Hoosier Hill Farm Instant Clear Jel, 1.5LB (Pack of 1)

I'd already been looking into this for the possibility of making homemade instant pudding mix, but what really put me over the edge was when my last mixed berry crisp came out way too watery. I use frozen berries, and cornstarch just doesn't have the thickening power needed to make them set up.Just yesterday I tried again after having ordered this wonderful stuff. I whisked together 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of instant clearjel, and then tossed my 1 lb. of frozen berries in that before adding them to the 9" round cake pan and covering with the crisp topping. The results were miraculous! My berry crisp set up perfectly, instead of the pan soaking in loose berry juices that were difficult to scoop up.The crisp mix I prefer is Concord Fresh Success apple crisp mix, and I like to use a pound of frozen mixed berries that includes blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and cranberries. That extra tartness makes for a wonderful holiday dessert, and the acidity didn't interfere with the clearjel's thickening power.One important tip: I read that you really do need to mix this with sugar to change how quickly the clearjel absorbs liquid, so it doesn't clump. Obviously for sugar-free recipes you'd use whatever sweetener you prefer.

Works wonderfully.

Great for fruit pies. This is the only gel that I will use, no more tapioca.

Excellent product. It does a great job thickening pie fillings without altering the color of the fruit or adding a taste of its own.. I've used it to make apple, blueberry, cherry, and mixed berry pies. I haven't yet tried it to make gravy, but plan to this fall and winter. I am pleased with the product and pleased to be a repeat customer.

Clear Jel®, a corn starch derivative, is a commercial thickening product used by bakeriesand for frozen food. This product is used the same as flour or corn starch.There are two types of Clear Jel® available, “instant” and “regular”. “Instant” doesnot require heat to thicken. The product will thicken once the liquid is added.“Regular”, on the other hand, must be heated. This is generally the preferred type touse in products to be canned.To use Clear Jel® in a hot dish such as gravy, first mix a small amount in warm water,then add gradually to the hot liquid, mixing constantly. Or, mix everything togetherwhile cold, and then heat and stir to thicken.Pies and fillings which have been prepared with Clear Jel® and frozen need to becooked or baked before serving. If the fillings become “thin” during baking, increasethe oven temperature, and shorten the baking time to prevent what is called “oven boilout”. This usually is caused by excessive baking at a temperature too low.Advantages:• It is clear in color when cooked.• It has excellent stability.• It remains smooth.• It prevents liquid separation and curdling after foods have been frozen.• Cream sauces, custard, and puddings may be frozen with excellent results.Advantages:• It is less expensive than pectin.• The amount of sugar may be adjusted without losing the jelling capacity.• Recipes may be doubled, tripled or halved.• The jam may be frozen or processed in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.Hints:• Using Clear Jel® in making jams and jellies is not an exact science. Many factorsinfluence the quality of the product. It is best to try a small batch and makeadjustments before making larger batches.• Use pint or 1/2 pint jars.• Any fruit jam or jelly recipe may be used as long as the product is processed for10 minutes or frozen. Substitute 7 tbsp of Clear Jel® for the pectin in cooked jamsand jellies and 3-4 tbsp of Clear Jel® for the pectin in freezer jam recipes.• Clear Jel® does not dissolve easily in liquid. To help dissolve the product mix theClear Jel® with a little sugar before adding to the fruit or juice.Problem solving:Jam is too stiff: To make softer, heat the product and add a little more juice or water,then reprocess.Jam is too thin: To make stiffer, heat the product and add more Clear Jel® mixedwith a few tbsp of sugar and dissolved in 1/2 cup of the product.

Great thickener

This Clear Jel is great stuff! There don't seem to be a lot of recipes on how to use it well in various ways so I've been experimenting with both this Instant Clear Jel and the one that requires cooking. Of the 2 - I like this one the best as you can determine the thickness of the final product instantly. I don't can foods, but I do make Berry Pies and this is absolutely perfect for making pies. You have to adjust the amount you use to the "type" of fruit, Fresh or Frozen fruit, the amount of fruit and the ripeness of the fruit as some fruits produce more juice than others -- but it's now my go-to thickener for berry pies. I particularly like its texture - and you can instantly make it as thick or thin as you want. BEST - you don't have to cook it. Wonderful blackberry pie!!! I first precook my own homemade pie shell - let it cool. Once the shell is cool, I sweeten fresh or frozen blackberries (I prefer frozen) with Sugar till thawed and juicy - about an hour. Then I add (1 T at a time) the Clear Jel to the Berry/Juice/Sugar Mixture and gently stir it. It thickens up immediately - no cooking. For a firm set pie (doesn't run) I use the full 3 T of Clear Jel for Berries that fill of the 9.5" pie shell. If you want it thinner, somewhat juicier or more runny, just add less till it's the texture you like. It holds up wonderfully in the Refrigerator as well.

This is a great product. Makes all the difference in the world for home cooking.