What is a vegan gummy recipe?

A vegan gummy recipe is a formula that excludes gelatin or any animal by-products. The texture of a vegan gummy recipe tends to be a lot softer and less chewy than its gelatin counterpart which are much chewier. However, the beauty of the vegan gummy recipe is that it can still use Dolce Foglia flavoring which is great gummy bear flavoring. And though the textures may be different between the vegan and non vegan recipes, the flavor will still be very similar. 

With the rise of Veganism in the last decade, pectin gummy recipes have become increasingly popular. The most difficult part to understand is that regardless of whether you know how to make gelatin gummies, the pectin or agar gummies are a whole different ball game and require a whole different set of processes and procedures. The hardest part of the vegan gummy recipe is how perfect the formulas has to be. If the formula is slightly altered in anyway, it could spell a throw away. 

I'm still kind of surprised that vegan gummies can be considered gummies because their texture is so soft that is reflects more of a soft chew. Anyhow, let's dig into the ingredients and processes. 

What is pectin?

Pectin is a type of starch called heteropolysaccharide that occurs naturally in the cell walls of fruits and vegetables and gives them structure. The combination of sugar and acid gives jams and jellies a semi-solid texture when cooled.

Commercial pectin is usually made from citrus peel. It is sold in dry powder and liquid form and is expensive.

What can you use pectin for?

Pectin is a clear beige powder that is odorless and tasteless. 

Pectin is used to thicken recipes that contain low-pectin fruits. Some fruits, especially very ripe ones, have relatively low levels of pectin. For example, strawberries and raspberries are easy to mash, suggesting they contain very little "glue", which helps build fruit structure. For these fruits without added pectin, making a properly firm jelly or jam may require adding a lot of sugar, cooking too long, or both, resulting in the jam or jelly that doesn't taste like fruit.

How to Cook With Pectin

The type of pectin used determines how it is added to the recipe. High methoxy pectin must be cooked at high temperature (220°F) with acid and sugar to form a gel, while low methoxy pectin can be activated at room temperature. Therefore, HM pectin was added to the hot fruit mix at an early stage. LM pectin is usually mixed with some sugar and then added to hot fruit later in the recipe. Towards the end of the cooking process, pour the liquid pectin into a pot of hot fruit mixture.

After adding the pectin, be careful not to overcook the recipe as cooking past the gel point or under stirring will help break down the pectin.

Pectin Gummy Recipe:

Pectin jellies based on High Ester pectin are characterized by a nice, delicate texture and good flavour release.

Soluble solids : 78% Brix

pH of finished product: 3.3 – 3.5

Process:

1) Dry blend pectin with 6% of sugar. Disperse in water using high agitation. Heat to boiling for total dissolution.

2) Add remaining sugar and corn syrup. Cook to 110ºC or 78 soluble solids.

3) Add citric acid solution (with gummy bear flavoring and color) slowly and mix thoroughly.

4) Deposit >90ºC in oiled molds or dry starch (7% moisture).

5) Store starch trays overnight at room temperature. Oiled molds (silicon rubber) can be demolded within 30 minutes.

6) Optional: add oil or sugar sand to the candies once demolded

 In conclusion, this article is meant to help those looking to create vegan gummies for professional or home use.

Did this answer all your questions about vegan gummy recipes?

Please contact us at Joshua@dolcefoglia.com for any inquiries regarding formulations and flavorings or leave a comment below.

If you can't wait to speak with us then please call us at (818)230-2884.

If you're looking for a shelf stable gummy recipe, please check out this blog.