tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post5705868880841456193..comments2024-03-28T03:58:48.788-07:00Comments on creative savv: Homemade gummy candy update from SaraLilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-54132214600621674552015-10-25T10:34:11.549-07:002015-10-25T10:34:11.549-07:00YHF--
Glad someone else is enjoying the ginger re...YHF--<br /><br />Glad someone else is enjoying the ginger recipe. We sure did, but it's a flavor combo we like in general. <br /><br />Life is full of lots of great things to eat, nice people to meet, beautiful places to explore; so we figure, why not explore, embrace and enjoy them! :) SaraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-71480374375943533352015-10-21T19:32:41.323-07:002015-10-21T19:32:41.323-07:00So cute that you have a good appetite and a lot of...So cute that you have a good appetite and a lot of different foods get you hungry lol<br /><br />I'm hooked on your ginger lemon honey recipe and crave for that taste. I'm thinking of doing a straight ginger mochi and see how that turns out too.<br /><br />Best to you too<br /><br />YHFAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-62327013834908734172015-10-21T18:37:02.965-07:002015-10-21T18:37:02.965-07:00Darn, sorry you lost some of your pieces. I assum...Darn, sorry you lost some of your pieces. I assume that the other things we're introducing to the mochi are the perishable things. Maybe all we can hope for is something durable enough for short-term room-temp travel/picnic options??<br /><br />We looked at baked mochi recipes today (and got REALLY hungry! :) ) No one remembers the mochi cake I made years ago, so it might be time to buy a little more mochi flour and do some more experimenting. <br /><br />I make such a high percentage of our snacks, I'd welcome a baked version of mochi that I wouldn't have to shape. We'd eat them too fast to feel like shaping them was worth the time. I do like your idea of how to make a slightly less-perfect shaped version, though. That sounds like maybe a good compromise. <br /><br />Best-- SaraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-27177314351673600902015-10-21T09:27:28.003-07:002015-10-21T09:27:28.003-07:00Day 4, not good The few pieces I had on the count...Day 4, not good The few pieces I had on the countertop (in a pyrex covered container) went bad. Normally mochi will last a few days out, although I usually freeze immediately what we don't eat that day. This could be because of the high amount of handling, even though my fingers were coated with starch. I do believe the less you handle this the better. I was trying to make perfect gum drop sized gummies, so I spent an unusual amount of time fidgeting. I ate the frozen gummies this morning, still very yummy. <br /><br />My plan now is to cut the cooled mochi gelatin in strips, then lightly roll it in starch and cut crosswise into mouthsize pieces. Won't look pretty but I'm sure this way the gummies might last a week at least.<br /><br />YHF<br /><br />YHFAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-75778874710306765422015-10-20T22:05:09.038-07:002015-10-20T22:05:09.038-07:00Hi Sara,
I froze some gummies to see how they hol...Hi Sara,<br /><br />I froze some gummies to see how they hold up. Wonderful, it softens in my mouth very quickly and tastes like they were never frozen in taste and texture. Mochi doesn't require refrigeration but does get hard and loses its freshness after awhile. Usually I freeze mochi so I can see freezing mochi gummies for preservation. But at least I can take these along on trips without worrying about it melting. For this experiment i used packets of gelatin that were sitting on my shelf for ages. The waxed envelopes were turning brown, yet the contents were not discolored and swelled nicely when mixed with water. (Gelatin does last forever!!)<br /><br />Unfortunately, I don't know another way to shape the mochi other than shaping it with my fingers. It comes out of the microwave super hot. I immediately scrape it out of the glass bowl onto a floured board. If you wait too long the mochi will stick to the bowl and you'll lose much of its content. Using a silicone spatula I can scrape the bowl clean and wash up is easier too. It is not like baked mochi where you can cut it with a knife. But by not baking I think the result is a soft chewy. I don't mind plain round flour dusted gummies. Corn starch is ok if you don't have a lighter potato starch. Next batch I'm going to double the gelatin and ginger!! I'm hoping the texture will be more gummy and less pliable, yet because I am cooking the gelatin with the mochi, no refrigeration will be needed even with less mochi.