Gelatine disaster!


Shortly before Easter I've been asked to do a dessert to 'WOW' large number of people.
Questions like that are what I'm waiting for because I spend hours browsing the net for new recipes, techniques, books etc. So that kind of requests are very sought after.
Something beautifully looking, fairly easy to make and in large quantity. I had a recipe just right for it. It came from Callebaut website so it must have been fool proofed, or so I thought!


White chocolate, raspberry and lime cheesecake. I could see it plated already, perfect for the occasion!
The recipe was as  follows :

• 200g egg yolks
• 405g sugar
• 1kg cream cheese
• 9 leaves gelatine
• 1kg white chocolate
• 1l cream
• 50g lime zest
• 500g digestives biscuits
• 250g butter
• 100g stock syrup
• 2 leaves gelatine
• 100g raspberry puree

Huge quantities, overwhelming even. Because I have never done anything like it I was very excited and maybe a little scared. Bought all ingredients , started on first few steps and then it stroke me. Gelatine! The recipe called for 9 leaves but I had at least 3 strengths of gelatine in my house!
At the end I used the one I've never worked with (bronze), I didn't know what I was doing when changing quantities and it was a mistake. The cheesecake turned out rubbery (great for slicing though) and the glaze on the top was so hard that you could mistake it for gummy bear. I wasn't happy! You can imagine my disappointment when taken out of the fridge.

Of course my close circle of friends cheer for all the successes and great bakes but they also cheer when the worst strikes :) So everybody was so happy when I gave it away apart from me!

That was it, lessons learnt.
First of all, if you unsure about any of the new ingredient work with the small quantities, your failure will be less expensive!
Second, boy don't I know a lot about a gelatine now! :)

  Here are the most common facts:

                                   

• The definition given by the Food and Agriculture Organization says that it is a protein produced by partial hydrolysis of collagen in skin, tendons, ligaments, bones etc. of animals. It is 100% animal product.
• It's colorless and tasteless and acts as the binder. It is used in both sweet and savory recipes.
•  It is wildly available in powdered form (all supermarkets) and leaf/sheet form (some supermarkets, gourmet food shops, on-line shops).  Not so long ago gelatine in leaf form was almost exclusive to professionals. Using sheets results with clearer, more transparent product with smoother consistency. Times have changed and now when shopping on-line is so easy, anyone can try it. I prefer it too!
• The gelling properties of gelatine are dependent on its gel strength. This is given in Bloom grams( the firmness of a 6.67% gel after 17h storage at 10C) according to the method defined by the American scientist Oscar T. Bloom. In addition, they are dependent on the gelling time, temperature and viscosity. Gelatin sheets bronze 125-155 bloom (3.3g per sheet) , silver 160 (2.5g per sheet), gold 190-220(2g per sheet), platinum 235-265(1.7g per sheet).
• The best way to work with gelatine is to stick to instructions. However the most common and simplified 'equation' could work if you don't have any. 1 sheet of gelatine will set a 100ml of liquid into a soft texture (that can be turned) and 125ml into a wobbly texture (you will need to serve it in glass).
• There is no solution to convert from powdered to leaf gelatine. I suspect that weight is a key. Simply if you need a 10g of powder and your leaf one weights 2g per sheet, you will need approx. 5 sheets for your recipe. Also 1 tbsp of powdered gelatine = 4 sheets is very common practice.
• Some fruits like pineapple, papaya, kiwi, melon contain protein digesting enzymes which prevent gelatine from setting. You can deactivate the enzyme by bringing the fruits to 80C.
• Gelatine melts at 30-35C and sets at <20C.
• Do not boil gelatine nor the gelatine mixture because it will loose its setting properties.
• All gelatine needs to be hydrated before it can be used. Powdered gelatine is sprinkled over a cold water to soften the granules for about 3-5 min and then heated to clear liquid before use. Leaf form must be left in cold water for 3-5 min before it can be added to the product.

There is of course a lot more to find out about gelatine but I feel that the more I read the less I know. So taking all the information into account I am going to try a new recipe and will see how this will turn out.