# Gelatin question?



## toffee (May 2, 2016)

This may be a duh question. But Ive been toying with recipes that require gelatin. One recipes calls for 1/4 cup gelatin. 1st question. is this referring too 1/4 cup of gelatin granules or is it a different measurement? How would you measure gelatin for recipes especially a recipe that calls for a greater amount?


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

You might want to post the recipe for context. But 1/4 cup is 1/4 cup and probably does refer to powdered gelatin.

I wouldn't call it a "duh" question though.


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## toffee (May 2, 2016)

*Ingredients for Bailey's Mousse*
1 pound white chocolate
5 each of egg yolks
1/8 cup Bailey's (liquor)
1/4 cup gelatin
1 cup heavy cream

*Method of Preparation*
1. Cream egg yolks.

2. Whip heavy cream (not too stiff).

3. Melt chocolate in double boiler.

4. Dissolve gelatin in boiling hot water, add to chocolate.

5. Add Bailey's to chocolate, blend well; add yolks and fold in.

6. Fold whipped cream into chocolate.

7. Spray molds inside with baking oil, sprinkle with sugar, put
all on one tray, and store in freezer until mousse is ready.

*Ingredients for Jack Daniels Mousse*
1 pound dark chocolate
5 each egg yolk
1/8 cup Jack Daniels (liquor)
¼ cup gelatin
1 cup heavy cream

*Method of Preparation*
1. Cream egg yolks.

2. Whip heavy cream (not too stiff).

3. Melt chocolate in double boiler.

4. Dissolve gelatin in boiling hot water, add to chocolate.

5. Add Bailey's to chocolate, blend well; add yolks and fold in.

6. Fold whipped cream into chocolate.

7. Spray molds inside with baking oil, sprinkle with sugar, put
all on one tray, and store in freezer until mousse is ready.

this is the recipe. But if anyone can sum up a reference for future recipes thatd be great too.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

You may want to double-check that recipe. Too much gelatin for that amount of liquid, I think. One packet, about 2.5 tsp will gel 2 cups of liquid pretty tightly. I googled one other Baileys Chico Mousse and it was only 2 tsp. I'd find another recipe. That recipe might be flavored concrete more than a mousse.


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## toffee (May 2, 2016)

How much liquid would you dissolve the gelatin in? Could the recipe call for 1/4 cup dissolved gelatin?


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Maybe. But that would require a guess at the amount of gelatin. One packet in 1/4 cup water would be a reasonable guess. But you'd have to experiment to prove that guess right. 

Those recipes seem to have propagated to several sites but none offer comments so it's hard to know if anyone has tried them or not. The "mouse" would be making in much larger quantities so maybe it's an error when the recipe was scaled down, or just a typo. But it seems wrong in any case.


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## toffee (May 2, 2016)

The recipe is from a restaurant in Disney world. So many there is a scale down error. Im sure they make it in larger quantities there. How would you measure gelatin for an ordinary recipe? just the granules and a cup of water?


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

Agree with Brian... find a different recipe.

One that includes instructions re blooming the gelatin.

You want it thin enuf to blend easily into the dish without leaving little blobs of chewy nastiness (caused by not enuf boiling water).

Altho the package will give you instructions who knows what the recipe author intended?

mimi


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

Toffee said:


> The recipe is from a restaurant in Disney world. So many there is a scale down error. Im sure they make it in larger quantities there. How would you measure gelatin for an ordinary recipe? just the granules and a cup of water?


Ahhh.

If it is a recipe from the pastry department that would explain the lack of direction.

Every prep of every ingredient is done according to SOP then assembled as directed.

/img/vbsmilies/smilies/laser.gif

mimi


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## toffee (May 2, 2016)

Found a recipe that is suppose to be from the restaurant also for the same mousses. 

Baileys Mousse

2 cups white chocolate chips

2 oz (2 envelopes) unflavored powdered gelatin

2 cups hot water

1/4 cup baileys irish cream

5 egg yolks

1 cup heavy cream

Jack Daniels Mousse

2 cups dark chocolate chips

2 oz (2 envelopes) unflavored powdered gelatin

2 cups hot water

1/4 cup jack daniels

5 egg yolks

1 cup heavy cream

Prepare mousses separately but the same method. Melt chocolate over a double boiler. Dissolve gelatin in the 2 cups hot water, when cooled a bit whisk into the chocolate. Stir baileys in white chocolate and jack in the dark chocolate. Beat the yolks until light and foamy. Fold into chocolate mixture. Whip cream to soft peaks, mix 2 Tablespoons of cream into chocolate mixture, then fold the remaining in gently but thoroughly. Grease 12, 6 oz ramekins. Spoon white chocolate mousse in 6 then the dark chocolate in the other 6. Put in freezer until set. To serve, unmold the mousse, 1 of each flavor. Garnish with berries, rolled chocolate wafer or chocolate shavings. Or any garnish you desire.


