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German Pastry Chef, home

Basic Recipes

Piping Gel

by Lisa

Trained pastry chef

Clear homemade piping gel in a bowl
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Notes:

The gel can turn out with a different consistency from batch to batch and from use to use. That depends on several factors.

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Sometimes the gel can also get a little too firm to work with once it has been chilled. The easiest fix is to warm it gently and carefully in the microwave until it is smooth again. Now and then you may also need to stir in a small sip of water.

If you're feeling brave and want to try another version, grab some gummy bears. Put white gummy bears (or other gummy candies) in a bowl with a little water and warm them carefully in the microwave or over a water bath. Apply right away, because it sets quickly. Of course you can tint it however you like.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ tbsppowdered gelatinGerman recipes usually mean gelatin sheets of about 1.7 g each; this recipe uses powdered gelatin. In the US use unflavored powdered gelatin, bloomed in cold water; in the UK, powdered gelatine.
  • 2 tbspcold water
  • 1 ¾ cups420 mllight sugar syrupGerman beet syrup or glucose syrup. Light sugar syrup is a light, mild syrup made from sugar beets, used where a clear, neutral syrup is needed; in the US use light corn syrup, in the UK golden syrup or liquid glucose. Glucose syrup is a clear, thick syrup that keeps sugar from crystallizing; in the US use light corn syrup, in the UK liquid glucose.

Method

  1. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let the mixture bloom for 5 minutes.

  2. Then heat the mixture on the stove over low heat until the gelatin has dissolved and melted.

  3. Turn off the heat and stir in the syrup.

  4. The gel is now ready. If it is still warm, just let it cool a little, and then it's ready to use. (Tint it with gel or paste food coloring if you like.)