Aspic

Appears in
Professional Cooking
Professional Cooking

By Wayne Gisslen

Published 2014

  • About

Aspic jelly, or gelée (zhuh lay), is clarified stock that contains enough gelatin to solidify when cold. The gelatin may be naturally extracted from bones or added from a package. Good stock naturally contains a certain amount of gelatin but, in most cases, it must be supplemented with additional unflavored packaged gelatin.

Aspic jelly may be nearly colorless (white aspic) or various shades of amber. Most often, however, it must be crystal clear. This is achieved by clarifying it like a consommé. White or light-colored aspic is used when the natural colors of the foods and decorations must show through. Amber or golden aspic enhances the brown color of foods such as roasted meats and poultry.