I did something really unfair awhile back, and it’s only in hindsight that I can see it: posting about how gross Jell-O is (what with all the boiled pig’s hooves and cartilage, you know, normal stuff you expect in your dessert), without giving you an alternative. It happened that way because until then I didn’t know about Kanten. But now that I do – and that it’s good- it’s time to share. Who knew, but Kanten has been called a healthy person’s Jell-O. It’s not one clear colored mass like Jell-O, it has fruits suspended in the mold. And you sweeten it with fruit or berry juice. But of course the real difference is that there’s no gelatin, it’s replaced with agar flakes. Agar flakes are derived from seaweed and Asians have used it for centuries in their desserts, i.e this is not a fad or anything new. Here’s the recipe we love, from the Real Food Daily Cookbook:
Strawberry Kanten (Serves 6)
4 1/4 cups of Apple juice
1 Tbs Arrowroot
1/4 cup Agar flakes
1/8 tsp Salt
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
3 cups Fresh strawberries, quartered
Stir 1/4 cup of juice and the arrowroot in a small bowl to blend; set aside. Combine the agar and salt with the remaining 4 cups juice in a heavy saucepan and bring to a simmer over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer, stirring frequently for 15 minutes or until the agar dissolves. Whisk in the arrowroot mixture. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Transfer the kanten to a large bowl and allow to cool at room temperature. When just beginning to set, stir in the strawberries. Spoon the kanten into dessert bowls, cover and refrigerate for four hours or until set. The kanten will keep for 2 days, covered and refrigerated.
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