Gelatin is the ingredient that determines whether a dessert will hold its shape or collapse into a liquid state. Many peoples only consider the use of gelatin when their recipe fails, usualy because they have used the wrong type of gelatin for the specific recipe that they have attempted to prepare. Knowing the bloom strength of different types of gelatin and being able to convert that bloom strength to another make it possible for a person to use different types of gelatin in their recipes.
A conversion chart will show a person how many grams of one type of gelatin will replace another type of gelatin. A person dont need to memorize the figures on a conversion chart, but must understand the ratio between the different brand of gelatin. The ratio will be based on the strength of the brands of gelatin; the stronger the brand, the less of that particular brand will be required to perform the same function as a weaker brand of gelatin.
How to Use a Gelatin Conversion Chart
Some recipes will require a stronger gelatin than others due to the nature of the particular dessert that is to be made. For instance, panna cotta will only require a slight tremble in the texture of the dessert, while mirror glaze will require the strength of the setting agent to create a glossy shell for the cake. Gummy candies will require the same type of strength as the candy will be required to hold its shape in a tin without the candies sticking to one another.
Gelatin can exist in two different forms: powdered and sheet. Both of these forms of gelatin will perform similarly once the gelatin has been dissolved. Powdered gelatin is common in kitchens; however, sheet form of gelatin is common in professional kitchens.
The reason for sheet form of gelatin being common in professional kitchens is because sheet form of gelatin will dissolve cleanly and has almost no flavor to it. The conversion chart accounts for both forms of gelatin so that a person can easly convert the amount of gelatin needed in grams to sheet counts. Many cooks make mistakes with the use of gelatin; they treat all types of gelatin as if they are interchangeable with one another.
Using volume or sheet counts as measurements for the amount of gelatin to use will result in the dessert having either too much or too little strength for the dessert. Using a conversion chart will make it so that cooks will know how much of each brand of gelatin to use to ensure that the set strength of the dessert is properly and that the texture is correct. The principle of converting one form of brand of gelatin to another can be used when either scaling a recipe up or down.
If a person is doubling a dessert recipe that requires Gold gelatin, the same amount of substitute gelatin should of been doubled as well. The ratio of brands of gelatin will remain the same when a recipe is scaled. Stronger brands of gelatin will not always be the best choice for a dessert because the texture can become too firm for certain desserts.
For instance, mousse will not enjoy the strength of gelatin that will create a very firm texture. The same is true for aspic and the extremely strong setting agent will mask the flavor of the fruit. Using a conversion chart for gelatin will allow a person to find the right bloom strength for the specific dessert to be made rather than just using the strongest type of gelatin available for purchase.
The bloom strength of gelatin can be affected by acidity as well as certain fruits. For instance, fruits like pineapple, kiwi, and papaya contain an enzyme that will break down the proteins in the gelatin. In these instances, the fruits must be cooked or canned prior to being added to a dessert that contains gelatin.
Other ingredients like lemon juice and vinegar will also weaken the setting of the gelatin. In this instance, more gelatin will be required for those desserts. A conversion chart will not fix the problem caused by adding acidic ingredients to a dessert, but the strength of the gelatin can be controlled so that cooks can focus on other variables in the recipe.
A person will eventually notice certain pattern when a conversion chart is used several times in the kitchen. For instance, if moving from a middle grade of gelatin to a stronger grade, the amount of gelatin required will decrease by 20%. If moving from a strong grade of gelatin to a weaker grade, the amount of gelatin will need to be increased.
These patterns will eventually become second nature to a cook that regularly prepares desserts that contain gelatin and the conversion chart can help the cook to understand these difference. An additional benefit to using a conversion chart is that a person can prepare a dessert even if they do not have the specific type of gelatin that is required for the recipe. By using the conversion chart, cooks can make mental adjustment to the recipe so that they can successfully prepare the dessert.
The strength of the gelatin will be the same in the prepared dessert so cooks will be able to rely upon the conversion chart.