Pâte de Fruits (Fruit Paste/Fruit Jellies) (Part 2)

[pastryani]

Here's a link to the Apple pectin I have:

 

cuisine-tech Pure Apple Pectin

 

Nope I don't have a refractometer, just a thermometer.  Is there a workaround if you don't have one?

Edited June 25, 2017 by Smithy
Adjusted link to be Amazon-friendly (log)

[Kerry Beal]

1 hour ago, pastryani said:

Here's a link to the Apple pectin I have:

 

cuisine-tech Pure Apple Pectin

 

Nope I don't have a refractometer, just a thermometer.  Is there a workaround if you don't have one?

 

That one says it's for jams and jellies - it's mixed with sugar. This one says it's for PDF but it isn't an apple pectin.

 

This is one of the ones I like.

 

[pastryani]

Here's a pic of the Grapefruit-Campari PDF made today with @Beets3.  These were coated in sugar a few hours after they were made.  The rest of the slab is curing for a day to see if there's a difference in stability/weeping.

 

 

 

Thanks @Kerry Beal for the info on the pectin.  I checked the label of the Apple Pectin I had and there was no mention of sugar anywhere.  I also tasted it and it didn't taste sweet, so maybe they've changed their formulation?  It looks like it worked for this formula that was high in acid, but I'd like to see if it'll work with a lower acidity formula.

 

[Kerry Beal]

6 hours ago, pastryani said:

Here's a pic of the Grapefruit-Campari PDF made today with @Beets3.  These were coated in sugar a few hours after they were made.  The rest of the slab is curing for a day to see if there's a difference in stability/weeping.

 

 

 

Thanks @Kerry Beal for the info on the pectin.  I checked the label of the Apple Pectin I had and there was no mention of sugar anywhere.  I also tasted it and it didn't taste sweet, so maybe they've changed their formulation?  It looks like it worked for this formula that was high in acid, but I'd like to see if it'll work with a lower acidity formula.

 

Let us know how the experiments go.

[Pastrypastmidnight]

Question about the acid. When the Boiron table lists 15g tartaric acid, that’s 15g of a 50/50 tartaric acid/water solution, correct? I’ve also read 10g of citric acid as a substitute for 15g tartaric acid. Does that mean that if I’m using citric acid (that’s what I already have) that I make a 50/50 citric acid/water solution and use 10g of that for a full recipe in the Boiron table?

 

Thanks so much in advance—I’ve read so much about pâte de fruit, my head is spinning!

[Kerry Beal]

Yes 15 grams of a 50-50 solution. And I assume the same would apply to the citric acid.

[Pastrypastmidnight]

13 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

Yes 15 grams of a 50-50 solution. And I assume the same would apply to the citric acid.

Thank you! I’ll give it a try  .

[Pastrypastmidnight]

Word to the wise: when making pâte de fruits for the first time, don’t cut the recipe in half for everything but the sugar/pectin mixture. 

 

I mean, I’m just saying, you know, in case you were thinking about it. 

 

<face palm>

[Pastrypastmidnight]

Second attempt (with properly scaled ingredients) went much better. 

 

I was surprised at how difficult it was to read the refractometer. I have another one in the same style that measures lower Brix for sorbet and it’s really easy to read and use. But the fruit jelly is so thick I can really only see a range of Brix—like, the line is fuzzy so it’s maybe 73-76. Is there something I can do to get a more precise reading with a cheap refractometer or is it just something I have to live with if I don’t want to pay for digital one?

 

Heres my refractometers with my gross pâte de fruits—eeeeew  !

[Lisa Shock]

Use a stronger light source?

[Kerry Beal]

High brix items don't usually show as clear a line - go for as thin a sample as you can, push down firmly on the little flap, and as Lisa suggests as bright a light source as possible.

 

Oh yeah - turning the ocular can sometimes help as well - it's like a focus.

