What is pectin
La pectin it is a gel, a soluble fiber, which is found mainly in fruit (apples - in particular quince - citrus fruits, gooseberries, plums) and vegetables (carrots, beets), but not only; is used as thickener in the food industry to obtain jams, fruit jellies or ice creams for example, but also in cosmetics and in the pharmaceutical field, assuming the name E440.
La animal pectin does not exist, rather it refers to the animal jelly (or with the old name isinglass), a product equally used in the food industry, obtained by extraction from animal connective tissues by hydrolysis.
Stabilizer, thickener and gelling agent, this substance is also shown on the label with the initials E441.
DIY vegetable pectin
La vegetable pectin it can also be made at home, thanks to the remains of the apple and a few other ingredients. First of all, it is important to know that, generally, a fruit has a percentage of pectin that depends on the species and ripeness.
The more mature it is, plus the bond that characterizes pectin weakens and the fruit loses consistency.
For a homemade vegetable pectin, the ideal is therefore to use apples that are not too ripe, keeping about 500 g of untreated peels, cores and citrus peel.
Put them, therefore, in a basin and sprinkle the juice of half a lemon; then drain everything, blend the scraps and put them in a container with about 350 g of water, making them cook in a bain-marie for about a couple of hours, stirring occasionally.
Then filter and let it cool: this yellowish mixture is from consistency of a syrup is pectin, which you can use immediately for your recipes, or place in the freezer and use as needed.
Read also Quince, properties and 5 uses >>
Some substitute for pectin
To do a good jam without pectin there are some small tricks or tricks of the trade to consider, here they are:
> acidify the fruit by adding for every kg of sugar, the juice of half a lemon squeezed;
> cook the jam a very slow fire, mixing as little as possible;
> leave the fruit on the stove at least for an hour and a half;
> l'agar derived from algae it can be a substitute for pectin;
> the tapioca it can also be used as a thickener or substitute;
> Maranta starch can be used as a thickener and gelidifier.
Read also Jams, eat them natural >>
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