# Gelatin conversion



## helenm

Hope someone can help -- I have a recipe for pastry cream which calls for gelatin sheets. I don't have and can't get this ingredient. Can I substitute powdered gelatin in place of the gelatin sheets? How do I make the conversion? Thanks, HelenM


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## thebighat

There are ten sheets of gelatin to an ounce. To be safe, I think you should buy a little bit more than an ounce of powdered gelatin and weigh out an ounce, like at the post office where they have good scales. Then use a teaspoon to portion out that ounce, and count how many teaspoons you get. Then you will know how many teaspoons equals how many leaves, and you should be able to make your dessert.


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## helenm

Wow, that's service. Can't thank you enough for replying so quickly. And my husband thinks I'm wasting time at the computer! Now, to get on with dessert.


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## helenm

Thanks to "the big hat" for the conversion "recipe" I 've got the results I need and want to share them with whomever might need to know: According to my postal scale (which may, or may not be totally accurate) there are 12 level teaspoons of gelatin per ounce, which breaks down to 1.2 tsps per sheet of gelatin. This, I think, is close enough to give me the finished product I want. 

To give credit where credit is due, my husband kept count while I measured, and did the math w/pencil and paper -- I verified his figures with my calculator. Teamwork is a very good thing!

Thanks again. HelenM


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## jock

I discovered some years ago that the little envelopes of Knor gelatin you buy do not have equal amounts in each packet.

I wondered why my pumpkin chiffon turned out different every time. I measured the amount of gelatin in a few packets and discovered this truth. 

Jock


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## thebighat

As I was scooping seemingly endless numbers of cupcakes today, it occurred to me that the two forms of gelatin are the same, weight for weight. But you still need to know how many teaspoons are in an oz in order to know how much to sub for a sheet. I work for America's largest natural and organic foods retailer and we are restricted to using one particular brand of gelatin, and it seems to be very hard to come by, for me at least. I know of two other stores that have a stash, but one guy wouldn't transfer me half of it, I had to buy the whole bag for 95 bucks, and oh yeah, can you do it before the end of this inventory period? I would love to work up a charlotte with a fruit bavarian, but without the gelatin I can only use agar powder, and I'm not clear on how much to use, or mousse base made with white chocolate and heavy cream. This guy got promoted and I think we can work something out with the guy who took his job.


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## helenm

I appreciate the heads up, folks, and your willingness to share your knowledge. 

Fortunately, I'm able to buy Knox gelatin in the 1 lb food service box as a "guest shopper" at a restaurant supply place in Elmhurst, NY. It's more than 300 miles round trip for us, but I keep a running list and once a year, when visiting family, we make a side trip to stock up. I'm always enthralled with the gadgets, gizmos and foodstuffs available there, and always come home with way more than I had on my list.

(In case anyone is interested, the outlet is Restaurant Depot, at 54-44 74th St. Elmhurst 11373 (718) 478-4400.) 

Again, many thanks for your help.


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## lamington

As it hasn't been mentioned yet in this thread... it is important to know that there are different grades of gelatin with different 'strengths' (bloom rates), so you can't assume a basic equivalence by weight between different forms of the stuff. I think the default is 'silver grade'. But there are weaker and stronger grades.


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## nguyen duc dat

:chef: I have the same question with Helen. I hope some one will do help me about that. Tks, Dat


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## nguyen duc dat

:roll: :roll:


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## nguyen duc dat

Pls help me how is to exchange if the recipe call for 50gr gelatin powder, but I don't have it in hands, How is many gelatin sheet I can use in the replace of gelatin powder ? Tks, Dat


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## nguyen duc dat

How can i do conversion 50gr gelatin powder to gelatin sheet ?


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## boychef

A gelatin sheet weighs around 2-3 g depends on where you are and what brand you buy. So 50 g gelatin powder roughly converts into 17 gelatin sheets.

Hope that answers your question.


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## nguyen duc dat

Thank for all quick reply ! 
Best Regards,
Nguyen duc Dat


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## tigerwoman

just incase anyone is reading this post and thinking of going to restaurant depot - they have moved to a bigger and better location near the Brooklyn QUeens Expressway - not sure of the address but you can google them - they are also a national chain. I am surprised that they actually let you in not being a business or restaurant even for the day. They have a decent variety of "stuff" like caulebaut chocolate in 5kilo bars but their selections can be limited.

The conversion from sheet gelatin to powdered is good to know. I always buy some sheet gelatin on trips to Europe. Last time we went to the cash and carry which is a local wholesale place (my inlaws have a small hotel) and bought a big box of sheets. Works well for making mousses.


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## chefpeon

I just recently had to convert a recipe for marshmallows from using powdered gelatin to sheet. I thought I had the ratio down right, and figured it as 5 sheets=1 packet of Knox. Holy moly, my marshmallows came out like little superballs!!! It's a toy! No! It's a dessert! No! It's a toy.....No.....

