The name of this product - "gelatin" - came to us from the Latin language, in translation it means "frozen, frozen." In principle, edible gelatin is a natural biopolymer. On the labels this food supplement is indicated by the code E 441.
Natural edible gelatine is produced by processing animal bones and tendons, as well as fish scales and bones. The composition of this supplement includes proteins, fats, starch, some types of vitamins and amino acids.
Especially valuable is the fact that edible gelatin contains glycine; this amino acid is needed by the human body to ensure vital functions. In other protein products, glycine is contained negligible, so the use of gelatin for cooking is very useful for the body.
In addition, edible gelatin contains certain amino acids of proteins, in particular hydroxyproline and proline. Therefore, dishes with gelatin are very useful for those who have diseases of the joints and bones, for example, osteochondrosis. Gelatin is also useful for improving the condition of nails, hair and skin. This product is used not only as a dietary supplement, but also make cosmetic masks and baths from it.
But people prone to allergies, as well as those who have had malfunctions in the cardiovascular system, should refrain from the constant use of dishes with gelatin.
Gelatin is quite widely used in food industry enterprises. It is used for the manufacture of canned food, jelly, as well as a variety of desserts. Quite often they use this supplement in home cooking.
Since gelatin is odorless and has a pronounced taste, it is used to make a wide variety of dishes - from snacks to desserts. But for the culinary experience to be successful, you need to follow some rules. And the first thing you need to know for the successful preparation of dishes that contain edible gelatin is how to breed this supplement.
Gelatin is released in the form of powder or leaflets. Each type of product has its own subtleties. If gelatin powder is used, then a measured amount of powder should be poured with boiled chilled water. Gelatin tends to swell strongly, increasing in volume by about 6 times. This circumstance should be considered in order to determine the required amount of water. Leave the mass to swell for about 30-40 minutes. Now you need to prepare a water bath, where the dishes with swollen gelatin are placed, and heat the mass until the lumps dissolve, in no case allowing boiling. The resulting solution is added to the prepared products, mixes well and the dish is put in the refrigerator for solidification. It should be borne in mind that if you take 20 grams of gelatin per liter of liquid, then the jelly will turn out to be weak, "trembling." To get strong jelly that can be cut with a knife, you need to take about 40-60 grams of gelatin per liter of syrup or broth.
When using sheet gelatin, the cooking process will go faster, since it is enough to soak the plates in water for only 5 minutes. Further, the technology coincides: gelatin is dissolved in a water bath and added to the base of the dish.
It should be noted that in cooking there are quite a lot of dishes, which include edible gelatin. Recipes for appetizers and desserts can be found in large quantities in culinary magazines or on the Internet on sites related topics. These are a variety of jellies, mousses, jellies, creams, sweet and snack jellied dishes and much more.
For those who for some reason do not want or cannot eat foods of animal origin, you can replace gelatin with agar-agar. This product has excellent gelling properties and is produced in the processing of seaweed.