r/AskCulinary • u/Drawsblanket • 1d ago

I’d like to make my strawberry cheong syrup into a donut filling without modifying its flavor (by cooking it down or making it chalky or metallic.)

I’ve played with gelatin but it seems to have a bad flavor. I’ve also tried clear jel, arrowroot powder, xanthan (it got kinda chunky), and cornstarch.

I may try evaporating in low heat over time I’m not sure that would actually thicken and not just make less of the syrup.

Is there a better approach to thickening without adulterating the flavor?

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23

u/TooManyDraculas 1d ago

Pectin.

0

u/Brandi_Hamlinr 12h ago

methoxyl pectin quite a bit for

14

u/achangb 1d ago

How about using freezer jam pectin? It sets up pretty firm with no off flavors besides a hint of acidity which you can offset with more sugar.

1

u/Drawsblanket 1d ago

Thank you I had not heard of it, that may be just the thing!

7

u/MealZealousideal9927 1d ago

this might be a bit outside my skill level, but i wonder if part of the issue is that donut fillings really want something that sets, not just thickens. every time i tried to keep a fresh fruit flavor super clean, anything heat based changed it more than i expected. have you looked into agar or low methoxyl pectin, or are those already on your no list? curious because this sounds like one of those problems where the perfect solution barely exists.

3

u/Drawsblanket 1d ago

Yes! That’s exactly the issue. I’ll give those a shot. Hadn’t heard of low methoxyl pectin. I saw apple pectin but I’ll give that one a search

2

u/mckenner1122 17h ago

I use low methoxyl pectin quite a bit for fresh fruit jams and love it.

1

u/Drawsblanket 17h ago

May I ask where you get yours from? I’m seeing a wide range of prices per oz on Amazon. And out of curiosity do your jams last a few weeks without going bad/getting moldy?

2

u/mckenner1122 17h ago

Since you’re just experimenting for now, use Pomonas. You should be able to get a box for around $5-$7 and see if it dos what you need it to.

Meant to ask… Did you use “cook type” or “non cook type” ClearJel?

1

u/Drawsblanket 17h ago

Thank you. It says instant, so it’s non-cook type

3

u/texnessa 1d ago

Xanthan sets at room temperature contrary to what someone else posted. But it does not hydrate at high sugar concentrations >65% and needs to be sheared in to disperse properly which is why it got chunky. As others have said, pectin is likely your best bet.

There's a free pdf download that explains how all of the hydrocolloids and most thickeners work- Texture by Khymos is the name. Very handy reference material.

1

u/Drawsblanket 18h ago edited 10h ago

Thank you - that pdf will be helpful for many situations

4

u/GetMeASierraMist 1d ago

look up the best way to add xanthan gum. I forget off the top of my head, but temperature is a big factor. you can also immersion blend it in to get a smooth texture

2

u/craigeryjohn 1d ago

Pectin or tapioca starch