Help - Strawberry Filling Fiasco

Baking By tlcbakery Updated 27 Mar 2013 , 12:59pm by -K8memphis

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tlcbakery Posted 26 Mar 2013 , 2:24pm
post #1 of 18

I need some help!

 

I have made this strawberry filling recipe dozens of times and it's just the best.  I am prepping for a wedding cake and this time, it just didn't thicken as much as usual.  I am giving it some time to chill (I made it all yesterday) but I am nervous that it's going to still be so liquidy! 

 

I don't want to add more cornstarch, is there anything else I can use?  I was thinking plain gelatin might do the trick.  Any and all advice is much appreciated!  I would really prefer not to start all over again! 

 

Much thanks!

17 replies
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ddaigle Posted 26 Mar 2013 , 2:29pm
post #2 of 18

Can you post the recipe for us to look at? 

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-K8memphis Posted 26 Mar 2013 , 2:29pm
post #3 of 18

gelatin would work but so would cornstarch

 

you boiled it for two minutes or more after putting the cs?

 

sorry it's not working like usual--bad timing for it to happen

 

yes no worries--gelatin will work--it needs time to set up

 

you are familiar with how to bloom gelatin?? don't boil it right?

 

no no no don't start over--we can fix this!

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tlcbakery Posted 26 Mar 2013 , 2:31pm
post #4 of 18

Oh sure! I don't have it actually written down, it's just what my mother used when I was growing up.

 

Let's see, I use:

1 C water

3-4 T cornstarch

3/4 - 1 C sugar

3 C Strawberries cut into smaller chunks/pieces

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tlcbakery Posted 26 Mar 2013 , 2:35pm
post #5 of 18

Yes!  I did everything as normal and something just didn't go right this time!  Would using fresh vs frozen berries made this big of a difference?  I didn't think so, but I've been wrong before!

 

I don't know all the technical terms but does blooming refer to adding the gelatin to water and then slowly heating to dissolve? 

 

Should I remove some of the excess liquid as my filling currently stands or just add the gelatin in?

 

Thank you so much!

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tlcbakery Posted 26 Mar 2013 , 2:36pm
post #6 of 18

Oh, sure! I've never actually written it down as my mother used it while I was growing up.

 

Let's see, I use:

 

1 C water

3-4 T cornstarch

3/4-1 C sugar

3 C strawberries

 

I think I've seen similar recipes around...

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-K8memphis Posted 26 Mar 2013 , 2:50pm
post #7 of 18

you sprinkle the gelatin over water--wait ten minutes--heat just to melt it--not to boiling then add to your mixture

 

but i think it might be a good idea to strain your mixture and add the gelatine to the liquid mix well--strain it again--then add the solids back in

 

i mean personally i'd do more cornstarch first --conrstarch is sure fire--gelatine you gotta figure out where you're at as far as thickness -- add the right amount of gelatine and hope you got it right--and wait

 

with cs-- you know right now it's gonna hold for you

 

and you're already seeing the weeds from where you're standing

 

no i've used both frozen and fresh and combinations of both and it's fine--maybe they were still wet from when you washed them? they have those little cavities in there that can hold a lot of liquid? who knows--but we can fix this

 

and another beauty of cs is it sets up clear ...well so does gelatine--your call

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tlcbakery Posted 26 Mar 2013 , 2:57pm
post #8 of 18

Okay, good deal.  I'll go snag some more cornstarch after work and try that first.  So I would strain the liquid I have and just add more CS to it - is that what we're thinking?  Then add it all back together?

 

Or should I just put it all back on the stove?

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-K8memphis Posted 26 Mar 2013 , 3:07pm
post #9 of 18

you need the entire batch in the pot--and i bring it to a boil then add the cs slurry and it all boils again for two minutes--you can then determine the final consistency by plopping a dollop on a saucer and chilling it for a few till it looses the heat -- take it out and tilt the saucer--it it doesn't weep or move much you got it--if it's not what you want add some more and repeat

 

you got this!

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tlcbakery Posted 26 Mar 2013 , 3:10pm
post #10 of 18

Such a lifesaver! Thank you so much!  I'm glad I decided to make the filling first this time around and not last - thank you conscious icon_biggrin.gif

 

I'll keep you posted how things go with round two.  Thanks again!

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-K8memphis Posted 26 Mar 2013 , 3:22pm
post #11 of 18

awesome!

 

i like to make my fillings first too

 

yay conscience!!

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tlcbakery Posted 26 Mar 2013 , 4:56pm
post #12 of 18

I think I will have to amend my schedule of events after this time!

 

Boo to my incorrect word choice - oops :)

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-K8memphis Posted 26 Mar 2013 , 5:12pm
post #13 of 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by tlcbakery 

 

Boo to my incorrect word choice - oops :)

 

 

phooey on that big time

 

communicating is infinitely more important than perfect grammar spelling and diction

 

unless you're in the national spelling bee in which case you need to be keenly aware of thousands of words that will never arise in conversation nor in the written word

 

communicating is much more than being perfect in those three things

 

i knew exactly what you meant

 

i make tons of typos  but try to focus on making myself understood

 

if i worry about writing perfectly i couldn't help you with your filling ;)

 

but i know someone else could...

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Paperfishies Posted 27 Mar 2013 , 1:17am
post #14 of 18

Before adding gelatin, make sure that no one is a vegetarian or has any religious issues with it.  Gelatin is not a vegetarian or kosher/halal product.

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DebbyJG Posted 27 Mar 2013 , 2:58am
post #15 of 18

A

Original message sent by Paperfishies

Before adding gelatin, make sure that no one is a vegetarian or has any religious issues with it.  Gelatin is not a vegetarian or kosher/halal product.

Actually if you get Great Lakes brand, the orange container is kosher.

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tlcbakery Posted 27 Mar 2013 , 4:56am
post #16 of 18

A

Original message sent by -K8memphis

you got this!

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tlcbakery Posted 27 Mar 2013 , 4:57am
post #17 of 18

ATotally got it! Worked like a charm, guess it just needed some more time on the heat. Thanks much for the advice!

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-K8memphis Posted 27 Mar 2013 , 12:59pm
post #18 of 18

yay!!! ;)

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