Blended strawberries set with unflavoured gelatine, with chopped fruit through the bottom. Three ingredients and no packet mix, which means no artificial colour and considerably less sugar.
Sprinkle the gelatine, do not dump it
This is where homemade gelatine usually goes wrong. Tipped into hot water in a lump, the outside hydrates instantly and forms a skin around dry powder, and those lumps never dissolve.
Sprinkle it evenly over the surface and stir as you go. If lumps form anyway, strain the liquid before using it: they will not break down with more heat.
Check the weight of your sachet
Sachets of unflavoured gelatine are not standardised. They run from about 7 g to 14 g depending on the brand and the country, and each sets a specific volume of liquid, which the packet will state.
This recipe uses 400 ml of water plus the blended strawberries, so somewhere around 500 ml in total. Match your sachet to that rather than assuming.
Fruits that stop gelatine setting
Some fresh fruits contain enzymes that break down protein, and gelatine is protein. In those cases the dessert simply never sets, however long it sits.
- Pineapple (bromelain), kiwi (actinidin), papaya (papain), mango and fig.
- Cooked or tinned versions of all of them are fine, because heat destroys the enzymes.
- Strawberries have no such problem, which is one reason this recipe uses them.
Two hours is the minimum
Overnight is better and turns out of a mould more cleanly. Gelatine continues to firm up for several hours after it appears set.
To unmould, dip the container in warm water for a few seconds, no more: too long and the outside melts into a puddle.
More cold desserts
- Strawberry cream dessert — the richer version with cream.
- Passion fruit mousse — also set, and sharper.
- Coffee dessert — same technique, coffee flavour.
- Tres leches — no gelatine involved.
- Homemade marshmallows — the same gelatine, whipped.
Homemade Gelatin FAQ
It was tipped in as a lump rather than sprinkled. The outside hydrates instantly and traps dry powder inside, and those lumps will not dissolve with more heat. Sprinkle it over the surface and stir as it goes; if lumps form, strain the liquid.
It varies: between about 7 g and 14 g depending on brand and country. The packet states how much liquid it sets. This recipe has roughly 500 ml of liquid in total, so match your sachet to that.
Fresh pineapple, kiwi, papaya, mango and fig all contain enzymes that break down protein, and gelatine is protein, so the dessert never sets. Cooked or tinned versions are fine because heat destroys the enzymes. Strawberries are not affected.
Two hours minimum, overnight for a cleaner set. Gelatine keeps firming for several hours after it first looks solid.
Dip the container in warm water for a few seconds only, then invert onto a plate. Longer than a few seconds and the outer layer melts.
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g strawberries (400 g blended, 100 g chopped)
- 1 sachet unflavoured gelatine (check the weight: sachets run from 7 g to 14 g and set different volumes)
- Whipped cream, optional (to serve)
Notas
Instructions
- Wash the strawberries. Put 400 g in the blender with a little water, blend, and set aside.
- Bring 400 ml of water to the boil in a pot. Sprinkle the gelatine over it and lower the heat, stirring so it dissolves without lumping.
- Once the gelatine has dissolved, add the blended strawberries and stir well. Take it off the heat.
- Chop the remaining 100 g of strawberries into pieces and divide them between the containers you are going to set the gelatine in.
- Pour the strawberry and gelatine mixture into the containers, let them settle and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Turn them out and decorate with whipped cream and a few strawberries.
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