2017-01-08 at

Baking Notes

Baking Infographics

Types of cake
  • protein foam cakes
    • of which, a kind  is: angel food cake, which has no butter at all
  • oil cakes
    • of which, a kind is: butter cake
      • of which, a kind is: pound cake
Bundt pans
  • We will need to create a GoogleHop at some point (gugelhopf)
Baking powder
  • The acid in a baking powder can be either fast-acting or slow-acting.[7] 
    • A fast-acting acid reacts in a wet mixture with baking soda at room temperature, and 
    • a slow-acting acid will not react until heated in an oven. 
    • Baking powders that contain both fast- and slow-acting acids are double acting; those that contain only one acid are single acting.
  • "Common low-temperature acid salts include 
    • cream of tartar and 
    • monocalcium phosphate (also called calcium acid phosphate). 
  • High-temperature acid salts include 
    • sodium aluminium sulfate, 
    • sodium aluminum phosphate, and 
    • sodium acid pyrophosphate."
  • Generally one teaspoon (5 grams (0.18 oz)) of baking powder is used to raise a mixture of one cup (125 g) of flour, one cup of liquid, and one egg. 
  • However, if the mixture is acidic, baking powder's additional acids will remain unconsumed in the chemical reaction and often lend an unpleasant taste to food. 
    • High acidity can be caused by ingredients like buttermilk, lemon juice, yogurt, citrus or honey. 
    • When excessive acid is present, some of the baking powder should be replaced with baking soda. 
    • For example, one cup of flour, one egg, and one cup of buttermilk requires only ½ teaspoon of baking powder—the remaining leavening is caused by buttermilk acids reacting with ¼ teaspoon of baking soda.[citation needed]
  • On the other hand, with baking powders that contain sodium acid pyrophosphate, excess alkaline substances can sometimes deprotonate the acid in two steps instead of the one that normally occurs, resulting in an offensive bitter taste to baked goods. 
    • Calcium compounds and aluminium compounds do not have that problem though, since calcium compounds that deprotonate twice are insoluble and aluminium compounds do not deprotonate in that fashion.
  • Moisture and heat can cause baking powder to lose its effectiveness over time, and commercial varieties have a somewhat arbitrary expiration date printed on the container. Regardless of the expiration date, the effectiveness can be tested by placing a teaspoon of the powder into a small container of hot water. If it bubbles energetically, it is still active and usable.[14]
  • Baking powders are available both with and without aluminium compounds.[17] Some people prefer not to use baking powder with aluminium because they believe it gives food a vaguely metallic taste and aluminium is not an essential mineral. Others object because of possible health concerns associated with aluminium intake. In 2015, Cook's Country, an American TV show and magazine,[15] evaluated six baking powders marketed to consumers. They reported that 30% of their testers (n=21) noted a metallic flavor in cream biscuits made with brands containing aluminum.[15]
Wheat flours

  • Wheat varieties are called "soft" or "weak" if gluten content is low, and are called "hard" or "strong" if they have high gluten content. 
    • Hard flour, or bread flour, is high in gluten, with 12% to 14% gluten content, its dough has elastic toughness that holds its shape well once baked. 
    • Soft flour is comparatively low in gluten and thus results in a loaf with a finer, crumbly texture.[1] Soft flour is usually divided into 
      • cake flour, which is the lowest in gluten, and 
      • pastry flour, which has slightly more gluten than cake flour.
    • Gluten (from Latin gluten, "glue") is a mixture of proteins found in wheat[1] and related grains, including barley, rye, oat (depending on cultivar and processing),[2] and all their species and hybrids (such as spelt,[3] kamut, and triticale[3][4]). Gluten is appreciated for its viscoelastic properties.[1][5] It gives elasticity to dough, helping it rise and keep its shape and often gives the final product a chewy texture.
      • Gluten, especially wheat gluten, is often the basis for imitation meats resembling beef, chicken, duck (see mock duck), fish, and pork. When cooked in broth, gluten absorbs some of the surrounding liquid (including the flavor) and becomes firm to the bite.
      • Gluten is often present in beer and soy sauce, and can be used as a stabilizing agent in more unexpected food products, such as ice cream and ketchup. 