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## toffee (May 2, 2016)

What is the proper liquid to gelatin ratio for a recipe using gelatin wether its powder or sheets?


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

The amount of gelatin on the ratio you ask about is completely dependent upon the volume of product and the amount of "set" desired. There is no single answer. If you google around there are a couple of good sites that discuss this, as well as the relationship between powder and sheet gelatin. Substitution isn't as straightforward as one would hope. David Lebovitz has good info as does Jacob Burton at Stella culinary.

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/how-to-use-gelatin/

https://stellaculinary.com/cooking-videos/food-science-101/fs-003-guide-gelatin


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Those last two recipes look more correct.


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## toffee (May 2, 2016)

Thank you! Guess its time for some research!


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

Toffee said:


> What is the proper liquid to gelatin ratio for a recipe using gelatin wether its powder or sheets?


Just enuf to "bloom"... my SOP is to sprinkle evenly over a couple of tablespoons of water and set it aside while I gather my other ingredients.

After the other components are prepped I add a couple of tablespoons of very hot water and stir until the granules dissolve and proceed with the recipe.

I also stabilize the whipped cream... just to give myself a bit of wiggle room.

/img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif

mimi


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## toffee (May 2, 2016)

Thank you! Ill have to experiment with different methods and see what works best for me.  thank you both for your advise and help!


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

BrianShaw said:


> The amount of gelatin on the ratio you ask about is completely dependent upon the volume of product and the amount of "set" desired. There is no single answer. If you google around there are a couple of good sites that discuss this, as well as the relationship between powder and sheet gelatin. Substitution isn't as straightforward as one would hope. David Lebovitz has good info as does Jacob Burton at Stella culinary.
> 
> http://www.davidlebovitz.com/how-to-use-gelatin/
> 
> https://stellaculinary.com/cooking-videos/food-science-101/fs-003-guide-gelatin


This is key. The mouth feel of products with gelatin can be very subjective. Take Jello brand gelatin. Many people do not care for the tightness of the gel.

The final product can turn out too "tight if too much is added. That;s where the experimenting needs to take place,


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## toffee (May 2, 2016)

So, i used the new recipe. It didnt look like mousse before it set, was just like chocolate water. Figured id let it sit overnight, and it still did not set. Called for 2 cups hot water and 2 envelopes of unflavored gelatin. Not sure what went wrong.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Something sounds really wrong. Post the recipe and maybe we can help solve your mystery. 

But have you considered making a Choco mousse without gelatin?


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## toffee (May 2, 2016)

Baileys Mousse

2 cups white chocolate chips

2 oz (2 envelopes) unflavored powdered gelatin

2 cups hot water

1/4 cup baileys irish cream

5 egg yolks

1 cup heavy cream

Jack Daniels Mousse

2 cups dark chocolate chips

2 oz (2 envelopes) unflavored powdered gelatin

2 cups hot water

1/4 cup jack daniels

5 egg yolks

1 cup heavy cream

Prepare mousses separately but the same method. Melt chocolate over a double boiler. Dissolve gelatin in the 2 cups hot water, when cooled a bit whisk into the chocolate. Stir baileys in white chocolate and jack in the dark chocolate. Beat the yolks until light and foamy. Fold into chocolate mixture. Whip cream to soft peaks, mix 2 Tablespoons of cream into chocolate mixture, then fold the remaining in gently but thoroughly. Grease 12, 6 oz ramekins. Spoon white chocolate mousse in 6 then the dark chocolate in the other 6. Put in freezer until set. To serve, unmold the mousse, 1 of each flavor. Garnish with berries, rolled chocolate wafer or chocolate shavings. Or any garnish you desire.


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## toffee (May 2, 2016)

I have made other chocolate mousse without gelatin. This recipe is from Disney world. A place a relative of mine ate at had it and wanted me to make it at home so i found the recipe for it online. There is the one i just posted and another one that the others who were helping me with it said to find another one. So i found the new one that i tried and it turned out like chocolate water.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Did you bloom the gelatin in cold water or pour the gelatin powder directly into the hot liquid?


