Recipe: Apple gel

This is a simple recipe, many might categorize under "modern cuisine", but it's also a good introduction to the use of agar-agar, it's relative strength compared to gelatine, and possible uses resulting from those properties.  Agar-agar is a seaweed based gelatin, found most likely at a specialty food store or an asian market.  It is very strong, so it helps if you have a scale that measures in exact grams - better yet in fractions of grams.  It is also more heat resistant than gelatine, so many chefs use it for plate sauces and products (flavoured sheets) that will be used on hot dishes.  This particular recipe will use apple juice, but the formula would remain essentially unchanged if you wanted to make a gel of a different flavour.  Unlike gelatine, agar-ager is not melted into a product, rather it is best to whisk it into your medium cold, then bring it up to a solid simmer to activate it.  Do your best not to over boil it as it will lose a bit of its strength.  What will you do with apple gel?  Dress up a roasted pork plate, top off a dish of ice cream or apple pie, even use it to bind a salad.

You will need:

2 C / 500ml      apple juice (best quality you can get)
0.14oz / 4g       agar-agar

Method:

 - measure out the agar and put it in a small saucepot
 - whisk in a small amount of the apple juice to get it smooth, then whisk in the rest
 - bring the mixture up to a simmer (notice how much it thickens), then remove from the heat
 - pour into a container to cool, then transfer to the fridge to set completely
 - cut the gel in the container randomly so it's in small pieces
 - transfer it all to a blender and blend until completely smooth
 - if it's thicker than you like you can blend in a bit more juice or water to adjust
 - transfer to a squeeze bottle for use, or simply apply with a spoon