The first time I used clear gelatin for a recipe, I wanted a white color and only flavored it with milk. It tasted terrible. I steered clear of clear gelatin for years after that.
Then I decided to make gelatin flowers and knew I had to learn how to make a great tasting clear gelatin. This clear gelatin recipe is a winner. It is also the perfect consistency for creating beautiful gelatin flowers in.
First, there is a difference in clear gelatin. Not all clear gelatin is created equal. Some are a little yellow in tint while some are super clear. I prefer to use Super Clear Gelatin I bought on Amazon. It is crystal clear. You can find the link here. Some gelatins are made from different animals, you can find Kosher gelatin.
Also the bloom rating on gelatin can be different. The bloom rating ranges from 30 to 300. A higher rating will gel faster and be stiffer. What does it mean to bloom gelatin? If just means you add water to it and let it sit for 5 – 10 minutes. Doing this will ensure the gelatin will dissolve I the warm ingredients and won’t cause clumps or grainy residue.
First step, is to add your gelatin to a cup of water and let rest and bloom for 10 minutes.
Next, while your gelatin is blooming, mix the sugar, citric acid and remaining water in a saucepan and stir until clear and dissolved. Do not let the liquid come to a boil.
Do not add too much citric acid. I once added a Tablespoon of citric acid instead of a teaspoon and it tasted terrible! I made a beautiful flower, but nobody wanted to eat it.
Next, add your gelatin to the saucepan and stir until dissolved. Using a medicine dropper, add your food flavoring. Don’t add too much! Only a couple drops are needed. When I’m creating a clear gelatin, I always make sure to use a clear food coloring. I use the little containers of food coloring that you may be familiar with when flavoring suckers. It may be hard to find clear colors at the store, here is a link to some on Amazon.
Some of our favorite flavors are Strawberry-Kiwi, Cotton Candy, and Tropical Punch.
Finally, pour your gelatin mixture into the a bowl or container of your choice and refrigerate for a few hours until set.
Next, follow this link to the recipe for the opaque gelatin base to make your flowers.
Links to everything you need:
Clear Gelatin
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- medicine dropper
- bowl
- small whisk
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp clear gelatin powder
- 2 C sugar
- 4 C water
- 1 tsp citric acid powder
- 3 drops clear food flavoring
Instructions
- Mix gelatin with 1 cup of the cold water in a small bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes. In a saucepan, heat sugar with citric acid powder and remaining 3 cups of water. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat when vapor begins to appear above the surface. Do not let it come to a boil. Take off heat.Add gelatin to saucepan and stir until completely dissolved. Using a medicine dropper, stir in just 3 drops of food flavoring. Go ahead and taste it to make sure flavor is right. Pour into desired containers and leave in the refridgerator until set.