<br /><br />YHFAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-55761099917966013772015-10-20T12:19:43.888-07:002015-10-20T12:19:43.888-07:00Wow, YHF, this is so interesting! Sounds like moc...Wow, YHF, this is so interesting! Sounds like mochi might be a good option for Live and Learn and others of us who have travel/picnic lunch issues. Changes the dietary content a little, as well; but probably still a reasonable option for most people, since it's a treat/dessert, not real "food". <br /><br />Could you just let this set flat and cut them up into squares or something simple? Or do you have to shape them? (I'm not visualizing the result too clearly yet.) <br /><br />Can't wait to hear your next update! :) Sara<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-59238876919836007772015-10-20T06:59:49.383-07:002015-10-20T06:59:49.383-07:00Day 3 and the tummies still required no refrigerat...Day 3 and the tummies still required no refrigeration at all. Taste and texture definitely improved. I think adding mochi flour in lieu of refrigeration does work and I would continue using the microwave instead of baking. Easier, less time and electrical usage. Because mochi is sticky you would have to use a fine starch to hand shape the gummies...hence the flattened rounds.<br /><br />YHFAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-82766207314792032312015-10-18T22:33:51.880-07:002015-10-18T22:33:51.880-07:00Definitely mochi flour is the culprit, yet it gave...Definitely mochi flour is the culprit, yet it gave the gummy its characteristic stretchiness. My husband said I'm on the right track but increase the ginger, and sugar OK. A day later the taste and texture improved somewhat I think. I'm going to ration what's left and eat a gummy a day and see if the taste and texture continues to improve. Maybe my senses were dulled sampling too many gummies on the first day. The gummies are being left on the countertop, no refrigeration at all yet.<br /><br />Thanks for the well wishes...she worked so hard on it, yet when I told her I was making Tang gummy, she was very curious how to make it. Because of limited time the mixture went from stove to the freezer. The gummies were more like jigglers and melted very quickly. I'm going to have to perfect it so she doesn't think it can't be done lol<br /><br />YHF<br /><br />YHFAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-35185394253881713342015-10-18T20:19:48.649-07:002015-10-18T20:19:48.649-07:00Thanks for the clarification, but I think I'll...Thanks for the clarification, but I think I'll skip BOTH the Maltese and the maltose and look for other options. ;) And I'm with you. I don't think more sugar would be my top pick of the potential options, either. <br /><br />SaraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-18376553384825106532015-10-18T20:17:37.472-07:002015-10-18T20:17:37.472-07:00OOOOOOO, this is so fascinating, YHF! Love all th...OOOOOOO, this is so fascinating, YHF! Love all the details and ideas! <br /><br />I wonder if the mochi has more of a "deadening" effect on the taste than gelatine, or if it's just a compounding thing with the gelatine also diluting the original flavor? <br /><br />Sorry about the first batch of mochi. That must have smelled pretty weird! You did tell me that you don't multi-task, but anyone might have trouble remembering to cut the microwave time down with the recipe amounts. Wouldn't have occurred to me (but I don't microwave.) <br /><br />Definitely update when you get a chance to try something else!! We're so curious about this! Good luck to your granddaughter on her creative endeavors, too! Best-- Sara :) Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-25182220375118451692015-10-18T16:20:44.176-07:002015-10-18T16:20:44.176-07:00oops..not maltese (dog) but maltose. Not a thicke...oops..not maltese (dog) but maltose. Not a thickening agent either but a sugar. http://radmegan.com/2011/03/homemade-ginger-chews.html<br /><br />YHFAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-39316351474745827682015-10-18T12:45:51.894-07:002015-10-18T12:45:51.894-07:00Thank you for your well wishes...she's working...Thank you for your well wishes...she's working very hard on her clay project still, from yesterday. I helped her brainstorm ideas for her doodle4google contest project. Her teacher turned that contest into a classroom assignment and a potential contest entry. Top prize is a $30K scholarship. Yesterday, I sneaked in some kitchen time while she was worked out ideas for her doodle on paper yesterday. While frying a batch of bean patties, I tinkered with your ginger/honey/lemon recipe and tweaked it by adding 1:1 mochi rice flour to your recipe. Since I knew I would have to make several trial batches to get the right mochi/gelatin mix, I made the first batch using only 1 packet of gelatin and cutting the water to 5/8 cup (one fourth of your recommended water), yet keeping the rest of the ingredients same. The mistake I made was not cutting the microwave time down by a fourth, and before I knew it the batter burned into a solid hard black mass!!! It smoked up the entire house and my granddaughter kept saying don't you have a smoke alarm!!! Yes, very good question, we'll have to check into that. I normally don't multitask in the kitchen as you now can see why. I made a second batch, using the same 1 packet gelatin, 5/8 cup water and 5/8 c