What is "g" pectin?

[choux]

Everything I tried worked pretty well with the same amounts of g pectin. Raspberry, strawberry, pink grapefruit, pear, passionfruit, mango, and blood orange were great. The only 2 that set up pretty firmly were cranberry and banana, but they weren't offensively bouncy, I'd probably just use a gram or 2 less pectin. I think cranberries practically set up on their own with their own natural pectin, so that's why it was firmer. It didn't really taste all that great with chocolate though...

[Tri2Cook]

John and choux, thanks for the information! I know I asked the question a while back but things got busy and I haven't got around to playing with this yet. I'm going to do an apple pate de fruit using g-pectin but I'd like to add some malic acid to the mix. Does anybody know if this will cause problems? I'm going to use this with a soft caramel to get the caramel apple thing happening so getting the pdf a little more tart and apple-y to help offset the huge amount of sweet going on would be nice.

[John DePaula]

I think I remember that Kerry was going to look for malic acid, and Tammy figured out how to use the Pomona's pectin so you may be able to get a more tart pate de fruit.

Please let us know how your experiments come out. Good Luck!

Edited February 8, 2008 by John DePaula (log)

[Tri2Cook]

I'm somewhat committed to using the g-pectin, I already bought it. I don't have time to get any other in before I need it (this is going to be part of a multi-course valentine's day dessert thing I'm doing). If nothing definite comes up by tomorrow I'm just going to give it a try. My next problem will be deciding how much of the acid to go with, I'm not very experienced with pdf's.

Edit: I'm definitely interested in giving this a try but I think I'm going to test a backup plan as well. I think I may also try an apple agar jelly. My plan is to use the pdf (or jelly) with a caramel ganache (testing another idea I had for that one, if it doesn't work I'll go with white chocolate/caramel ganache) on a thin dried apple chip. Either way, I could dust the apple chip with a little malic acid to solve that problem.

Edited February 8, 2008 by Tri2Cook (log)

[stscam]

We've started making two-layer chocolate palets in the spirit of the instructions Andrew Shotts gives in "Making Artisan Chocolates," and using his "G Pectin." Our PB&J has been a big hit - when and if the pate de fruit (PDF) sets up (which isn't all that often).

We make PDF regularly, using a Boiron recipe (but our own purees) and proper apple pectin. So PDF is not something that intimidates us. Our success rate is very high. And of course we get a good firm set.

I know that when using G Pectin the set is much softer, but it should still be a flexible sheet that can be handled gently. I spoke with the folks at Chef Rubber, who distribute the G Pectin, and they suggested we add a few grams more pectin and try cooking it a bit longer. This still gave us uneven results.

SO - Does anybody out there have any experience with G Pectin leading to a consistent success rate that they'd like to share on eGullet?

Cheers,

Steve

[choux]

That's really interesting, I've been using g pectin with great results every time. The onlt thing that was a bit of a 'failure' was using cranberry puree, which set up waaayyy to much.

Maybe it has something to do with your altitude? There is usually a point when you are cooking it that the clarity changes and that's when I find it is done, usually it's before the 2 minutes Andrew gives in his book.

[schneich]

That's really interesting, I've been using g pectin with great results every time. The onlt thing that was a bit of a 'failure' was using cranberry puree, which set up waaayyy to much.

Maybe it has something to do with your altitude? There is usually a point when you are cooking it that the clarity changes and that's when I find it is done, usually it's before the 2 minutes Andrew gives in his book.

←

dont you think four different pectins in a shelf of an enthusiastic pastry chef should be enough?

there is always someone who thinks that just "his" special wonder product "solves all the problems"..

since andrew refuses to tell us what exactly his product is made of you just can use it for "his" recipes, since other recipes may well need another pectin.

i doubt that anyone needs this "g pectin" at all, but thats just my twocents....

cheers

torsten s.

Edited February 16, 2008 by schneich (log)

[Kerry Beal]

I seem to recall that when the book first came out, that Andrew told me that the book said to cook for 2 minutes, but that you really needed to cook for 3 minutes.

[Lior]

I'm bumping this up. I decided to make the Strawberry balsmic from Andrew'as book for my son's "team" to be politically correct... Anyway, I did not know this thread existed...

I followed the recipe to a T as I usually do not so. The strawberry puree was Boiron's. I knew I should look up this g pectin business but didn't. I have "pectin" in a powdered from. That is all the container says -Pectin. Now I won't order g pectin all the way from across the ocean for Andrew's pate recipes.

The pate got thick quickly but I continued to boil for 2 mins- determined to be good about following every instruction. I poured it into the tray but it began setting up too fast. It is okay but not perfectly even and it seemed too little for the size tray recommended. It set and is tasty. I did the ganache recipe (so many ingredients I felt like a chemist). It is setting up now.

