Many amateur confectioners are reluctant to use protein cream to decorate the cake, and with gelatin you can not be afraid that the finished product will lose its intended shape and settle in front of guests. How to cook this wonderful cream, this article will describe in detail, and photos will help you understand whether the cooking process is going on correctly, what pitfalls a protein cream is fraught with.
What products do you use this type of cream for?
Often in the confectionery business they use protein cream with gelatin to decorate all kinds of cakes, cupcakes, cakes, tubes and other sweet desserts based on dough.
At the same time, the specially prepared look of this cream in combination with chocolate icing is the famous “Bird's milk” - a cake on which more than one generation has grown. The basis of the base cream is proteins whipped with sugar, which are mixed with a gelling mass to give them stability for a long time. You can also add various food colors to this type of cream, which will make it possible to create multi-colored compositions on cakes.
Base for cream
In order to prepare a protein cream on gelatin, you first need to determine the necessary volume of the finished product in order to know how many eggs to use and in what proportion with sugar.
For instance:
- To prepare 140 grams of the finished cream, you need two proteins, 18 grams of gelatin and four tablespoons of sugar.
- To get 210 grams of protein cream, you should take three proteins, 26 grams of gelatin and six tablespoons of sugar. By the way, it can be replaced with powdered sugar, then the crystals dissolve faster, and the cream preparation time is halved.
- If you need 280 grams of protein cream with gelatin, then four proteins from eggs, 35 grams of gelling agent and eight tablespoons of granulated sugar are already used.
From this scheme, we can derive the regularity and the main proportion, according to which the amount of cream needed will be calculated on a larger scale: two tablespoons of sugar should be taken for one protein. You should also use a flavoring agent (lemon juice or vanilla) so that too sweet protein mass does not seem too cloying. Commonly used vanilla on the tip of a knife or a teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice on a cream of two proteins.
Features of working with proteins
The process of preparing a protein cream with gelatin (for cake) begins with the preparation of the inventory and the main ingredient: the dishes should be as dry and fat-free as possible, while it is desirable to cool it in the freezer for several minutes, then the proteins will beat much faster. You should also be sensitive to the division of eggs into proteins and yolks, otherwise the cream may also not beat in a plentiful foam.
We use yolks to prepare other dishes (do not throw them away), and it is also advisable to cool the whites directly in a bowl for whipping. By the way, it is very important that the bowl for whipping the cream is not metal: it will have an unappetizing grayish tint or will not beat at all. It is because of these several nuances that many housewives avoid cooking such a cream, preferring a regular cream or cream sour cream, or even an ordinary custard. Protein cream with gelatin is actually very easy to prepare for those who know these features.
Step cooking
So, we begin to prepare a protein cream with gelatin, or rather, by soaking it in cold water. Usually, in order for the gelatin to swell, 150 grams of water per tablespoon of gelling agent is enough. It is important to soak it in cold water, and when it completely swells and absorbs water, heat it on a steam bath, in no case bringing it to a boil, otherwise the product will lose its properties.
Place the proteins in a chilled bowl and begin to whisk immediately at low speeds, gradually adding them. Also, in the process of whipping, sugar (or powder) mixed with flavoring should be added in small portions. It is extremely important not to pour all the sugar at once at a time, because tender proteins can settle down and no longer rise.
Protein mass should increase several times, become snow-white and lush, and also quite dense. If you turn over the dishes with whipped cream, then it will not lose its location in a bowl: the cream peaks made by a whisk will remain the same shape. This is an indicator that the proteins have reached the desired condition, you can mix gelatin.
Continuing to stir the cream, pour the melted gelatin mixture into a thin stream and actively mix the finished cream again. It must immediately be used, since it quickly hardens, taking the final form conceived by the author-confectioner.
Protein custard
This version of the preparation of protein cream with gelatin is sometimes called Italian meringue due to the fact that the proteins are not whipped with sugar, but with syrup from it, which gives the cream greater storage stability. To prepare the cream, you must prepare:
- 150 grams of water;
- three hundred grams of granulated sugar;
- three proteins;
- 25 grams of gelatin plus 100 grams of water;
- 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice.
How to brew a cream of proteins?
First soak the gelatin in water and let it swell. To do this, it is better to take an instant product, then the process will take no more than ten minutes. In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar and put it on medium heat. When the mass boils, add lemon juice to it. Stir and continue boiling the syrup for another 5-8 minutes over low heat.
In a separate bowl, beat the cooled proteins with a mixer into a strong foam, which will be quite strong and not changing its shape for a long time. Continuing to whisk it, pour hot (!) Syrup into the same stream. Also, professional confectioners recommend adding 1 tsp at this moment. lean refined oil, then the cream will not stick to the dishes and other equipment (this will not affect the taste). If you wish, you can add a little vanilla to give a greater flavor to the finished cream. Without stopping the whipping process, pour gelatin melted in a steam bath there, and after twenty seconds you can stop the mixer and use the protein cream for the intended purpose.