mochi flour ratio, but cut down the microwave time and lowered the power 80%. We recently bought a "new to us" microwave from Savers (good deal $25 for a Panasonic 1250w Inverter), No burning this time, the result was very mochi like and I could hardly taste the ginger. But my husband was impressed with your recipe (smell and taste) up to adding the mochi which dulled the taste of the cooked result. He said it tasted neither like mochi nor gummy candy. I googled Botan rice candy and ginger chew recipes and found out some interesting ways of tweaking your recipe further. Some suggested baking the mochi flour mixture instead of microwaving (might help it be less pliable like mochi), using "maltese" which is a thickening agent in chinese cooking, and upping the sugar content which I don't think is that great. I might try another attempt, increasing the gelatin and using less mochi flour. I have the mochi/gelatin "coins" (shaped in circles and dusted with potato flour) sitting on the countertop overnight and tried some this morning. Definitely a thicker chewy adding gelatin than mochi which is a soft chewy. <br /><br />YHF Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-8430295004079900092015-10-17T21:50:15.361-07:002015-10-17T21:50:15.361-07:00This sounds fun, YHF! Hope the the clay project i...This sounds fun, YHF! Hope the the clay project is a resounding success, and that any cooking you do also has great results! <br /><br />You enjoy your weekend, too! Sara Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-63445979361830365602015-10-17T10:33:08.310-07:002015-10-17T10:33:08.310-07:00My granddaughter will be over this weekend to work...My granddaughter will be over this weekend to work on her school project. She has a project that requires working with clay so she wanted to do the project with me at our house. After the project, I'll ask her to help me with the gummy ginger and maybe if there is time, the gummy mochi. She'll be a good kitchen helper with this experiment. Stay tuned!!<br /><br />Thanks so much for your guidance :) Have a nice weekend.<br /><br />YHFAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-43324401093476483472015-10-16T13:00:13.028-07:002015-10-16T13:00:13.028-07:00You're welcome, Live and Learn. It sounds lik...You're welcome, Live and Learn. It sounds like YHF might really have something eventually with the possibility of adding mochi to make them more temperature-tolerant. <br /><br />But we were really quite pleased overall with how well these held up under "sloppy" handling conditions during travel in relatively warm weather. Seems like with "reasonable" protection from exterior heat, they ought to usually do okay. Nice to know for roadtrips and dayhikes. <br /><br />Thanks for asking and getting us wondering! :) Have a good one! SaraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-53594450611357198822015-10-16T11:56:58.802-07:002015-10-16T11:56:58.802-07:00Very interesting experiments, Sara. Thanks for the...Very interesting experiments, Sara. Thanks for the effort in answering our questions.Live and Learnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13493777474885053903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-61342479097299966832015-10-15T13:47:27.658-07:002015-10-15T13:47:27.658-07:00Yes, I will find 30 minutes to try your ginger-lem...Yes, I will find 30 minutes to try your ginger-lemon-honey gummy recipe, sounds too good to put off til next year!!<br /><br />Take care yourself, Sara....nice chatting with you :)<br /><br />YHFAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-10145302743316555172015-10-15T13:36:50.640-07:002015-10-15T13:36:50.640-07:00Sounds like a good plan for sometime you have a li...Sounds like a good plan for sometime you have a little time to fool around in the kitchen. Doesn't sound like anytime soon, though. Good luck with all your preps for your dad. Hope that they all go smoothly and as quickly as possible. <br /><br />Triple ginger-lemon-honey gummies woudn't take you longer than about a half-hour, though. You might be able to fit a batch of those in sometime sooner. <br /><br />Take care-- Sara Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-90127015656098759272015-10-15T13:16:45.065-07:002015-10-15T13:16:45.065-07:00I have lots of mochi flour on my shelf...and when ...I have lots of mochi flour on my shelf...and when I have some extra kitchen time (may not be this year since we're gearing up for stocking my dad's food while we're away...imagine peeling, cutting and boiling/freezing 60 lbs of carrots), I'll try making some rice candy/gummies. Should be interesting. You're right about melding the mochi and gelatin....I think the trick might be the right ratio of mochi flour to water, instead of 1:1 as in making mochi, I'll try 1:2, then 1:3, etc. who knows if it is possible but again would be an interesting experiment. That's what I love about kitchen time...playing mad scientist lol<br /><br />YHFAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-18037318680018037852015-10-15T12:54:16.822-07:002015-10-15T12:54:16.822-07:00You