For next time:

1. Should I add citric acid powder? If so how much?

2. Is this pectin probably apple?

3. Is it okay to use this powdered pectin?

4. Should the quantity have been enough?

5. Suggestions?

Thanks!

[gap]

I'm bumping this up. I decided to make the Strawberry balsmic from Andrew'as book for my son's "team" to be politically correct... Anyway, I did not know this thread existed...

I followed the recipe to a T as I usually do not so. The strawberry puree was Boiron's. I knew I should look up this g pectin business but didn't. I have "pectin" in a powdered from. That is all the container says -Pectin. Now I won't order g pectin all the way from across the ocean for Andrew's pate recipes.

The pate got thick quickly but I continued to boil for 2 mins- determined to be good about following every instruction. I poured it into the tray but it began setting up too fast. It is okay but not perfectly even and it seemed too little for the size tray recommended. It set and is tasty. I did the ganache recipe (so many ingredients I felt like a chemist). It is setting up now.

For next time:

1. Should I add citric acid powder? If so how much?

2. Is this pectin probably apple?

3. Is it okay to use this powdered pectin?

4. Should the quantity have been enough?

5. Suggestions?

Thanks!

←

Citric acid is equal parts warm water and citric acid powder. Not sure what sort of pectin you have, but I think G pectin is pretty special stuff - you may be better off using the Boiron PDF recipes rather than Shott's if you are using standard pectin

[cmflick]

I've made these strawberry balsamic vinegar chocolates many times and just used the Boiron strawberry pate de fruit recipe using regular apple pectin or slow setting pectin (better for pate de fruit I think). My understanding is that g pectin is not only pectin, but has other things combined with the pectin. I would also hesitate to cook the pate de fruit just by time. I cook to 107C or 75 brix as in the Boiron recipe.

[Tri2Cook]

I would also hesitate to cook the pate de fruit just  by time.  I  cook to 107C or 75 brix as in the Boiron recipe.

←

Using the G-Pectin, the recipes work just fine by time if you cook for the updated 3 minutes instead of the 2 minutes in the book. I did a large sheet of plain raspberry yesterday and topped it with a layer of the peanut butter gianduja from the Grewling book. Now I'm just left with the hard part (for me)... getting them cut and dipped.

[Lior]

Thanks everyone. If I use just "regular" pectin (how do I know what is regular? Am I regular?! Are you?!). Assuming that the powder that I have is regular, do I use the amount on the Boiron site? I have to take a look at it. I glanced once but it looked confusing (tables etc)! I need words!

I need a brix. Which one do you recommend? I need to google Brix as itis new for me. I am not sure what it is.

Edited February 26, 2009 by Lior (log)

[Lior]

Hi! Thank you so much! So it is the percentage of sugar concentration in a solution! I will try to do 107-8C with Boiron and see how it goes. We did it in Belgium and I do have that recipe. I guess Imust go to that scary Boiron site...

[Lior]

Gee, last night I dreamed of pectin! I was in a store and there were shelves and shelves of different kinds- LE, HE, X58. Apple, Nh etc. OMG!Slow setting, fast, g pectin.

I tried calling my supplier but they are probably closed on Fridays. What kind do I have? (sounds like a germ) I am sure he won't know...

Can these Boiron recipes be reduced- I don't want to experiment with 1 kilo puee! I assume they can. What amounts do you reduce to- just for reference? 200 g puree?

Thanks

[cmflick]

Gee, last night I dreamed of pectin! I was in a store and there were shelves and shelves of different kinds- LE, HE, X58. Apple, Nh etc.  OMG!Slow setting, fast, g pectin.

I tried calling my supplier but they are probably closed on Fridays. What kind do I have? (sounds like a germ) I am sure he won't know...

Can these Boiron recipes be reduced- I don't want to experiment with 1 kilo puee! I assume they can. What amounts do you reduce to- just for reference? 200 g puree?

Thanks

←

I've gone as low as 150 g puree with the Boiron recipes and not had problems. That gives me a square about 18 cm on each side.

[Lior]

That is exactly what Ineeded to know! The size! Thank you thank you!!!

[Lior]

Well this is that first problematic batch. You can see the strawberry pate is not enough although I used the given quantities. I assume itisdue to my pectin and the 2 minutes boiling time made it evaporate too much. The ganache took forever toset up and it tastes too vinegar-y. A slight off taste... from the balsamic I am sure... I used a firend's guitar and broke a string somehow- I don't know how asthe ganache is sooo soft. I forgot to put a foot so it is not that. Well it is just a trial so no big deal.

The pate layer is uneven because it started setting up right as poured it.