      • Foods of this kind may raise a problem for a small number of consumers because the hidden gluten constitutes a hazard for people with celiac disease.
      • Gluten is a protein complex that accounts for 75 to 85% of the total protein in bread wheat.[1][8] 
      • Gluten is prepared from flour 
        • by kneading the flour under water, agglomerating the gluten into an elastic network, a dough, and then washing out the starch.[1][8] Starch granules disperse in cold/low-temperature water, and the dispersed starch is sedimented and dried. 
        • If a saline solution is used instead of water, a purer protein is obtained, with certain harmless impurities departing to the solution with the starch. 
        • Where starch is the prime product, cold water is the favored solvent because the impurities depart from the gluten.
        • In home or restaurant cooking, a ball of wheat flour dough is kneaded under water until the starch disperses out.[8] 
        • In industrial production, a slurry of wheat flour is kneaded vigorously by machinery until the gluten agglomerates into a mass.[9] This mass is collected by centrifugation, then transported through several stages integrated in a continuous process. About 65% of the water in the wet gluten is removed by means of a screw press; the remainder is sprayed through an atomizer nozzle into a drying chamber, where it remains at an elevated temperature a short time to evaporate the water without denaturing the gluten.[citation needed] The process yields a flour-like powder with a 7% moisture content, which is air cooled and pneumatically transported to a receiving vessel. In the final step, the processed gluten is sifted and milled to produce a uniform product.[9]
      • Gluten forms when glutenin molecules cross-link to form a submicroscopic network attached to gliadin, which contributes viscosity (thickness) and extensibility to the mix.[1][10]
        • If this dough is leavened with yeast, fermentation produces carbon dioxide bubbles, which, trapped by the gluten network, cause the dough to rise. 
        • Baking coagulates the gluten, which, along with starch, stabilizes the shape of the final product. 
        • Gluten content has been implicated as a factor in the staling of bread, possibly because it binds water through hydration.[11]
        • The development of gluten (i.e., enhancing its elasticity) affects the texture of the baked goods.[1] Gluten's attainable elasticity is proportional to its content of glutenins with low molecular weights as this portion contains the preponderance of the sulfur atoms responsible for the cross-linking in the network.[12][13] 
        • More refining (of the gluten) leads to chewier products such as pizza and bagels, while less refining yields tender baked goods such as pastry products.[14]
        • Generally, bread flours are high in gluten (hard wheat); pastry flours have a lower gluten content. Kneading promotes the formation of gluten strands and cross-links, creating baked products that are chewier (in contrast to crumbly). The "chewiness" increases as the dough is kneaded for longer times. 
        • An increased moisture content in the dough enhances gluten development,[14] and very wet doughs left to rise for a long time require no kneading (see no-knead bread). 
        • Shortening inhibits formation of cross-links and is used, along with diminished water and less kneading, when a tender and flaky product, such as a pie crust, is desired.
        • The strength and elasticity of gluten in flour is measured in the baking industry using a farinograph. This gives the baker a measurement of quality for different varieties of flours in developing recipes for various baked goods.[1][15][16]
  • In terms of the parts of the grain (the grass fruit) used in flour—
    • (Parts:
      • the endosperm or protein/starchy part, 
      • the germ or protein/fat/vitamin-rich part, and 
      • the bran or fiber part)
    • —there are three general types of flour. 
      • White flour is made from the endosperm only. 
      • Brown flour includes some of the grain's germ and bran, while 
      • whole grain or wholemeal flour is made from the entire grain, including the bran, endosperm, and germ. 
      • Germ flour is made from the endosperm and germ, excluding the bran.
