Agar-Agar: Dosage, Use and Difference from Gelatin
Agar-agar is a plant-based gelling agent from red algae. Unlike gelatin, you have to boil it in liquid so it dissolves; afterward it sets on cooling even at room temperature and stays stable in the heat.
Fact sheet
- Also known as
- Agar, Kanten (寒天), E 406, Japanische Gelatine
- Origin
- Rotalgen (Gelidium, Gracilaria), Japan und Südostasien
- Taste
- geschmacksneutral
- Substitute
- Gelatine (etwa 4 Blatt je 1 g Agar, andere Textur, nicht vegan), für Cremes Speisestärke
- Storage
- trocken und gut verschlossen, lange haltbar; fertige Gelees im Kühlschrank 2 bis 3 Tage, nicht einfrieren
- Where to buy
- Backregal im Supermarkt, Bioladen, Drogeriemarkt, Asialaden (Pulver, Stangen, Fäden), online
Origin and names
Producers extract agar-agar from red algae of the genera Gelidium and Gracilaria. They boil out the algae, filter the liquid, let it gel and dry the gel. What remains is a flavorless powder. On ingredient lists it appears as E 406.
“Agar” is the Malay word for jelly. In Japan the gelling agent is called kanten (寒天), and cooks there have known it since the 17th century. Japanese sweets such as Yokan or the jelly cubes in Anmitsu are built on it.
Agar-agar and gelatin: the difference
| Feature | Agar-agar | Gelatin |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | red algae, vegan | animal collagen from pork or beef |
| Dissolving | must boil for 1 to 2 minutes | swells in water, dissolves in warm liquid, must not boil |
| Setting | at about 35 to 40 °C, right on the counter | only in the refrigerator, over several hours |
| Melting | only at about 85 °C | already at body temperature |
| Texture | firm, cuts cleanly, slightly brittle | elastic, wobbly, melts in the mouth |
| Fresh pineapple, kiwi, papaya | no problem | enzymes prevent gelling |
So agar jelly doesn't melt in the mouth. For panna cotta or mousse it feels firmer than you are used to; for cubes, layers and cake glazes this is an advantage, because they hold up on a warm buffet.
Dosage: guidelines
Agar-agar gels much more strongly than gelatin. So weigh it on a fine scale; a level teaspoon of powder weighs about 2 to 3 g, depending on the product. As guidelines for powder:
- Soft cream or pudding: about 0.5 g per 250 ml liquid
- Sliceable jelly: about 1 g per 250 ml
- Very firm cubes such as yokan: up to 2 g per 250 ml
Roughly, 1 g of agar powder replaces about 4 sheets of gelatin. The texture stays different. Many products on the baking shelf are preparations with fillers such as maltodextrin and gel more weakly than pure agar. In that case follow the package. Dose agar flakes and kanten sticks by the package too; soak sticks in cold water for 30 minutes first.
How to get agar-agar right
- Stir the powder into the cold liquid while it is still cold. In hot liquid it forms lumps.
- Bring to a boil while stirring and boil hard for 1 to 2 minutes. Flakes need about 5 minutes.
- Stir in acidic ingredients such as lemon juice or fruit purée only after boiling. If you cook the acid with it, the agar gels more weakly.
- For the set test, put a teaspoon of the mixture on a cold plate. After a minute it shows you the firmness you will get.
- Pour the mixture into molds quickly, before it cools below 40 °C and starts to set in the pot.
If your jelly is too firm or too soft, heat it again, add liquid or agar and bring it to a boil once more. That doesn't work with gelatin.
Uses in Asian cooking
In Southeast Asia, agar desserts are part of everyday life. The Malaysian Agar-agar gula melaka separates as it sets into a palm sugar layer and a coconut layer. The Cambodian Cha houy teuk combines colored jelly with coconut milk. In Japan you cut kanten jelly into cubes or press it into tokoroten, transparent noodles with a vinegar sauce.
Agar works in savory dishes too, for example for vegan aspic or a firm broth jelly. For creamy vegan desserts, some cooks combine a small amount of agar with puréed silken tofu.
Common mistakes
- Not boiled: Below the boiling point agar doesn't dissolve fully, and the jelly stays liquid or grainy.
- Used too much: The jelly turns rubbery and crumbly. Better to start with less and do the set test.
- Frozen: Agar jelly loses water when thawed and collapses. Keep desserts with agar in the refrigerator and eat them within two to three days.
- Water on the jelly: After a while some liquid comes out. That is normal; blot it off before serving.
Buying and storing
You find agar-agar powder in many supermarkets on the baking shelf, in health food stores and in drugstores. At an Asian grocery store you get pure powder in small sachets as well as sticks and threads for Japanese and Southeast Asian recipes, and online there are larger amounts. Dry and well sealed, agar-agar keeps a long time; the best-before date is on the package.