get me all excited, so I type faster than I th...You get me all excited, so I type faster than I think, YHF... I meant "more practical to just BUY it". LOLOL SaraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-33257079899562917932015-10-15T12:53:09.233-07:002015-10-15T12:53:09.233-07:00YHF, if you could come up with the Botan Rice Cand...YHF, if you could come up with the Botan Rice Candy recipe, my whole family might fly to the islands to hug you! (though it'd probably be more practical just to make the stuff. LOL) I still remember the first time I had it, and was told to put the paper in my mouth. I had no idea why. :) <br /><br />Back to your idea, though, seems like it would be an interesting idea to try and incorporate mochi. I've not worked with it for candy (think I did use it for cake a couple of times, though... isn't there a traditional mochi cake?); so I don't know much about its properties. It DOES seem like it might increase the portability of the finished product, if you COULD get the two substances to blend completely. <br /><br />Oh, and I'd say we're probably talking about the same almond dessert. It's normally served with a lychee and/or some mandarins (a lychee in the center with mandarin "petals" is pretty in a round dessert dish), but we don't normally cube it. That's a neat idea. I just really like the subtle, smooth flavor, and think it makes a lovely "finish" to a heavy meal (if we haven't already overdone too much to enjoy it!) <br /><br />I'll put you and your hubby in charge of these new gummy innovations, unless I decide to do a simple almond creme gummy for dessert when I have the neighbors over for Chinese. <br /><br />Have a great day. :) SaraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-8086595500260842762015-10-15T12:30:48.924-07:002015-10-15T12:30:48.924-07:00LOL....I'm sure you remember the super stickin...LOL....I'm sure you remember the super stickiness of that candy, far exceeding any gummy. We loved eating the paper wrapper first, letting that melt in the mouth, then the candy.<br /><br />YHFAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-87583072127223526922015-10-15T12:16:43.914-07:002015-10-15T12:16:43.914-07:00YHF, my mom used to buy that candy for my sister a...YHF, my mom used to buy that candy for my sister and I, when we were children. And I bought it for my own kids. We thought the novelty of eating the "paper" wrapper was cool. They sell that at Cost Plus World Market.Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-46730856810694359702015-10-15T12:05:37.128-07:002015-10-15T12:05:37.128-07:00Oh...do you mean almond float?? Yes, love that je...Oh...do you mean almond float?? Yes, love that jellied treat. In the past I've served it (sliced in cubes) with a can each of fruit cocktail, lychee, and mandarin oranges. Went especially well at picnics, since it is so easy to serve in cups. That's funny, bring on the evaporated milk lol <br /><br />Now if you're fusing milk products into gummy, why not mochi rice flour. That would definitely make the gummy extra thick and sticky like the commercial gummies. To get that "mochi" texture, the rice flour must not only be cooked but pounded for hours like kneading wheat flour (cumbersome but a necessary chore to work the dough), but through the miracle of technology the microwave does a good job of replicating the pounding action on mochi, so after a painful 10 minutes of microwave time, wallah you got mochi that took hours of pounding. Why am I saying this?....because imagine gummy made with mochi flour to get that rice stickiness and gelatin to keep it together. Usually the mochi is dense enough that it can hold together by itself, but you couldn't add much else like fruit juices or you will lose the dense cohesiveness. So mochi for chewy sticky and gelatin for keeping it together. I say this because everytime I eat mochi, I think of gummy. In fact there is a gummy rice candy that we ate as little kids, http://www.amazon.com/Botan-Rice-Candy-0-75-Oz/dp/B0002656QK. Plus, there might be an added benefit to adding the mochi flour....it is likely not affected by ambient temperature changes.<br /><br />YHFAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-17116182987339037602015-10-15T09:55:14.908-07:002015-10-15T09:55:14.908-07:00Sara, I think canned pineapple juice might be stro...Sara, I think canned pineapple juice might be strong enough on its own. Or, one could evaporate some of the liquid on the stove (you'd lose the vitamin C benefit, however). I'd be more inclined to do something like add some bottled lemon juice plus sweetening, to up the flavor. <br /><br />I don't know if frozen pineapple juice concentrate is heat treated enough to neutralize the enzymes (so the gelatin would gel). But that would be another test, to use frozen concentrated pineapple juice in gummies, for a pineapple candy. Or, a mix of frozen orange juice concentrate and canned pineapple juice.Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.com