Pâte de Fruits (Fruit Paste/Fruit Jellies) (Part 1)

[nicolekaplan]

several years back vitpris was banned by the fda for import to the us. if that status has changed i would love to know

[aidensnd2]

Here's another slightly different recipe/technique. Just made these today and they turned out good.

500g puree

650g caster sugar

200g glucose

15g pectin (yellow ribbon)

6 drops tartaric acid solution

Combine puree and glucose, boil.

Mix pectin and 50 grams sugar and add to puree mixture, mix and boil again.

Add remaining sugar in 3 batches boiling between each addition. Cook to 74 Brix or test until it sets.

Add acid, stir, pour into mould/tray and sprinkle A1 sugar on top. Let cool, cut and coat in sugar.

[chocomkr]

thank you for all the feedback, you guys are wonderful

april

[thecmg]

Here's one from good ol' Martha http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?ty...tent&id=tvs6591

There's another fine one in the French Laundry cookbook.

I'm planning on trying both over the weekend and I'll report back on how they turn out.

[Wendy DeBord]

Welcome thecmg, I hope you follow thru with testing I'm curious how the one in the French Laundry compares with a Martha recipe.

[andiesenji]

These vendors carry basic flavors candy centers.

http://www.confectioneryhouse.com/

http://www.cybercakes.com/candy_centers.html

http://www.sugarcraft.com/D-candy.htm

http://www.sweetc.com/sweetc.htm

This is a site for professionals with links to

other pro sites.

http://www.confectioneryarts.com/

and this

http://www.cookingschools.com/books-supplies/

http://www.chocovision.com/

The following site has a vast array of links to sites for both professional and non-pro people who want culinary information.

http://www.foodreference.com/html/links.html

[LSiegel]

The thread on kosher gelatin reminded me of a question I have - I've been trying my hand at fruit gels, unsuccessfully. The recipes I've tried have been based on gelatin as a gelling agent, and I've ended up either with inedible rubber balls, or gels that never properly set up. I assume there is an issue with the ratio of gelatin to liquid in these recipes, but I'm not sure what the correct ratio would be.

Also, on the back page of a recent issue of Fine Cooking, they showed Thomas Haas making his pate de fruit, and noted that he uses apple pectin as his gelling agent. I've not been able to find any recipes based on fruit pectin, but like the idea.

Does anyone have a recipe based on fruit pectin? Or a reliable recipe based on gelatin? Or general thoughts on the relative benefits of using pectin, gelatin, agar agar or any other gelling agent for making fruit gels?

[andiesenji]

You could try my recipe for lakhoum.

You can substitute any concentrated fruit puree for the orange/lemon, etc.

Lakhoum, also known as

Turkish Delight

Rind of 1 medium lemon finely grated

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 cups sugar (superfine)

1/2 cup (4 oz) water

2 tablespoons gelatin/agar agar or guar gum (for vegetarian candy)

1 cup (8 fl oz) water, extra

2/3 cup cornstarch

1 tablespoon rose flower water or one teaspoon rose extract/food grade

red food coloring - couple of drops only.

1/2 cup icing (confectioners) sugar for coating finished confection.

For orange flavored candy, substitute for the lemon and rose flavors -

Rind of 1 medium orange

1/4 cup (2 fl oz) orange juice concentrate.

3-4 drops of orange flower water.

Other flavors may be used, concentrated syrups, blackcurrant, orgeat, strawberry, cherry and raspberry. Use about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of syrup or strained fruit puree.

Line base and sides of an 8 inch square cake pan with aluminum foil, leaving the edges of the foil extending out over the edges of the pan.

Brush or spray foil with canola oil or melted butter.

Remove white pith from citrus rinds.

Combine the rind, juice, sugar and water in large pan with a heavy bottom.

Stir over medium heat without boiling until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Brush the sugar crystals that form on the sides of pan with a wet pastry brush.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat slightly and continue boiling without stirring for 5 minutes or until a teaspoon of the mixture dropped into cold water forms long threads.

