Essential Pantry Gelatin Sheets - Silver Label Type A
3 OZ (30-35 sheets)
A tasteless, colorless, and odorless thickening agent for food, when dissolved in hot water and then cooled, forms a jelly. It is useful for many purposes, such as jellying molded desserts or salads, thickening cold soups, and glazing preparations.
Gelatin is a protein found in bones, cartilage, tendons, and other tissues. Much of the commercial gelatin today is a by-product of pigskin. Until the advent of commercial gelatin in the late 19th century, jellied dishes were not very popular because housewives had to make their own jelling agent by laboriously boiling calves' feet or knuckles.
In small amounts, gelatin adds body; however, in greater amounts, gelatin can set a liquid so firmly that it can be easily sliced or cut into shapes. Gelatin's molecules attract water. Gelatin granules swell when they are rehydrated in a liquid, and they completely dissolve as they are heated. As gelatin cools, the proteins join together to form a web, which holds the moisture. This system is called a gel.
Gelatin, a thickening agent for food, is available in two forms—granules and leaves—and must be softened or bloomed in water and melted before use. These silver gelatin sheets require complete submersion in water during the blooming process and must be squeezed to force out excess water before use. Bloomed gelatin is melted over low heat or a hot water bath. Once melted, gelatin is stirred into a warm or room temperature base mixture. If the base is extremely cold, the gelatin will begin to set up unevenly.
These gelatin leaves are made in France and are of the silver label type A. Each leaf weighs approximately 2.5 grams (0.088 ounces). The producers recommend using 15 to 18 leaves to gel 1 liter of mixed fruit purée. (Store in a cool, dry place.) Leaf gelatin is often called for in professional recipes and European dessert recipes like charlottes and panna cotta.
Remember: whether you use granulated or leaf gelatin sheets, always ensure that they are properly soaked before dissolving them. This is vital for even dissolving and setting. Add a little of the mixture you wish to set to the dissolved gelatin sheet to dilute it. Never add chilled liquids or mixtures to gelatin as the cold will set it into strings. Always stir the diluted, dissolved gelatin sheet into the main batch of mixture at room temperature. Heat the gelatin until it dissolves, but do not boil it or it will not set.