Agar-agar | Gelatin Substitute | 200g

Agar-agar: a plant-based alternative to gelatin

Agar-agar is known as an excellent thickening and gelling agent. It is a plant-based product derived from red seaweed. When prepared correctly, this versatile gelatin substitute is odorless and tasteless, making it an ideal addition to a variety of dishes without significantly affecting their flavor.

What is agar-agar?

Agar-agar (designated as E406) is a natural, plant-based product suitable for vegans. It was first discovered in 1658 by a Japanese innkeeper, who made soup from red algae and discovered their gelling properties. Agar-agar is derived from marine algae – red algae (Rhodophyta). This type of algae has special substances in its cell walls that prevent it from drying out.

Harvesting algae for agar-agar production is quite complicated, as the algae are found at an average depth of about 30 meters below the water’s surface. After harvesting, the gelling substance is extracted. This process includes drying, cleaning, boiling, and freezing to remove excess salt and water. All these steps are repeated several times.

Agar-agar is generally odorless, but it may sometimes have a distinctive, mild smell while cooking. The agar-agar we offer comes in the form of a light-colored powder. When agar-agar is dissolved in water, it produces a colorless, gelatinous solution with a neutral taste. It is used to prepare desserts, jellies, jams, and more.

Why choose agar-agar?

Agar-agar is ideal for vegans and vegetarians looking for an alternative to gelatin. Agar-agar has stronger gelling properties than conventional gelatin. It dissolves easily at 85-95 degrees Celsius and sets at around 35 degrees, without needing to be placed in the refrigerator. It can also be dissolved again without losing its binding properties when it cools once more, unlike gelatin, which sets only once.

Where and how can you use agar-agar?

Agar-agar can be used in many different ways in the kitchen – anywhere you need to thicken or gel something. For example, use it to make jellies, creams, mousses, or jam.

Agar-agar is usually used at a ratio of about 3 g per glass of water, but the amount depends on how firm you want the dish to be once cooled. Sometimes it is worth using less or more agar-agar if you need a consistency other than the standard one.

Sprinkle the powder into water or milk, stir, and let it soak for about 3 minutes. Then boil the liquid for about 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the amount of agar-agar used). Boiling it properly affects the final result: the neutral taste, smell, and consistency, as well as how well it sets.

Once prepared, add the liquid to the dish you are making, or mix it with, for example, juice and sugar to make a delicious jelly.

Agar-agar is much easier to use than gelatin because it sets at room temperature. If the resulting consistency of the dish is not satisfactory, you can always reheat the agar, dilute it, or add more.

Note: agar-agar does not work well with spinach or acidic fruits such as peaches, mangoes, kiwi, papaya, pineapple, and figs.

If you want to make jelly, remember not to stir the liquid while it is setting and not to move the container it is in. This can cause the agar and water to separate. However, if you only want to thicken the dish you are making, you can stir the liquid while it sets to achieve a gel-like consistency.

Agar is also used in cosmetics. It is used to make creams and face masks, improves their adhesion, and makes them easier to apply.

Storage recommendations

Store agar-agar in a cool, dark, and dry place to preserve its quality.

See how we use agar-agar to make a delicious dessert - our video on YouTube