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How to prepare agar agar? Video recipe
Agar agar is a natural plant analogue of gelatin. White and translucent, it is sold in the form of powder, flakes, ribbons, plates. It is used to prepare various vegetarian aspic dishes, as well as put in various desserts – jellies, puddings, jams, marmalades and creams.
Difference between agar agar and gelatin
One of the main differences between agar and gelatin is very important for those on a vegetarian or vegan diet. Agar-agar is obtained from a plant source, by processing red algae of the gelidiacees family, and gelatin – from animal products: skin, hooves, tendons of cattle. Agar-agar is tasteless and odorless, but in dissolved form and color. Another important difference is the gelling and melting temperatures. Agar-agar turns into a jelly-like mass only when mixed with water brought to a boil, cooling down to a temperature of 32–43 degrees. Once frozen, agar agar will not melt like gelatin. If the gelatin can spread even at room temperature, the gelled agar will retain its firmness even when heated up to 85 degrees. This property of agar makes it an ideal thickener and stabilizer for a variety of homemade jams, preserves, marmalades, glazes and meringues. Fans of molecular cooking know that it is agar-agar that is added to the siphons to form a stable edible foam from the exaggerated various products. Gelatin in recipes can always be replaced with agar-agar, observing the correct proportions, but on the contrary, it is better not to do it.
Agar is a stronger gelling agent, 2 grams of agar can replace 6 grams of gelatin
Pour 6 grams of agar agar with 4 tablespoons of cold water and leave to swell, bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes if agar is in powder and 10-15 minutes if in flakes, plates or ribbons. You should keep stirring the agar agar, and preferably whisk with a whisk or hand blender, so that it dissolves without lumps and does not settle in the bottom of the pan.
On product packaging, natural agar agar can be referred to as food additive E406
Recipe for coffee and coconut dessert on agar agar
You will need: – 1,5 cups of coconut milk; – 1 glass of cow’s milk 3,5% fat; – 1 glass of granulated sugar; – 2 tablespoons agar powder; – 1 teaspoon of salt; – 2 tablespoons of instant coffee or cocoa; – 3 glasses of water.
Mix coconut and cow’s milk with ¼ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon agar agar and ½ teaspoon salt, let stand for about 10 minutes, whisk the mixture and bring to a boil over medium heat, simmer for about 2-3 minutes and remove the saucepan from this mixture from the stove. Pour into a mold or molds of your choice. Mix the remaining sugar, agar-agar, salt, coffee and water in another saucepan, let stand, also beat, bring to a boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Check if the previous layer of jelly has hardened, if so, carefully pour in the coffee mixture. Leave the dessert for 40–45 minutes at room temperature or 20 minutes in the refrigerator. You will have a fragrant two-tone elastic and tasty dessert.