Gelatin is a basic, binding product in baking. It is used to make jelly in savory and sweet dishes. Knowing how to use gelatin sheets is very important, since using them incorrectly can cause significant problems in the finished products.
Gelatin is a tasteless and colorless ingredient. It is a natural product. It is obtained from collagen-containing animal raw materials - usually pig skin and bones.
Gelatin sheets are the most common form used in cooking and are usually in the form of a brittle sheet when dry. This sheet becomes like gum when wet.
How to use gelatin sheets
Gelatin sheets are often seen as the easiest form of gelatin to use.
About 3.4 fl oz (100 ml) of liquid is usually used per 1 sheet of gelatin.
Method of use:
- Place the required amount of gelatin sheets in a suitable container;
- Cover them completely with lukewarm water and the leaves should not stick to each other;
- Soak them for 4-6 minutes, until the sheets have completely softened. Remove the excess water from the sheets, by squeezing with your hands and that's it! The gelatin is ready to use and you can proceed with the jelly cake recipe as it is written;
- Normally, the mixture into which the ready-to-use gelatin sheets are added should be above 100°F (35°C).
- After the gelatin has dissolved (this can also be done in a water bath), the mixture with the gelatin is transferred into a suitable container and left in the refrigerator, until the jelly is obtained.
Do not let the gelatin soak in the water for too long, as this will reduce its properties. It is also important when using gelatin in sheet form to remember that the gelatin will not be effective if it is not completely dissolved in the product in question. This is also often done using the heat of the product in which the gelatin is added.
If the gelatin is not fully dissolved, an undesirable texture will result in the finished product. When adding the softened gelatin to a particular mixture, make sure it does not boil, as this will also weaken the gelatin's properties. An important point is to cool the resulting mixture, until a jelly is obtained.
With properly soaked gelatin sheets, you can now prepare your favorites:
- jelly creams;
- jelly cake;
