O. Gelatin is a key ingredient in Jell-O and countless desserts and confectioneries around the world from gummy bears to panna cotta. There are different gelatine types used as a gelling agent for food.
What is Gelatin?
Gelatin is a collection of peptides and proteins made from hydrolyzed animal collagen. Most commonly it is made from bovine bones/hides or pigskin. The earliest form of gelatin was made with fish byproducts like their heads or swim bladders (known as isinglass, used more commonly today for clarifying beer and wine).
The two Forms of Gelatin
In cooking, there are two forms of gelatin that are commercially produced: powdered and sheet or leaf gelatine. Each has its advantages and disadvantages but both are simple to use as gelling agent for food.
How to Use Powdered Gelatine for Cooking
Powdered gelatine has to be bloomed before adding to a liquid you want to thicken. To do this you simply add it to cold water in a ramekin or bowl. The gelatin granules will absorb the liquid and turn into slush.
If you’re using a ramekin, place it into a saucepan with water at 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Wait for the gelatin to melt, add it to your liquid base, and cool in the fridge to thicken.
How to Use Gelatin Sheets
Gelatine sheets are types of gelatin that you can easily soak in cold water for a couple of minutes to soften them. How many sheets you need relative to liquid will be specified on the packaging, but typically it’s around 1 sheet per cup of water.
Once soaked, wring them out then add them to the hot liquid you want to thicken. If you need to add the gelatin to a cold base, add a small glass bowl to some boiling water to melt it. Add to the cold base then place in the fridge to gel.
How to Substitute Gelatin
Since gelatin is not vegetarian or vegan friendly there are plenty of reasons for a friendly substitute to be available. Agar or ‘agar-agar’ powder is made from seaweed that is boiled into a gel, pressed, dried, and then crushed to form agar flakes, blended into a powder, freeze-dried into bars, or made into strands. It’s a tried and true alternative for gelatinous dishes.
Gelatin, as a gelling agent for food, is used in much more than delicious desserts like Jell-O that many of us grew up on. It’s used as a substitute for fat-free foods, a texturizer in foods like yogurt, ice cream, and some of America’s favorite candy. Try making your own panna cotta or Jell-O at home using these gelatine types or if you make your own ice cream or yogurt, try it as a stabilizer.