Edited April 18, 2018 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Pastrypastmidnight]

59 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

High brix items don't usually show as clear a line - go for as thin a sample as you can, push down firmly on the little flap, and as Lisa suggests as bright a light source as possible.

 

Oh yeah - turning the ocular can sometimes help as well - it's like a focus.

 

That’s pretty close to what I was doing at the end as I just kind of adjusted organically—definitely helps to know I was going in the right direction. I’ll keep practicing  .

 

1 hour ago, Lisa Shock said:

Use a stronger light source?

I’ll try that, thanks! 

[Kerry Beal]

It's actually more of a gestalt - "does that look like it's hovering around 77 Brix?"

[Sadie90]

@Kerry Beal Hi there, I have been really enjoying all the tips and tricks that you have shared throughout both the PDF threads. Quite an amazing little resource you got here! Even better that the information is quite current. 

 

I haven't been having much luck with the Certo grocery store pectin. Probably because it isn't pure pectin, and has some acid in there (Fumaric Acid). It also has some sugar and is why I went for the "Light" version of Certo in hopes that it would have more Pectin and less sugar...

 

I have been using the Borion recipes with homemade puree (10% sugar added after straining) 

 

Basically it is too sticky and not setting. Perhaps it's the pectin. 

 

Have been having a really hard time finding the correct pectin in Canada. Have any ideas? Qualifirst.com has some options but the information on site is not accurate. When these apple/yellow pectins sell for $80/lb + shipping, I'm worried about buying the wrong type. 

 

Thanks Kerry 

 

[Kerry Beal]

Sadie - can you put a link to the yellow pectin on Qualifirst? I suspect it's the right stuff - I know Signature has it as well. Where are you located?

 

 

[Sadie90]

@Kerry Beal Hi Kerry! I am located in Toronto. 

 

There are two apple pectins at qualifirst. I'm guessing we should forget about the citrus versions? 

 

1) https://www.qualifirst.com/en/pectin-apple-powder-1kg-royal-command

 

- High Methoxyl Pectin E 440i 

- Citrus

- Sucrose  
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Calcium

 

2) https://www.qualifirst.com/en/pectin-apple-powder-454g-cuisine-tech

 

- Amidated, lowmethylester Citrus Pectin E 440

- Sodium Citrate
- Calcium Citrate
- Dextrose

 

 

The ingredients added are what the email support people at Qualifirst gave me. Which I then said that must be wrong because they gave me ingredient lists that include citrus. They responded and said they confirmed they are both apple, but didn't provide a new ingredient list. 

 

It seems like the Royal command Apple pectin might be the one, but it isn't 100% pectin and has sugar, calcium, etc. 

 

Thanks

[Kerry Beal]

I think the Cuisine Tech is the one you want of those two. On their website it just says apple pectin where the other says apple pectin with sucrose. 

 

If you can find the Louis Francois yellow pectin at Signature - it is for sure the stuff you want - page 6 on this list.

 

 

[Tri2Cook]

The one I have just says "Yellow Pectin - Genu pectin type D slow set-Z". I dug it out in case there was a clue as to where I got it and there was but it looks like I ordered it from Le Sanctuaire in the U.S. (probably when I ordered that LM pectin because it's in the same type of jar) so not especially helpful I suppose. The Le Sanctuaire is $38 less (after converting to Canadian currency) for 4 oz more but I have no idea if that would be offset by shipping costs.

[tikidoc]

I have had good luck with this one, and the price seems reasonable. For full disclosure, it’s the only pectin I have ever used for PDF, but the texture seems similar to others I have tasted. 

 

http://www.lepicerie.com/Yellow-Pectin.html

[Tri2Cook]

17 minutes ago, tikidoc said:

I have had good luck with this one, and the price seems reasonable. For full disclosure, it’s the only pectin I have ever used for PDF, but the texture seems similar to others I have tasted. 

