This is the first post in my journey through a vegetarian, part-vegan Thanksgiving.
Also, this if my first time making any gelatin dessert (vegan or not), so I can't really vouch for any of my methods, here.
Day One: Test Run
Vegan Jelly
(Or Jell-o to you folks back where I originally came from)
INGREDIENTS
2 sachets of Dr. Oetker Vege-gel (Not sure of a US equivalent. Main ingredients are carageenan and guar gum instead of the usual animal-derived geletine).
Liquid Ingredients:
500ml of 100% apple juice
50ml of mango juice
The juice from a can of mandarin oranges
Solid Ingredients:
I used what I liked here (and what was in the fridge). 100g of blueberries, 100g of strawberries, 75g of raspberries, a kiwi, a banana, and the orange segments from the can of mandarin oranges.
I started with the directions on the box, which I suppose is a good place to start, I guess. Except I can't read and boiled all the liquid ingredients before adding the vege-gel. I put the saucepan on the windowsill to cool but the vege-gel still lumped together when I poured it into the liquid. Will definitely add it while the juice is cool, next time, and sprinkle it over gradually while I stir it in, instead of dumping both packets in, one on top of the other.
Then I added the fruit and heated for a few minutes, which I don't think I'll do the next time. I don't really fancy partially cooked fruit.
I poured it into a Pyrex dish (carefully) and put it in the fridge, where it set wonderfully.
Other changes for next time:
I will add the fruit to the Pyrex dish before the liquid is poured in.
I'll add some sugar, especially with sour fruit like raspberries. There's no added sugar at all in this, which leaves it wanting of sweetness.
Read the instructions on the box.
Use more juice. It set better than I expected, so I don't think adding another 250ml (so there aren't blueberries poking out obscenely from the surface) will hurt it.
Also, why has no one posted Vege-gel recipes on the internet? Shocking!
