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This is related but not a duplicate of this question.

Apparently, I used fresh kiwi and mango in my jelly, and now it does not set. I know what I did wrong; but what can I do about it?

E.g. Can I add gelatin powder to the mixture to improve the chances of it setting?

I know that as a last resort I can probably take the fruit out and consume them directly, but then the jelly would be wasted (drinking sugar syrup is...not very pleasant).

Sneftel
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kevin
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  • Adding gelatin at this point may be difficult - it may form hard to dissolve clumps and require boiling the jelly way too long to make it liquid. Try dissolving the gelatin in small amount of water separately, then stir it in (both liquids at least warm). – SF. Jan 13 '20 at 12:18
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    It is not uncommon in the US to use failed jelly as breakfast syrup for pancakes, waffles etc. rather than as a drink syrup. Not sure on a kiwi/mango, it would depend on personal taste, though added to a fresh fruit or compote it sounds appealing to me. I have even seen companies market them as "Oops". Syrups made with the same basic recipe as their jelly but without gelling it. – dlb Jan 13 '20 at 13:36
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    So...based on the other question, you added fresh fruit to a gelatin. As an American my first thought was the jelly you spread on toast which typically relies on pectin rather than gelatin. I *dont* know if kiwi will wreck pectin or agar agar as well, but those might be options to consider besides gelatin if you don't want to cook your fruit in the future. – kitukwfyer Jan 13 '20 at 16:56
  • Pectin from orange peels *may* save you from enzyme in kiwi. Course you'll end up with marmalade rather than jelly. – Wayfaring Stranger Jan 13 '20 at 19:10
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    Fid you use kiwifruit? Or kiwi? As a New Zealander, they're quite different. – Criggie Jan 14 '20 at 03:17
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    FYI Jelly setting is destroyed by the natural digestive enzymes in (fresh) pineapples, papayas, mangoes, kiwi etc. I also found out the hard way when I tried to use fresh pineapple in a trifle. Use canned pineapple instead, it's heat-treated which destroys those enzymes. – smci Jan 14 '20 at 12:21
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    @smci or just boil the fruit if you can't find canned pineapples (markets in my area don't have canned pineapples, but fresh ones arrive in one market) – John Hamilton Jan 15 '20 at 13:20
  • @Criggie it's pretty obvious what is meant here, pretty much everyone outside australia and new zealand calls a kiwifruit simply kiwi. – Ivo Jan 15 '20 at 13:33
  • @IvoBeckers yep and they're wrong. I was going for humour value with that one. – Criggie Jan 15 '20 at 18:30

2 Answers2

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Your problem is actinidain, an enzyme in the kiwi (and to a lesser degree even in the mango) that causes the jelly to stay liquid. Heat deactivates it, so your first step is to boil the whole thing. The minimum temperature to denature actinidain is 60 C, but I recommend to exceed that, just to be sure. You should then add more gelatin, assume that at least a significant portion of the original gelatin was broken down, as evidenced by the non-setting.

If you don’t like the now-mushy fruit pieces after boiling, I suggest giving it a whirr with the immersion blender and calling it “mousse”. You could even add a bit of whipped cream, mixed in just before the jelly sets. (Note that adding a dairy product will only be ok after boiling, again the enzymes need to be deactivated or the whole thing will turn bitter as well.)

Stephie
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The problem is probably bromelain, an enzyme in kiwifruit which is destructive to gelatin 'bonds' which tangle together to create the set jelly. I'm not sure about mango though.

Weasel
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  • This appears to play a similar role to actinidain. Various sources indicate it is indeed also found in pineapple. (So, both are probably the problem.) – doppelgreener Jul 31 '20 at 08:49