Anyone used agar-agar? Troubles!?!
Any idea what's the problem? I know it's not the agar because it worked perfectly to make some coconut panna cotta just 2 days ago.
Any suggestions what I could jell alternatively to my grape koolaid?
Answers: Used agar to make 'veggie jello' by mixing it with some sugarfree grape koolaid and some canned pineapple. It did not set properly, and in fact, got kind of a 'jammy' texture once I added way too much agar.
Any idea what's the problem? I know it's not the agar because it worked perfectly to make some coconut panna cotta just 2 days ago.
Any suggestions what I could jell alternatively to my grape koolaid?
My wife and I use the stuff sometimes.
I bet David H is correct. Pinapple is pretty high acid and that might be why it didn't work. It might have worked if you added more agar agar, but I'm not 100% sure about that.
You can buy some at http://www.veganessentials.com/
I've only eaten it in products like vegan cheese. It seems it used to give whatever product a more solid consistency. From consuming it it seems when used properly it does it works just fine.
I am a fomer chef and have used it several times and it has not set due to the enzymes in the pineapple, it does the same to non agar gelatin aka Jello, for the panna cotta it will be fine, in fact I prefer it as it sets quicker, just heat the coconut milk and I use some coconut water, I buy this in Asian store and even some coconut gel made with agar.
Just heat the coconut mix to blood temp, soak the agar like the other gel, take it off the stove dissolve it in the coconut mixture, pour it into your molds, I use small foil custard cups, spray or rubbed with a bit of oil.
agar-agar won't work with pineapple, lemon, kiwi, figs, papaya, ginger root in there raw state but if you were to cook or heat them through you can destroy the enzyme that prevents it from gelling. By the way here's a fun agar vegan recipe link.
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=5499.0