If you are using a sugar thermometer it must reach 221 F.

Combine gelatin with 1/2 cup (4 fl oz) extra water in a small bowl set over barely simmering water.

Stir until dissolved.

In a separate bowl combine cornstarch with the remaining water and mix until smooth.

Add both the gelatin and cornstarch mixtures to the sugar syrup.

Stir the mixture over medium heat until the mixture boils and clears.

Stir in the flower water or rose water and a few drops red food coloring.

Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer into the foil-lined cake pan.

Refrigerate over night.

When firmly set, turn out onto a cutting board sprinkled with confectioners sugar.

Peel off the foil and cut the confection into cubes.

Roll cubes in confectioner's sugar.

Store in an airtight container.

[tan319]

Boiron fruit purees have catalog/charts available that have very good pate de fruit recipes.

All involve apple pectin ( I use the pastry 1/patisfrance one) and I would bet that Hass is using a similar recipe.

A refractometer is usually called for too.

[andiesenji]

I also have a recipe using apple pectin, it results in a product similar to "Aplets".

I don't have it in my computer so will have to look for the card and type it up.

[mckayinutah]

Boiron fruit purees have catalog/charts available that have very good pate de fruit recipes.

All involve apple pectin ( I use the pastry 1/patisfrance one) and I would bet that Hass is using a similar recipe.

A refractometer is usually called for too.

←

The only time I have made pate de fruit was using Boiron fruit purees and the chart that Ted is refering to. They are the best I have ever had.

I get my apple pectin from Albert Uster imports and it is a rather large conatiner (5 1/2 #), which would make alot of pate de fruit. I also do not know if they ship to the general public.

The recipes that Boiron has do not require a refractometer, if that is of concern.

Take care,

Jason

[LSiegel]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I found a source for the Boiron fruit purees on-line, but no information on recipes. Any suggestions for where I could find the recipes? Thanks.

[JSkilling]

Go here:

http://www.boironfreres.com/uk/uk_docs.htm

And click on the right hand side for any of the recipes. They'll give you the correct amounts to use of each of their purees. This is why you won't need a refractometer if you are using their recipes - they've already done that for you.

[jgarner53]

I will chime in my 2¢ worth here with the Boiron purées. I made 5 different flavors of pâte de fruits for the holidays. They all turned out great with the exception of the apple, which had a strange texture and didn't quite set the same way as the others did. I eventually threw them away. Their chart is very helpful.

[FWED]

Nightscotsman turned me on to pate de fruits a year ago at Christmas time and I have been making and enjoying them since. It took me a while to find a source of purees and apple pectin in small quantities.

I highly recommend the apple pectin as other supermarket and candy pectins are made from citrus and don't have what it takes to do the job. My first few trials were just that. Trial and error. Once I got the Boiron purees and the apple pectin I was on my way.

Last summer I bought a refractometer and, while it isn't absolutely necessary, I did find that when using it that the quality of my jellies was more consistent. I also found out that temp given on the Boiron direction sheet is just a guide. The hot jelly mixture can reach a brix of 75 a few degrees above or below the 225 temp given. It seems it all depends upon how fast or slow you reach the 225 temp and since all of our stoves and pots and pans cook differently the refractometer takes the guess work out of it for me. Before I got the refractometer I had some luck with jellies that seemed too soft and that weeped after being cut and sugared. I remelted them and brought them up to 225 degrees and poured them out again. I think the added sugar probably brought the brix up to 75 or better. I haven't had to do that lately.

Thanks to Nightscotsman for introducing me to this delight.

[LSiegel]

FWED, what was the source that you found for small quantities of the apple pectin?

So far, I've found a decent source for the fruit puree, but not the pectin.

I also would be interested in info on refractometers, in case I decide to go that route. Don't know much about them - a quick on-line surf revealed a range of options, most at fairly steep prices.

