Four leaves of platinum-grade gelatine set 1 pint (570 ml) of liquid. For the same pint you need about 3.5 g of agar powder. Unlike gelatine, agar has to boil for at least 2 minutes.
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Four leaves of platinum-grade gelatine set 1 pint (570 ml) of liquid. For the same pint you need about 3.5 g of agar powder. Unlike gelatine, agar has to boil for at least 2 minutes.
Instead of gelatine
3.5 g agar
instead of 4 gelatine leaves
Teaspoons (slightly heaped): 1¼ tsp
Sets: 570 ml
Whisk the agar into the cold liquid, bring it to the boil and simmer for at least 2 minutes. It sets below about 35 °C (RUF, Bavarian consumer advice centre).
Brands differ: 2 to 3.5 g set 500 ml. Check the packet, and use flakes only as the packet says.
What does the recipe say?
The calculator asks for:
Recipe gives (Leaves, Powder, Liquid)
Gelatine leaves (leaves)
Powdered gelatine (g)
Liquid (ml)
The calculation runs in your browser. Your details are not saved and not sent anywhere.
4 leaves of platinum-grade gelatine or 1 sachet (12 g) of powdered gelatine set 1 pint (570 ml) of liquid (Dr. Oetker UK).
3 g of pure agar powder, a slightly heaped teaspoon, set 500 ml (RUF). Other brands say 2 g (Rapunzel) or 3.5 g (Biovegan).
The calculator works via the liquid: first how many ml the gelatine sets, then how much agar that liquid needs. Agar is rounded to 0.5 g, teaspoons to the nearest quarter.
UK packs say 4 leaves per pint, German packs 6 leaves per 500 ml – go by your packet, not by a leaf count from another country.
570 ml need 570 ÷ 500 × 3 g = 3.42 g of agar, so about 3.5 g
Good to know
Agar sets as it cools and only melts again at 85 to 90 °C, so an agar jelly holds even in a warm room (Hispanagar).
Acidic ingredients like lemon juice weaken agar. Use a little more, or add the acid once the mixture has cooled a little (RUF, Bavarian consumer advice centre).
For a soft set, use a little less: test a spoonful on a cold plate first.
Frequently asked questions
How much agar replaces 4 leaves of gelatine?
About 3.5 g, just over a slightly heaped teaspoon. That sets 1 pint (570 ml) of liquid.
How much agar replaces a sachet of powdered gelatine?
Also about 3.5 g: a 12 g sachet sets 1 pint, just like 4 leaves.
How much agar for 1 litre?
About 6 g of pure agar powder, two slightly heaped teaspoons.
Can I swap gelatine 1:1 for agar?
No. Agar is much stronger: by weight you need only about a third as much. The same amount of agar makes a far too firm set (Dr. Oetker UK).
Does agar need to boil?
Yes, for at least 2 minutes – only then does it set. Gelatine, on the other hand, must not boil.
What is gelatine made from?
In Europe, about 80 % comes from pork rind and most of the rest from cattle (Gelatine Manufacturers of Europe), and the animal doesn’t have to be on the label. Without pork: use agar, which is plant-based and made from seaweed, or beef gelatine.
Why won’t my jelly set with fresh pineapple?
Fresh pineapple, kiwi, papaya and figs contain an enzyme that breaks down gelatine. Heat destroys it, so tinned or briefly cooked fruit works (McGill Office for Science and Society).