  • All-purpose or plain flour is a blended wheat with a protein content lower than bread flour, ranging between 9% and 12%. Depending on brand or the region where it is purchased, it may be composed of all hard or soft wheats, but is usually a blend of the two, and can range from low protein content to moderately high. It is marketed as an inexpensive alternative to bakers' flour which is acceptable for most household baking needs.[1]
  • Bread flour or strong flour is always made from hard wheat, usually hard spring wheat. It has a very high protein content, between 10% and 13%, making it excellent for yeast bread baking. It can be white or whole wheat or in between.[1]
  • Cake flour is a finely milled white flour made from soft wheat. It has very low protein content, between 8% and 10%, making it suitable for soft-textured cakes and cookies. The higher protein content of other flours would make the cakes tough. Highly sifted cake flours may require different volume amounts in recipes than all-purpose flour. Using the scoop and level method, well-sifted flour usually produces 125 g per cup. However, most American recipes are written with 140 g of flour per cup, so weighing and experimentation can be helpful in baking unfamiliar recipes. Small weight differences can greatly affect the texture. American Cake flour is bleached; in countries where bleached flour is prohibited, plain flour can be treated in a domestic microwave to improve the texture of the end product.[3] Related to cake flour are masa harina (from maize), maida flour (from wheat or tapioca), and pure starches.[1]
  • Durum flour flour made of Durum wheat which is suited for pasta making, traditional pizza and flatbread for doner kebab. 
    • Durum in Latin means "hard", and the species is the hardest of all wheats. This refers to the resistance of the grain to milling, in particular of the endosperm, implying dough made from its flour is weak or "soft". 
    • This makes durum favorable for semolina production and less practical for flour production which requires more work than with hexaploid wheats like common bread wheats. 
    • Despite its high protein content, durum is not a strong wheat in the sense of giving strength to dough through the formation of a gluten network. 
    • Durum flour and semolina are good for making pasta because (its dough is easy) to shape, e.g. into sheets. Technically, the dough is relatively plastic, as opposed to elastic (?? possibly a typo in the source), strong doughs, obtained from bread flours. 
      • The French language differentiates strength (force) from hardness (dureté), resolving a contradiction present in English language presentations: 
        • durum is rich in gluten but that is not readily available as the endosperm is hard to break to release that gluten. 
    • Durum wheat is thus less used in breadmaking. Its protein content is almost as high as that of hard spring or winter wheat and so is its gluten content, necessary for bread to rise. 
      • Although 100 percent durum wheat breads do exist (such as pagnotte di Enna or "rimacinato" bread from Sicily, as well as Altamura bread from Apulia and Matera bread from Basilicata) 
      • in most instances bread doughs contain only a portion of durum wheat and are supplemented substantially with commercial white flours, often those higher in gluten necessary to offset the poor contribution of durum flour to the gluten network. 
      • Pure durum wheat breads are often dense, containing little air bubbles, with relatively little elastic structure (continuum). The uncooked dough splits easily and is easier to shape, as for instance to make pies or pastas.
    • Most of the durum grown today is amber durum, the grains of which are amber-colored and larger than those of other types of wheat. Durum has a yellow endosperm, which gives pasta its color. 
      • When durum is milled, the endosperm is ground into a granular product called semolina. 
        • Semolina is derived from the Italian word semola, meaning 'bran'.[2] This is derived from the ancient Latin simila, meaning 'flour', itself a borrowing from Greek σεμίδαλις (semidalis), "groats". The words simila, semidalis, groat, and grain may all have similar proto-Indo-European origins as two Sanskrit terms for wheat, samita and godhuma,[citation needed] or may be loan words from the Semitic root smd – to grind into groats (cf. Arabic: سميد‎‎ samīd).[3] 
        • Modern milling of wheat into flour is a process that employs grooved steel rollers. The rollers are adjusted so that the space between them is slightly narrower than the width of the wheat kernels. 
          • As the wheat is fed into the mill, 
            • the rollers flake off the bran and germ while 
            • the starch (or endosperm) is cracked into coarse pieces in the process. 
          • Through sifting, these endosperm particles, the semolina, are separated from the bran. The semolina is then ground into flour. 
          • This greatly simplifies the process of separating the endosperm from the bran and germ, as well as making it possible to separate the endosperm into different grades because the inner part of the endosperm tends to break down into smaller pieces than the outer part. Different grades of flour can thus be produced.[4]
        • Couscous - made by mixing roughly 2 parts semolina with 1 part durum flour (finely ground semolina).[6]
          • Traditionally: The semolina is sprinkled with water and rolled with the hands to form small pellets, sprinkled with dry flour to keep them separate, and then sieved. Any pellets that are too small to be finished granules of couscous fall through the sieve and are again rolled and sprinkled with dry semolina and rolled into pellets. 
