Question about blooming gelatine

[chef koo]

If you're going to simmer gelatin in a liquid, is there any point in blooming it?

[Dave the Cook]

Gelatin can act like flour -- if you just dump a bunch of it into a hot liquid, the outer granules in the clump may absorb liquid first and swell, sealing the surface and preventing the granules inside from ever getting moisture. The point of blooming is to ensure that the gelatin is fully hydrated, thus making proper dispersion of the gelatin easier. (This process works a little better at cooler temperatures.) But as long as you're making sure that you're not allowing the gelatin to clump up, it doesn't really matter.