And thanks for the suggestions on how to fix bad batches if I don't get one.

[rickster]

l'epicerie.com sells 6 oz of apple pectin for $9.50. It's in their "hard to find" baker's pantry section. I've also seen it at meilleurduchef.com in 1 kilo quantities.

I'd be interested in small quantity sources for high quality fruit purees.

[McDuff]

There's an outfit in Worcester MA called Primarque which has apple pectin in pound or two pound cans. Do a google thing and they should turn up, as they have a web site. I've tried Michel Roux's recipe and Michael Hu gave me his recipe and I tried that too. Tricky little devils. Boiling something to 217 that is that thick is problematic, but I've had successes and failures. I used Perfect Puree.

[FWED]

I got my refractometer on ebay and there are several discussions about them here on eGullet. Just go to search and type in refractometer. I use mine for candy only so I got a model that only goes form 40 to 80 brix. It was cheaper that way. I get my purees and apple pectin from a small candy supply company here in town. To bad they doesn't do mail order. I do understand the Perfect Purees will sell in smaller quantities.

[stscam]

You should be able to get a decent refractometer on E-bay for well less than $100. If you're doing pate de fruits, you need one in the 40-80 range. While one of these "scopes" is not necessary, as others have said, it sure takes the guess work out of making pate. I use a thermometer now just to monitor when to add my ingredients. Once they're all in I switch to the refractometer. You want to aim for 72-75 Brix. When you've hit that, turn off the heat, add the tartartic or citric acid, stir quickly, then pour. A properly made pate will begin to gel almost immediately. A kilo of puree will make a full Half Sheet of pate de fruit.

Good luck and have fun.

Cheers,

[Gary]

I'm almost ready to take the plunge and try making these pate de fruits at home. I had some at LeNotre in Las Vegas and they were good. Before I start, I'd like to ask a few questions of the group:

- Did you use "tartaric acid" or just lemon juice in the Boiron recipe?

- What type of pan should be used to form the pate de fruit? A jelly roll pan?

- Do you spray the jelly roll pan with Pam or something to prevent sticking?

- Does it really have to sit for 48 hours before cutting? Does it rest on a cookie sheet or in the pan?

Thanks!

Gary

[andiesenji]

I use a half-sheet pan and a Silpat liner.

[jackal10]

Can one use pectin sold for jam making, like Certo? Its sold in small quantities in most supermarkets, next to the jam suger and is apple pectin.

Q:  What is Certo made of?

A:  Certo is made from the residue of pressed apples, which is a rich source of pectin.

Q:  Is Certo a natural product?

A:  The pectin used in Certo is extracted from apples and is extensively filtered so that only the pectin and water used in the process remain.  In this natural state Certo then requires a minor adjustment in acidity to assist setting performance and the addition of a small amount of preservative. Therefore, under UK guidelines, Certo cannot be described as completely ‘natural’.

[culinary bear]

I've just stumbled onto this thread...

We use a red wine pate de fruits in the kitchen at work; basically a gelled red wine poaching liquor that's been used to poach figs (the pate accompanies this).

The pectin we buy is French, apple-derived, and costs well under US$20 a kilo.

For a beginner, the boiron charts are very useful, as is the 'peanut butter and jelly' recipe from the French Laundry cookbook - the basic measurements are spot on, and it's a pate de fruit by another name.

I've made turkish delight with pectin, and have to report that the texture differs from gelatine-set. Just doesn't have the same mouthfeel. You'll find that pectin requires acidity and a certain sugar concentration to work properly, whereas gelatine can work independently of these two requirements.

[Sweet Kate]

I have been making pate de fruit lately using cap fruit recipes and purees. I find them a bit too sweet but am afraid to adjust the sugar content and risk having it over or under gel.

Has anyone coated their pate de fruit with sour sugar? I assume I can just add citric acid to sugar. Formulas?