          • Properly cooked couscous is light and fluffy, not gummy or gritty.
          • Traditionally, North Africans use a food steamer (called a Taseksut in Berber, a كِسْكَاس kiskas in Arabic or a couscoussier in French). The base is a tall metal pot shaped rather like an oil jar in which the meat and vegetables are cooked as a stew. On top of the base, a steamer sits where the couscous is cooked, absorbing the flavours from the stew. The lid to the steamer has holes around its edge so steam can escape. It is also possible to use a pot with a steamer insert. If the holes are too big, the steamer can be lined with damp cheesecloth. 
          • Instant couscous - The couscous that is sold in most Western supermarkets has been pre-steamed and dried. It is typically prepared by adding 1.5 measures of boiling water or stock to each measure of couscous then leaving covered tightly for about 5 minutes. Pre-steamed couscous takes less time to prepare than regular couscous, most dried pasta, or dried grains (such as rice).
        • Boiled semolina turns into a porridge, known in some areas as Cream of Wheat.
        •  In bread making, a small proportion of durum semolina added to the usual mix of flour is said to produce a tasty crust.[citation needed]
    • There is also a red durum, used mostly for livestock feed.
    • Durum milling is a complex procedure involving repetitive grinding and sieving. Proper purifying results in maximum semolina yield and the least amount of bran powder.
  • Graham flour is a special type of whole wheat flour. The endosperm is finely ground, as in white flour, while the bran and germ are coarsely ground. Graham flour is uncommon outside of the US (but see atta flour, a similar product, below). Graham flour is the basis of true graham crackers. Many graham crackers on the market are actually imitation grahams because they do not contain graham flour or even whole-wheat flour.
    • Similar to graham cookies: A digestive biscuit, sometimes described as a sweet-meal biscuit, is a semi-sweet biscuit (usually known in American English as a "cookie"[1]) that originated in the United Kingdom and is popular worldwide. 
      • The digestive was first developed in 1839 by two Scottish doctors to aid digestion.[2] 
        • The term "digestive" is derived from the belief that they had antacid properties due to the use of sodium bicarbonate when they were first developed.[3] 
        • Historically, some producers used diastatic malt extract to "digest" some of the starch that existed in flour prior to baking.[4][5]In 1839, digestives were first developed in the United Kingdom by two Scottish doctors to aid digestion.[2] 
      • At the time, it was asserted grain millers knew only of bran and endosperm.[7] 
        • After 10% of the whole grain's coarser outer-bran coat was removed, and 
        • because the innermost 70% of pure endosperm was reserved for other uses, 
        • brown meal, representing only 20% of the whole grain, remained, consisting of 
          • about 15% fine bran and 
          • 85% white flour.[8] 
          • By 1912 it was more widely known that brown meal included the germ, which lent a characteristic sweetness.[9]
  • In India and Pakistan wheat products like 'wheat powder' or 'wheat flour', 'atta flour', 'maida flour' and 'sooji' (semolina, also known as 'rava') are available in the market. 
    • There is technical difference between maida flour and sooji flour in terms of bran content; maida has negligible bran content. 
      • Maida flour is used mainly for making bhaturas and naan, types of Indian breads similar to roti or chapati, while 
      • sooji is used mainly in the preparation of a delight "kesari".
    • Atta is an Indian wheat flour used to make most South Asian flatbreads, such as chapati, roti, naan and puri.
      • Most atta is milled from hard wheat varieties, also known as durum wheat, that comprise 90% of the Indian wheat crop, and is more precisely called durum atta.
      • Hard wheats have a high gluten content, which provides elasticity, so doughs made out of atta flour are strong and can be rolled out very thin.[1]
      • Atta refers to the pulverized whole wheat with brownish white color. In India and Pakistan a common term used for atta is "chakki atta" which is mostly used in rural areas. Chakki atta is ground wheat without any additions or subtractions, and is thus in more natural form. The word Chakki derives its meaning from traditional Indian way of grinding wheat in between two stone plates; modern day flour mills use stone crushers in the flour milling process.
      • Traditionally, atta is made by stone grinding, a process that imparts a characteristic aroma and taste to the bread. The temperatures attained in a chakki (mill or grinder, traditionally from stone),[2][3] produced by friction, are of the order of 110–125 deg C. At such high temperatures, the carotenes present in the bran tend to exude the characteristic roasty smell, and contribute to the sweetness of the atta.
