No need to boil gelatin
Gelatin is a magical ingredient for making light, creamy, structured desserts, yet it's often misused in the kitchen.
A common mistake in some recipes is the idea that it needs to be boiled for it to work properly, but this is a mistake indeed: gelatin melts at a much lower temperature, around 40°C.
Find out why this precision is essential, and how you can easily incorporate it into your preparations.
A common mistake in some recipes is the idea that it needs to be boiled for it to work properly, but this is a mistake indeed: gelatin melts at a much lower temperature, around 40°C.
Find out why this precision is essential, and how you can easily incorporate it into your preparations.
4,039 5/5 (1 reviews)
Keywords for this post:GelatinTemperatureMeltingMeltGelling agentLast modified on: November 21th 2024
No need to boil gelatin
What is gelatin?
Gelatin is a protein derived from collagen, widely used for its gelling properties in desserts such as mousses, entremets, panna cotta and bavarois. When used correctly, it provides a delicate, melt-in-the-mouth texture.
But its effectiveness depends on one golden rule: don't boil it. Indeed, gelatin dissolves perfectly in a hot liquid from 40°C, but if heated above 60°C, its gel-forming properties begin to break down.
Bringing the preparation that will contain it to the boil is therefore a rather bad idea, risking compromising the final texture of your desserts.
How do I use it?
Drain the gelatin sheets, softened by soaking in cold water, and add them directly to a warm-hot mixture (40-50°C).
If your recipe calls for a hotter mixture, add the gelatine off the heat to prevent overheating.
Once the gelatine has been incorporated, leave your dessert to cool in the fridge for the magic to happen (the gelatine sets).
Setting time varies according to recipe, but generally allow 2 to 4 hours.
Mistakes to avoid
- Boiling gelatin: As explained, this reduces its gelling capacity.
- Adding it directly to a cold mixture: It will not dissolve properly and may form lumps.
- Using the wrong quantity: Each recipe specifies the optimum dose, often around 2 g gelatin per 100 ml liquid for a classic texture.
In short: Forget recipes that require you to bring gelatin to the boil, a reasonable hot temperature is enough to reveal its potential, for perfect desserts and a consistently successful texture.
Lasts posts
Should potatoes be washed twice?
Let's say you have to make a recipe that includes potatoes, let's say sliced, you'll most likely proceed as follows: Peel the potatoes, wash them, slice them, wash them again, pat them dry and add them to your recipe. But there's a "but": depending on the recipe, the second washing may be a bad...May 19th 2025789 15
Grilled bacon is much better in the oven
Some recipes call for thin slices of bacon to be cooked and added to the recipe, or to prepare one of those delicious breakfasts known as "à l'Anglaise".April 25th 20251,4115
The thermometer is your friend
There are many recipes or foods that require a (very) precise cooking temperature: foie gras, sugar for caramel, meats and fish, and not forgetting pastries. For these few examples, getting the cooking temperature wrong can spoil the whole recipe or dish: undercooked, it's no good or misses the...April 10th 20251,7185
Travel cakes
You may have come across the term "travel cakes" ("gateaux de voyage" in french) for certain pastries, so let's take a look at what they're all about.January 27th 20253,216
The aromatic power of sugar
In the kitchen, sugar doesn't just sweeten, it also has an exceptional ability to capture flavors. Combined with aromatic ingredients, such as citrus zest, it acts as a veritable sponge for aromas. By taking the time to let the sugar soak up the flavors, you can transform your desserts, making...December 25th 20243,6785
Other pages you may also like
The little trap of thick cream
When you need to add cream to a recipe, you might be wondering: thick (heavy) cream or liquid cream? In most cases, there's no big difference: you can use either. But there is one exception, and that's when the cream needs to be cooked, for a sauce for example, and here the difference between...December 13th 20243,7345
The aromatic power of sugar
In the kitchen, sugar doesn't just sweeten, it also has an exceptional ability to capture flavors. Combined with aromatic ingredients, such as citrus zest, it acts as a veritable sponge for aromas. By taking the time to let the sugar soak up the flavors, you can transform your desserts, making...December 25th 20243,6785
Steam for baking bread
What does steam have to do with bread-making? This is not only a bakers' secret, it is something you might not think of at all: if you make bread and bake it like a cake, you will end up with bread, but pale and with a thick, hard crust – a long way from the golden-brown crusty loaf you had in...June 16th 2021140 K4.5
The art of the charlotte
In cooking, a charlotte is a delicious moulded dessert, with biscuits around the outside that have been soaked in a flavoured syrup, filled with a light cream or mousse. The charlotte is left to set in the fridge before being turned out and served in slices. It is very light and a lovely sweet...February 27th 201341 K4.3
A few tips for effective kneading at home
When you have to knead dough for bread or some other recipe, you may well use a food processor or the type of machine known as a stand mixer. The best-known brands are Kenwood and KitchenAid. They are useful tools, but here are a few tips to help you get the best out of them.June 23th 2021276 K 23.7
Post a comment or question
Follow this page
If you are interested in this page, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the page is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.