 

http://www.lepicerie.com/Yellow-Pectin.html

I used to use l'epicerie for a lot of my less common ingredients. They have a great selection and good customer service. Unfortunately, what used to be a good source with reasonable shipping charges to Canada is now a good source with outrageously ridiculous over-the-top shipping charges to Canada. The last time I put together an order with them, it was going to be $162 shipping for a $50 order that weighed about 2 lbs. I sometimes suspect some companies just decided they really don't want to mess with shipping outside the U.S. but they'll do it if somebody is willing to pay out the keister for it. l'epicerie and Chef Rubber are among the worst I've come across... which is a shame because both are really nice sources.

[Pastrypastmidnight]

1 hour ago, Tri2Cook said:

The one I have just says "Yellow Pectin - Genu pectin type D slow set-Z". I dug it out in case there was a clue as to where I got it and there was but it looks like I ordered it from Le Sanctuaire in the U.S. (probably when I ordered that LM pectin because it's in the same type of jar) so not especially helpful I suppose. The Le Sanctuaire is $38 less (after converting to Canadian currency) for 4 oz more but I have no idea if that would be offset by shipping costs.

This is the kind Kriss Harvey shared that he uses on IG. 

 

4 minutes ago, Tri2Cook said:

I used to use l'epicerie for a lot of my less common ingredients. They have a great selection and good customer service. Unfortunately, what used to be a good source with reasonable shipping charges to Canada is now a good source with outrageously ridiculous over-the-top shipping charges to Canada. The last time I put together an order with them, it was going to be $162 shipping for a $50 order that weighed about 2 lbs. I sometimes suspect some companies just decided they really don't want to mess with shipping outside the U.S. but they'll do it if somebody is willing to pay out the keister for it. l'epicerie and Chef Rubber are among the worst I've come across... which is a shame because both are really nice sources.

I ordered from L’Epicerie and it took over a month to get it and communication from the company was almost non existent. It actually ended up arriving (I had given up hope) on the day I was about to purchase the kind @Tri2Cook mentioned from Le Sanctuaire. The kind from L’Epicerie is by Louis Francois—the brand Kerry just recommended. 

[Rajala]

When making this, do you take the sugar in the puree into account? Looking at the fruit purees I can get my hands on, all of them have sugar added. Or do you just work with the puree as puree and don't mind the extra sugar?

[Kerry Beal]

41 minutes ago, Rajala said:

When making this, do you take the sugar in the puree into account? Looking at the fruit purees I can get my hands on, all of them have sugar added. Or do you just work with the puree as puree and don't mind the extra sugar?

I usually use the purees as is and don't worry about the sugar - I use the boiron recipes and most of their purees are 10% sugar

[Rajala]

2 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

I usually use the purees as is and don't worry about the sugar - I use the boiron recipes and most of their purees are 10% sugar

 

OK, thanks. I'm gonna give this a go with some kind of fruit. You always end up with a few different kinds in your freezer. I have like a kilo of Pectin NH, do you guys think that will work for this or would I need something like the kinds you discuss above?

 

Not to hijack the thread, but what about piping these things in to moulded bonbons? Any suggestions on what kind of pectin to use etc? So it doesn't set before you can pipe.

Edited April 23, 2018 by Rajala (log)

[Pastrypastmidnight]

Just now, Rajala said:

 

OK, thanks. I'm gonna give this a go with some kind of fruit. You always end up with a few different kinds in your freezer.

 

Not to hijack the thread, but what about piping these things in to moulded bonbons? Any suggestions on what kind of pectin to use etc? So it doesn't set before you can pipe.

I let mine set, cut some and saved some out to pipe. I pulsed it in my food processor with a little corn syrup and a pinch of citric acid until loose and then processed. Tasted great. It piped just fine, but it’s pretty stiff. It didn’t level at all, but it was meant to be the top layer so I piped ganache over one and praline over another. I need to cap them some time today. I’ll share a picture of how they turned out once I know.