So I re-figured it......my gelatin sheets which are "silver grade" 160 bloom, weigh just a little over 2 grams each. Each Knox envelope is about 7 grams, so that means I would use about 3 sheets to equal 1 packet of Knox......

Now to go make some less-bouncy mallows......:roll:


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## giacomo

Gelatin sheets are hard to find. After a long search I found imported Italian gelatin at vivande.com; in my opinion there is not a substitute.


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## boar_d_laze

While there are variations by brand, country, quality, etc., it's actually a standard conversion. I'm surprised no one picked it up with a Google search. When it comes to making the conversion, _caveat lector_, standard doesn't mean perfect.

Most common rule: 1 pack of gelatin = 7.1 gms (approximately) = 1/4 oz (exactly) = 4 sheets (about) = 1 tbs granulated (about). However, note that 1 pack of gelatin usually = 2.5 (and not 3.0) tsp.

Slightly less common rule: 1-1/2 sheets of gelatin = 1 tsp granulated. This translates to: 4-1/2 sheets = 1 tbs, a 12.5% difference.

King Arthur Flour rule: 5 sheets = 1 tbs. Bogus. They ought to know better.

The erratic behavior of Knox Gelatine has everything to do with it's hygroscopic nature, the presence of unaccounted water, and humidity variance, as opposed to vagaries at Knox itself. There, 32 packs = 8 oz, on the nosie, every time. Some pros prefer sheets because a sheet's degree of hydration (after squeezing out, anyway) is a little more consistent and more consistent with "by weight" baking than volume or weight measurements of loose gelatin-- or hoping you can get every bit of gelatin out of those stupid little packs. Pros who learned their trade in Europe are also more familiar with sheet -- another good reason.

Sheet gelatin is available all over the internet including from King Arthur (expensive!). Many if not most baking supplies sell it as well. It's seldom sold at "restaurant supply" or "gourmet" shops, though. IMO, the best online product/value is "Platinum" grade from Albert Uster. Specialty Products: Albert Uster Imports -- that is, if you can handle 600 sheets at a time.

I hope this provides enough guidance to at least get you into the range.

Good luck,
BDL


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## vabutterfly

I have a question regarding use of gelatin sheets.

I recently tasted an out-of-this world pannecotta (sp?).  Recipe calls for gelatin sheets, not powdered Knox gelatin.  When searching for this product at a nationally-known organic grocery store, the baker there told me that they do not use gelatin sheets because they are "dirty".  I am not sure what he means -- is he referring to the animal content?  maybe just that it's not palatable to vegans and vegetarians?


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## mie84

Gelatin is acclimated in molded desserts and salads and to thicken algid soups. The raw actual for gelatin is the artlessly occuring protein, collagen, which is commercially acquired from the meat industry (pure protein acquired from beef and dogie bones, cartilage, tendons, bark and affiliation tissue). Most bartering gelatin is produced from pig skin.


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## chefedb

1 Envelope of Knox brand gel will do 2 cups or 1pint of liquid ( water based ) I would suggest in a pastry cream to put a drop less liquid to assure stability.


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## chrislehrer

boar_d_laze said:


> While there are variations by brand, country, quality, etc., it's actually a standard conversion. I'm surprised no one picked it up with a Google search. When it comes to making the conversion, _caveat lector_, standard doesn't mean perfect.
> 
> Most common rule: 1 pack of gelatin = 7.1 gms (approximately) = 1/4 oz (exactly) = 4 sheets (about) = 1 tbs granulated (about). However, note that 1 pack of gelatin usually = 2.5 (and not 3.0) tsp.
> 
> Slightly less common rule: 1-1/2 sheets of gelatin = 1 tsp granulated. This translates to: 4-1/2 sheets = 1 tbs, a 12.5% difference.
> 
> King Arthur Flour rule: 5 sheets = 1 tbs. Bogus. They ought to know better.


Okay, BDL. So basically what you're saying is that for each sheet of gelatin called for in a recipe, one should substitute a scant 3/4 tsp Knox granulated, right?


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## boar_d_laze

Chris,

Sure.  But don't clench up too much when you measure. 

If you're using gelatin in such small quantities, and use use a full tsp instead, it's not going to make to much a difference.  In most areas of cooking OCD precision measuring tends to be more of a trap than an actually productive technique.

In the other forum (Fred's) you're talking about a lot about technique trumping equipment.  The practice of converting recipes to amounts which are easily measured -- or better yet, eyeballed -- is one of those techniques.  Of course I am not and have never been a pastry chef.

Anyway...

