The intention was to make pate de fruit.
The intention was to make it with only fruit juice. No added sugar.
The intention was to make it with agar and gelatin. Not with pectin.
The intention was one thing. The result was another.
Pate de fruit is typically made with Certo–a high methoxyl pectin that forms gels in a high sugar enviroment. Low methoxyl pectin does not need sugar, but requires the presence of calcium. The apple juice that I intended to use contained only inherent sugar (fructose) and insignificant amounts of calcium.
Agar and gelatin will form a variety of gels–from soft to brittle, depending on the proportions used–and require neither sugar or calcium. This was the territory that I intended to explore.
The initial gels were unremarkable–either too brittle or too soft. Concentrating the sugars through reduction introduced a desirable stickiness and became a critical point. Reducing too far resulted in a syrup, not enough produced a gel that was rigid and brittle.
Through a series of reductions and additions of decreasing amounts of juice, the emerging texture is firm enough to hold its shape, yet the pull of a knife renders it fluid. The mouthfeel is creamy like caramel with the viscosity of gel.
The intention was to make a pate de fruit. The result is a caramel gel.
apple caramel gel
Lacking a refractometer to measure brix, the results may require final adjustments in reduction/addition.
150g apple juice
1.5g agar
.6g gelatin
Place the apple juice in a saucepan. Sprinkle the agar and gelatin over the top. Let stand 2 minutes for the gelatin to bloom. Set pan over medium high heat, whisking until gelatin and agar are dissolved. Bring to a boil and continue boiling under mixture is reduced to app. 2 Tablespoons.
Add 80g apple juice. Boil and reduce to app. 2 Tablespoons.
Add 30g apple juice. Bring to a full rolling boil for 30 seconds.
Remove from heat and cool.
Playing with Fire and Water 
Now this is an idea to further develop; I’m quietly waiting for the plating.
With all the sequential reductions, how is the taste of the final product? Still fresh and apple-y or did it pick up a cooked taste? I’m wondering if the flavor can be brightened a little bit with a small amount of malic acid without upsetting the consistency of the gel.
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What did the subsequent reductions do chemically speaking that reducing all at once would not?
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Ivan- the taste is of caramelized apples. Because sugar and acid are both concentrated in the reduction, it is as tart as it is sweet.
JP-that is a good question; one that I have repeatedly asked myself. After many tests, I find that I cannot achieve the final texture through just one reduction/addition. I don’t know why this is…knowing the degrees brix might provide an answer (know anyone willing to donate a refractometer?). The more that I play with hydrocolloids, the more that I realize that I have a lot to learn.
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I wonder if Harold McGee might know the answer- maybe I’ll kick him an e-mail. I do not know anyone with a spare refractometer- darn!
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