Improving the texture of Agar Agar?

Question

Hi, I would appreciate all the help I can get for this assignment:

Question:

What are the parameters which will affect the texture of agar jelly? How would you change one of the parameters to alter the texture of the agar jelly?

And could you also please tell me how to make the nicest, best tasting agar jelly?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Well as a former chef and having used both the types available, agar is a bit more tricky to use then the animal based ones from most sources.

Agar or Carragenan, is from seaweed and is used in alot of Asian country's for desserts and snack food, were as the other is more common in North America and Europe, for desserts and situations were gelatin is needed like pates, terrines or glazing cold foods on buffets.

Both are tricky to get right in both firmness and consistency ways, I like using agar as it sets up fast but does tend to be firmer and chewy if not done right, in Thailand and other Asian places they mix it with coconut milk or rice milk/rice flour and make sweet little candy like things or soupy desserts with fruits, coconut milk, tapioca pearl and even cooked black rice.