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## toffee (May 2, 2016)

I followed the directions and dissolved it in 2 cups of hot water. Says to do the same on directions for gelatin too. Im using powdered gelatin.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

The 2 cups of water looks suspiciously incorrect.


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## toffee (May 2, 2016)

*Ingredients for Bailey's Mousse*
1 pound white chocolate
5 each of egg yolks
1/8 cup Bailey's (liquor)
1/4 cup gelatin
1 cup heavy cream

*Method of Preparation*
1. Cream egg yolks.

2. Whip heavy cream (not too stiff).

3. Melt chocolate in double boiler.

4. Dissolve gelatin in boiling hot water, add to chocolate.

5. Add Bailey's to chocolate, blend well; add yolks and fold in.

6. Fold whipped cream into chocolate.

7. Spray molds inside with baking oil, sprinkle with sugar, put
all on one tray, and store in freezer until mousse is ready.

*Ingredients for Jack Daniels Mousse*
1 pound dark chocolate
5 each egg yolk
1/8 cup Jack Daniels (liquor)
¼ cup gelatin
1 cup heavy cream

*Method of Preparation*
1. Cream egg yolks.

2. Whip heavy cream (not too stiff).

3. Melt chocolate in double boiler.

4. Dissolve gelatin in boiling hot water, add to chocolate.

5. Add Bailey's to chocolate, blend well; add yolks and fold in.

6. Fold whipped cream into chocolate.

7. Spray molds inside with baking oil, sprinkle with sugar, put
all on one tray, and store in freezer until mousse is ready.


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## toffee (May 2, 2016)

This is the other recipe. calls for 1/4 cup gelatin, But does not call for dissolving or anything further.


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## toffee (May 2, 2016)

Actually Brian you were the one who looked at the recipes and said it looks better. lol


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Ya, I know. I was looking more at the difference between the amount of gelatin though. 1/4 cup gelatin is crazy. 2 envelopes is more realistic. This is very perplexing, and must be frustrating for you. Was the mixture cold when you folded in the whipped cream?


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## toffee (May 2, 2016)

Yes, pretty frustrating. My inexperience with such things makes it worse. lol trying to learn new things is not easy when its as scientific as this.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Mousse shouldn't be this difficult. I've never been convinced of the validity of most "Disney" recipes unless found at an official Disney site.


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## toffee (May 2, 2016)

Thats true. Ill have to experiment and try different things. A lot of different takes and ways to do mousse as ive learned. Probably a whole lot more once i can take the step to a college for culinary. All part of the experience i presume.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

I totally admire your dedication but have a suggestion: start with a known recipe and make the two flavor adaptations to get to your goal. Those recipes might not be good and it would be a shame to keep wasting time and money fiddling with them.

Try this as a start - a tried and true traditional mousse recipe from a trusted chef, with very reasonable adaptations:

http://www.foodwithlegs.com/essential-pepin-chocolate-mousse/

Or this from Wolfgang Pucks former (and best) pastry chef:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/thewor...013/08/02/chocolate-mousse/amp/?client=safari

Make half batches - half with dark chocolate and half with white chocolate. I'm sure that you can increase the flavoring well beyond what is specified here. I'd go tablespoons in place of teaspoons.

Good luck and keep up the great effort - you'll get there!


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

Agree with Brian.
Tried and true recipes written by well known chefs with the express intention of the home cook being able to pull it off.
They want for whoever buys these books to tell all their friends and rate on Amazon and then those people to do the same until this CB ends up a best seller.
It is a form of income.

Disney and other places don't want you to be able to reproduce their food at home.
Occasionally they may release a few from a cooking class you paid ( IMO too much $$) to take.

Never trust a recipe booted from the mouse.
It has been thru so many tweaks trying to reproduce it that most make no sense.
Like the one with 2 cups of water.
That one looks like someone was just trying to be mean.

mimi


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## toffee (May 2, 2016)

Alright ill try these recipes and experiment. Would you know if i could double or tripe these recipes for bigger batches if in the future i would like to do so? Thank you for your help and advise. Much appreciated


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

I'm sure you can, but it may be prudent to try a single batch and make sure it works before making a bigger investment. This applies to cooking as well as most other ventures in life.


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## toffee (May 2, 2016)

Very true. Thank you for your help.


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