Gelatin amounts are flexible, not that there aren't differences.  For instance, if you were making a "fine dining" panna cotta you'd use less gelatin rather than more (say 2 sheets, by way of example), but if you were making one for buffet service you'd use more rather than less (perhaps 4 sheets).  But 2 tsp of powdered would leave you good to go for any purpose.

BDL


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## chrislehrer

Oh great. Now you tell me. I was just getting in the habit of doing everything by mass, and now you say it doesn't matter. Typical California frou-frou laissez-faire stuff.

Just kidding. Thanks.


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## siduri

I read once, maybe on this forum or another, not sure, that there is also a qualitative difference between the results with sheet gelatin and powdered. 

I like the powdered in making bavarian cream,  because i beat it into the egg yolks directly and it softens there, and then heats up in the cream itself as it cooks.  I find the added step of soaking and squeezing out a sheet to be just added pain in the neck, an extra pot, extra heating, etc.  And also annoying to treat foodstuffs like laundry!

Someone above (vabutterfly) hinted that the sheets gave a better result, and i had also read that elsewhere.  I don't really see why, since it's all animal cartilage and stuff, but wondered if anyone knows of a specific difference.


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## igannon

If you are looking for a well-priced place to find gelatin, either in powder or sheets, I found Chefrubber.com to be a god place to go.

As said above, there are different strengths of gelatin, measured in "bloom." In general, if one finds a recipe that uses gelatin sheets, assume its silver (180 bloom I think) and that the sheets weigh 2.5g. This is a big assumption, though. The brand of gelatin I have know has sheets that weigh closer to 2.25g, and before that I was using a brand that had sheets weighing 3g. If you have a new recipe and don't know what type of gelatin they're using, i suggest doing a small-scale batch to double check.

I think, siduri, that some people prefer gelatin sheets because its easy to tell when they have fully hydrated and when they are fully dissolved. Its harder to tell with powders.

Something to note: most gelatin will contain pork, unless you specifically get beef gelatin. Most Jewish people I know don't split hairs that fine, but it is something to keep in mind if you're, say, making Panna Cotta for the local Synagogue.


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## patriciagb

an envelope of powdered gelatine weighs 7 grams and each gelatine leaf weighs 2 grams, so if it calls for 2 leafs, that's 4 grams, so you just weigh your powdered one!!!  good luck.


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## grassoyster

I have a question too,--
What about soaking the gelatin? If I replace sheet gelatin with powdered gelatin, do I still have to soak the powder? How much water should I use then? If the recipe calls for soaking the sheet gelatin then wringing it of excess fluid, how would I approach that with the powder (can't exactly just pull it out of the water and wring it)? Or should I just put in the powder where the recipe tells me to put in the softened sheet gelatin?


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## mohamed basma

10gram gelatine powder to 1pcs paper gelatine sheet


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## chefedb

1 tsp  Knox  is 1 sheet Danish sheet gel, at least this is what I have always used. As somone already stated there are different strengths or Bloom>counts, which determine gel capabilities.


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## chrysoutdoors

Like Grassoyster, I am wondering about water.  Since you hydrate the sheets, what do you do with the powder?  Can you just add it into the recipe & hope there is enough liquid to fully incorporate it or do you need to make a sort of paste first?  Help.


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## petemccracken

Take a look at http://britishfood.about.com/od/glossary/g/gelatin.htm


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## nazlig

Hi,

Did you get an answer to your question? This is excatly what I want to know too.


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## hillsoftuscany

Thank you for the excellent and detailed explanation. I  read on the David Lebovitz blog that the conversion ratio between sheet and powdered is controversial.    In Italy we have sheet gelatin, but I promised to translate an old refrigerator cheese cake recipe from the '60s for a friend, and it calls for gelatin by the tablespoon, powdered I assume, so I'd have to convert.


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## carmela

My recipe calls for GOLD strength gelatin leaves, but I can only source silver and titanium strengthe. Does anyone know whether combining one silver and one titanium leaf will equate to GOLD strength?


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## foodpump

Gold, silver, etc refers to the bloom strength ofthe gelatin, with platinum having the highest bloom strength, and bronze having the lowest.

Platinum sheets are small compared to bronze. 

The gelling power of each sheet is the same, its just that there's less required to do the same job with the higher grades.

Does this make sense?


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## chrislehrer

There's a nice discussion here on ChefSteps.

Here's the basics:


*Name**Bloom Strength**Grams per sheet*Bronze125-1553.3Silver1602.5Gold190-2202Knox brand225n/aPlatinum235-2651.7

You can use a formula devised by Chris Young of the same website:

*weight of the known gelatin x square root (known gelatin bloom/unknown gelatin bloom) = weight of unknown gelatin*

Therefore, for example, to convert 1 sheet of Gold leaf gelatin into Knox powder:

2g x sqrt (205/225) = K g
2g x .95 = K g
1.91g Knox gelatin powder
This is not a perfect system, but it is pretty good.


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