  • Instant flour is pregelatinized (precooked) for easier incorporation in gravies and sauces.
  • Pastry flour or cookie flour or cracker flour has slightly higher protein content than cake flour but lower than all-purpose flour. Its protein content ranges between 9% and 10%. It is available as a white flour, a whole-wheat flour, or a white flour with the germ retained but not the bran. It is suitable for pie pastry and tarts, some cookies, muffins, biscuits and other quick breads. Flour is shaken through a sieve to reduce the amount of lumps for cooking pastry.[1]
  • Whole-wheat flour contains the wheat germ, endosperm and bran
  • White flour or refined flour contains only the endosperm
  • Enriched flour is white flour, with nutrients added to compensate for the removal of the bran and germ
  • Bleached flour is a white flour treated with flour bleaching agents to whiten it (freshly milled flour is yellowish) and give it more gluten-producing potential. Oxidizing agents are usually employed, most commonly organic peroxides like acetone peroxide or benzoyl peroxide, nitrogen dioxide, or chlorine. A similar effect can be achieved by letting the flour oxidize with oxygen in the air ("natural aging") for approximately 10 days; however, this process is more expensive due to the time required. Flour bleached with benzoyl peroxide has been prohibited in the UK since 1997.[4]
  • Bromated flour has a maturing agent added. The agent's role is to help with developing gluten, a role similar to the flour bleaching agents. * Bromate is usually used. Other choices are phosphates, ascorbic acid, and malted barley. Bromated flour has been banned in much of the world, as bromate is classified as possibly carcinogenic in humans (Group 2B) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC),[5] but remains available in the United States.
  • Self-rising or self-raising flour is white flour that is sold premixed with chemical leavening agents. It was invented by Henry Jones.[citation needed] Self-rising flour is typically composed of the following ratio:
    • 1 cup (100 g) flour
    • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons (3 g) baking powder
    • a pinch to  1⁄2 teaspoon (1 g or less) salt
Sugar

  • Culinary sugar is usually sucrose.
  • Formats
    • Mill white, also called plantation white, crystal sugar or superior sugar is produced from raw sugar. 
      • It is exposed to sulfur dioxide during the production to reduce the concentration of color compounds and helps prevent further color development during the crystallization process. 
      • Although common to sugarcane-growing areas, this product does not store or ship well. 
      • After a few weeks, its impurities tend to promote discoloration and clumping; therefore this type of sugar is generally limited to local consumption.[34]
    • Blanco directo, a white sugar common in India and other south Asian countries, is produced by precipitating many impurities out of cane juice using phosphoric acid and calcium hydroxide, similar to the carbonatation technique used in beet sugar refining. 
      • Blanco directo is more pure than mill white sugar, but less pure than white refined.
    • White refined is the most common form of sugar in North America and Europe. 
      • Refined sugar is made by dissolving and purifying raw sugar using phosphoric acid similar to the method used for blanco directo, a carbonatation process involving calcium hydroxide and carbon dioxide, or by various filtration strategies. 
      • It is then further purified by filtration through a bed of activated carbon or bone char. 
      • Beet sugar refineries produce refined white sugar directly without an intermediate raw stage.[clarification needed]
      • White refined sugar is typically sold as granulated sugar, which has been dried to prevent clumping and comes in various crystal sizes for home and industrial use:
        • Coarse-grain, such as sanding sugar (also called "pearl sugar", "decorating sugar", nibbed sugar or sugar nibs) is a coarse grain sugar used to add sparkle and flavor atop baked goods and candies. 
          • Its large reflective crystals will not dissolve when subjected to heat.
        • Granulated, familiar as table sugar, with a grain size about 0.5 mm across.[35] 
          • "Sugar cubes" are lumps for convenient consumption produced by mixing granulated sugar with sugar syrup.
        • Caster (or castor[36]) (0.35 mm),[35] a very fine sugar in Britain and other Commonwealth countries, so-named because the grains are small enough to fit through a castor, a form of sieve. 
