neighboring granules together, though even
these clusters eventually disperse. Sheets with
their small surface area introduce less air into
the liquid, which can be an advantage when
the cook wants great clarity in the jelly. There
is also an “instant” gelatin that is
manufactured by drying the extract rapidly
before the gelatin chains can form junctions,
so it disperses directly in warm liquid. And
hydrolyzed gelatins have been intentionally
broken into chains too short to form a gel;
they’re used in food manufacturing as an
emulsifying agent (p. 627).
The standard proportion advised by dessert
gelatin packages is one 7-gm package per
cup/240 ml, or about a 3% solution; 2% and
1% solutions are progressively more tender.
Gelatin Doesn’t Strengthen Nails or
Hair
Though it’s widely believed that gelatin
supplements strengthen both nails and hair,