Agar-Agar

Agar-agar requires the application of heat to fully hydrate. Combine it with a liquid while it is cold, and then bring to a boil while stirring. Boil for 10 seconds to fully hydrate the agar-agar. Pour into the desired mold and let it set. There are different varieties of agar-agar available that do not require a full boil to hydrate the agar-agar, as well as agar-agar that is mixed with other hydrocolloids to obtain a more elastic gel (see the recipe for Crème Chantilly Ribbon; see Resources). Agar-agar gels are brittle and not very smooth in texture. They also have a very present taste of the ocean that is easily detectable if they are used with liquids that are not intensely flavored. Agar-agar is a thermo-reversible gel, meaning that it can be remelted with heat. Use agar-agar with strongly flavored liquids to subdue its intrinsic taste. Refer to the mixture on page 145; it gives you the best qualities of all of those hydrocolloids.