          • Commonly used in baking and mixed drinks, it is sold as 'superfine' sugar in the US. Because of its fineness it dissolves more quickly than regular white sugar and is especially useful in meringues and cold liquids. 
          • Castor sugar can be prepared at home by grinding granulated sugar for a couple of minutes in a mortar or food processor
        • Powdered sugar, also called confectioners' sugar (0.060 mm), 10X sugar, icing sugar (0.024 mm), and icing cake, is a finely ground sugar produced by milling granulated sugar into a powdered state. 
          • It usually contains a small amount of anti-caking agent—usually cornstarch  (1% to 3%) in North America, or tricalcium phosphate in other regions—to prevent clumping and improve flow.
          • Emergency construction: run normal sugar through a coffee grinder.
        • Brown sugar comes either from the late stages of cane sugar refining, when sugar forms fine crystals with significant molasses content, or from coating white refined sugar with cane molasses syrup (blackstrap molasses). 
          • Brown sugar's color and taste becomes stronger with increasing molasses content, as do its moisture-retaining properties. 
          • Brown sugars tend to harden if exposed to the atmosphere, although proper handling can prevent this.
        • Snow powder (or snow sugar) is a non-melting form of icing sugar usually consisting of dextrose, starch and anti-binding agents, useful for retaining its structure when dusted onto cakes or pastries that require refrigeration. It is mostly used for decorative purposes.

Gelatin
  • How to Use Gelatin
    • 5-10 minutes are required for solution.
    • Powdered
      • "Sprinkle the granules of gelatin over the surface cold water or liquid."
      • "Do not dump them in a pile,"
      • "Let stand..."
      • "Add warm liquid or heat gently, stirring..."
      • "... lift the stirring utensil and make certain that there are no undissolved granules clinging to it."
    • Sheet
      • "Soak sheet(s) of gelatin in a bowl cold water..."
      • "Once soft, lift sheets..."
      • "Wring gently ..."
      • Adding to warm liquid: 
        • "... stirring until dissolved."
      • Adding to cold liquid:
        • "... melt the softened sheets in a saucepan or microwave over very low heat, stirring just until melted... "
        • "... stir in the cold mixture... "
    • Verbatim:
      • One envelope of powdered gelatin (about 1/4 ounce) is about 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 teaspoons
      • If the recipe calls for packets (ie; 2 packets), use packets of gelatin for measuring.
      • If the recipe calls for a specific amount (ie: 2 teaspoons gelatin), open the packets and measure the gelatin granules with a measuring spoon.
      • 1 envelope of gelatin will firmly set 2 cups of liquid, enough to unmold a dessert.
      • 1 envelope of gelatin will softly set 3 cups of liquid. You will not be able to unmold this type of dessert.
      • Both sheet and powdered gelatin should be dissolved in cold water. If hot water is used, granules of gelatin will swell on the outside too quickly, preventing the water from getting in to the center.
      • Don’t boil things made with gelatin. That can make the gelatin lose its efficacy.
      • Desserts made with gelatin should chill for at least eight hours, but twenty four hours is best. After twenty four hours, gelatin will not set any further.
      • Substituting sheet gelatin for powdered gelatin is perhaps the most controversial ratio known to the baking world. I’ve seen everything from 1 envelope equals 3, up to 5 sheets. Three-and-a-half sheets seems to work best for me. I use sheets that are 3-inches by 5-inches.
      • Some people prefer to use sheet gelatin, claiming it has no odor and the gel sets finer. Another advantage is there’s also no chance of undissolved granules when using sheet gelatin.
      • Gelatin is graded by “bloom’, which is a measure of the stiffness and strength of the gelatin. (Developed by a Mr. Bloom.) Knox gelatin is 225 bloom, sheet gelatin (gold) is 200 bloom.
      • If you want something made with gelatin to set faster, chill the mold or container first. Also you can stir the mixture constantly in a metal bowl placed in an ice bath until it begins to set, then pour it into the mold or container.
      • Gelatin lasts forever according to the Gelatin Manufacturer’s of America. If the packet gives an expiration date, it has to do with a “degradation of the packaging.” So if the packaging is damaged or old, you may want to toss it and use a new batch.
      • Certain tropical fruits, such as pineapple, kiwifruit, and ginger, have an enzyme (bromelin) that can prevent gelatin for setting. Heating the fruit completely through before using will destroy the enzyme.
