Many desserts and dishes that have a certain wiggle or jiggle have one main ingredient—Gelatin. However, the main drawbacks of using Gelatin with your recipes is the fact that it has dietary restrictions and affects the texture and properties of the final product.
Gelatin is made from organic animal matter, making it off-limits for vegetarians, vegans and people with dietary limitations. Luckily, the current culinary market has many Gelatin alternatives that are organic and vegan.
This blog will walk you through the uses, advantages and disadvantages of each Gelatin alternative to give you a better idea of all your dietary and cooking needs.
1. Agar-Agar (Vegan)
What it isAgar agar is a Gelatin substitute that is derived from seaweed. It's available for purchase as flakes, powder and strands—people love it across the board.
How to Use
Roughly 1 tablespoon of Agar Agar powder can be used to replace 2 tablespoons of Gelatin. The powder needs to be dissolved in boiling water. Once cooled, the mixture forms a gel that is stable at room temperature.
Best For
Agar Agar works extremely well for desserts like jellies, caviars, candies, panna cottas, puddings, etc.
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2. Pectin
What it is
This one is a bit peculiar. Pectin is a natural thickener that can be found in fruits. It is a polysaccharide that can act as a thickener for desserts and sweet treats—especially jams and jellies.
How to Use
Depending on the type of pectin you use, the instructions can vary, so you have to follow the package instructions clearly. Using pectin requires you to add sugar and acid to help it set.
Bring the mixture up to a steady boil and add the fruit of your choice to help it set effectively and hold its shape.
Best For
Pectin is the perfect Gelatin substitute for making jams, jellies, and fruit preserves. Use it for any dish to which you want to add that fruity flavour.
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3. Cornstarch (Vegetarian & Vegan)
What it is
When you take the starchy part of corn and reduce it, you get an effective thickening agent known as cornstarch. It is a great culinary solution for thickening soups, sauces and sweet desserts alike.
How to Use
Mix the cornstarch powder with cold water to create a thick solution known as a slurry. If your recipe requires 1 tablespoon of Gelatin—use 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in its place.
Best For
Cornstarch is the perfect agent for thickening soups, custards and sauces.
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4. Vegan Jel
What it isVegan Jel is not a single ingredient. It's a mixture that combines adipic acid, tapioca dextrin, potassium citrate, vegetable gum, and calcium phosphate.
How to Use
Beat the powder in cold water until it dissolves.
Best For
It can be used as a Gelatin substitute for mousses, fruit jellies, and most recipes that utilise Gelatin.
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5. Guar Gum
What it isAre you looking for a Gluten-free Gelatin substitute? Then you need Guar gum. This thickening agent is derived from the guar plant, and it works wonders to improve the texture and flavour of your soups, sauces and desserts.
How to Use
Depending on the needs of the recipe, the way you add and use Guar Gum can change. Here is a quick cheat sheet for its main uses.
- Cookies: between 0.25 to 0.5 teaspoons per cup of flour
- Cold foods (ice creams and puddings): 1 to 2 teaspoons per quart of liquid
- Hot foods (like heated pudding): 1 to 3 teaspoons per quart of liquid
- Cakes and Pancakes: 0.75 teaspoons per cup of flour
As mentioned above, guar gum has a variety of uses in foods like ice cream, puddings, cakes, cookies, pancakes and more.
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6. Carrageenan
What it isCarrageenan is found in red seaweed. It has no nutritional value but can work great as a thickening agent.
How to Use
Carrageenan works similarly to Gelatin, but you need heat to activate its gelling properties for cooking and baking.
Best For
It’s perfect for making dairy-free puddings, ice creams, and plant-based yoghurts.
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7. Xanthan Gum
What it isWhen the bacteria known as Xanthomonas campestris is used for fermentation—it produces what we know as Xantham gum, which works well as a gelatin substitute that is vegan-friendly and organic.
How to Use
Use about a 1/8th teaspoon per cup of liquid; blend it thoroughly using a blender instead of doing it by hand to get the best results.
Best For
Xanthan gum works well in sauces, salad dressings, and gluten-free baking.
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8. Instant Clear Jel
What it is
Bakers love using Instant Clear Jel. This simple powder is an amazing thickening agent that is made from modified cornstarch—and that’s all it is. It is a highly specialised cornstarch that is modified to obtain better gelling/thickening properties.
How to Use
Simply mix it with sugar before adding it to your liquid to avoid clumping.
Best For
Ideal for fruit fillings, pies, and no-cook recipes.
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How to Choose the Right Gelatin Substitute for Your Recipe
Cooking up that delicious and jiggly dessert without using Gelatin can be scary. However, knowing how to choose the right gelatin substitute for your tasty treats can make a huge difference to your homemade recipes.
Key Considerations
- 1. Dietary Needs: If you need a vegan alternative to Gelatin, then agar-agar or pectin is a fantastic option. For a vegetarian option—cornstarch is more than enough.
- 2. Recipe Type: Keep a close eye on the recipe you intend to use. That can determine the right gelatin substitute. Vegan Jel and Agar-agar are best for desserts, while cornstarch is more suitable for sauces and salads.
- 3. Texture: Each substitute brings forth a different texture. You should experiment to see which gelatin substitute has the best texture for your recipes.
- 4. Availability: Not all gelatin substitutes for homemade cooking are available readily. You should consider what is available in your area before locking in on your recipe.
- 5. Flavour Compatibility: Choose the gelatin substitute that best complements the flavour of your dish. For example, pectin works really well for recipes that have fruits in them.
The road to sweet desserts is paved with many roads. Knowing which gelatin substitute is perfect for your recipe can cut down on wastage and help you make delicious vegan sweet treats.
Meron Kart: Home of Agar-agar
At Meron Kart, we offer versatile agar-agar products that act as the perfect vegan alternatives for Gelatin in the market.
Our agar-agar is extracted from premium quality Gracilaria seaweed, ensuring a flavour profile that can enhance your desserts greatly. It is the perfect companion for enhancing the texture and flavour profile of desserts like fondants, jams, paneer, cheesecake, marmalades and set yoghurts—it’s a well-rounded solution for all your dessert needs.
When you have the perfect vegan option to give you premium flavours for any dessert—why rely on anything else? Adopt Meron Kart’s agar-agar products into your cooking and change the game for all your desserts!
Contact us to know more or visit our online store to get yourself some agar-agar today!