      • Adding gelatin to food can make it non-Kosher, Halal, or inappropriate for those on vegetarian diets. Most gelatin is derived from beef or pork, which isn’t always mentioned on the packet. (In France, it’s noted when it’s derived from pork.)
      • Some folks add gelatin to sorbets to keep them softer when frozen. If so, for 1 quart (1l) of mixture, dissolve 1 teaspoon of gelatin in 2 tablespoons or so of the cold sorbet mixture and let soften for 5 minutes. Warm a small amount of the sorbet mixture and pour it into the gelatin, stirring until dissolved, then mix the gelatin back into the sorbet mixture before churning.
      • Because there are many different producers of sheet gelatin, various brands will vary in strength and size. Use what’s recommended by the company where you buy your gelatin sheets, or on the package, as the manufacturer best to advise on the correct usage of their particular gelatin. For those concerned about the detailed math of the conversion, there’s an interesting discussion thread on eGullet.
      • For those of you who don’t want to get out your calculator, if you’re making a gelatin dessert that needs to be unmolded, err on the side of more gelatin. If making a gelée or spoonable custard, you can err on the side of less.
    • Related Links
  • 5 Tips for Working with Gelatin
    • "Also, it's best to add the gelatin as one of the very last steps in cooking."
    • " If a recipe says to "bloom" the gelatin, that means to hydrate it in a small amount of water."
  • 3 Vegetarian Substitutes for Gelatin
    • Verbatim:
      • 1. Agar, Agar-Agar, or Kanten
        • What it's made of: Cooked and pressed algae.
        • Where it's often used: Asian desserts and firm jellies.
        • Flavor and texture: Flavorless and has a firmer, less jiggly texture than gelatin.
        • How to use it: Agar needs to be heated to dissolve properly. The powdered form of agar is easiest to measure and use; bars and flakes should be dissolved in water first or can be broken down into a powder using a coffee or spice grinder. It sets in about an hour at room temperature.
          • 1 teaspoon gelatin = 1 teaspoon agar powder (this will set 1 cup of liquid)
          • 1 teaspoon agar powder = 1 tablespoon agar flakes = 1/2 agar bar
      • 2. Carrageenan, Carrageen, or Irish Moss
        • What it's made of: Dried seaweed; carrageen extract called carrageenan is used in some vegan Kosher gel products like Lieber's Unflavored Jel.
        • Where it's often used: Soft jellies, puddings, mousses, soups, ice creams, and dairy products.
        • Flavor and texture: Flavorless and sets things more softly than regular gelatin; melts in the mouth. Use iota carrageenan for soft gels and puddings and kappa carrageenan in harder gel products.
        • How to use it: To use the carrageen in its dried seaweed form (look for whole, not powdered), rinse it well, soak it in water for about 12 hours until it swells, then boil it thoroughly with the liquid you want to set before you strain it out.
          • To set 1 cup of liquid, use 1 ounce dried carrageen
      • 3. Vegan Jel
        • What it's made of: Faith highly recommends Unflavored Vegan Jel by Natural Desserts, which is made of vegetable gum (we're not sure what kind), adipic acid, tapioca dextrin, calcium phosphate, and potassium citrate.
        • Where it's often used: Anywhere gelatin is used.
        • Flavor and texture: As Faith wrote in her panna cotta post, Vegan Jel "sets softly, melts in the mouth, and is by far the closest thing to regular unflavored gelatin that I have found."
        • How to use it: Beat this powder into cold water until dissolved.
          • 1 teaspoon gelatin = 1 1/2 teaspoons Vegan Jel
    • Related: Production and Utilization of Products from Commercial Seaweeds - FAO.org
      • CHAPTER 1 - PRODUCTION, PROPERTIES AND USES OF AGAR
      • CHAPTER 2 - PRODUCTION, PROPERTIES AND USES OF ALGINATES
      • CHAPTER 3 - PRODUCTION, PROPERTIES AND USES OF CARRAGEENAN
      • CHAPTER 4 - PREPARATION AND MARKETING OF SEAWEEDS AS FOODS
  • Tangential: Molecular Recipes - Spherification Class

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