Hoosier Hill Farm Instant Clear Jel Thickening Powder, 1.5LB (Pack of 1)

I can not say enough about this product, we love this. I make homemade pudding and pie filling and this works like a charm.I will definitely be buying this again.If you are thinking about buying this, just do it and you will not be disappointed.

I'd already been looking into this for the possibility of making homemade instant pudding mix, but what really put me over the edge was when my last mixed berry crisp came out way too watery. I use frozen berries, and cornstarch just doesn't have the thickening power needed to make them set up.Just yesterday I tried again after having ordered this wonderful stuff. I whisked together 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of instant clearjel, and then tossed my 1 lb. of frozen berries in that before adding them to the 9" round cake pan and covering with the crisp topping. The results were miraculous! My berry crisp set up perfectly, instead of the pan soaking in loose berry juices that were difficult to scoop up.The crisp mix I prefer is Concord Fresh Success apple crisp mix, and I like to use a pound of frozen mixed berries that includes blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and cranberries. That extra tartness makes for a wonderful holiday dessert, and the acidity didn't interfere with the clearjel's thickening power.One important tip: I read that you really do need to mix this with sugar to change how quickly the clearjel absorbs liquid, so it doesn't clump. Obviously for sugar-free recipes you'd use whatever sweetener you prefer.

this is great not just for jams and jellies but for making cake fillings as well

Hoosier Hill Clear JellI use this product in canning fruit fillings for pies, ice cream, etc.This is not the first time I have ordered this product. It has always comes on time, is packaged well and in good condition when it arrives. Amazon is my only source for this product.

Clear Jel®, a corn starch derivative, is a commercial thickening product used by bakeriesand for frozen food. This product is used the same as flour or corn starch.There are two types of Clear Jel® available, “instant” and “regular”. “Instant” doesnot require heat to thicken. The product will thicken once the liquid is added.“Regular”, on the other hand, must be heated. This is generally the preferred type touse in products to be canned.To use Clear Jel® in a hot dish such as gravy, first mix a small amount in warm water,then add gradually to the hot liquid, mixing constantly. Or, mix everything togetherwhile cold, and then heat and stir to thicken.Pies and fillings which have been prepared with Clear Jel® and frozen need to becooked or baked before serving. If the fillings become “thin” during baking, increasethe oven temperature, and shorten the baking time to prevent what is called “oven boilout”. This usually is caused by excessive baking at a temperature too low.Advantages:• It is clear in color when cooked.• It has excellent stability.• It remains smooth.• It prevents liquid separation and curdling after foods have been frozen.• Cream sauces, custard, and puddings may be frozen with excellent results.Advantages:• It is less expensive than pectin.• The amount of sugar may be adjusted without losing the jelling capacity.• Recipes may be doubled, tripled or halved.• The jam may be frozen or processed in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.Hints:• Using Clear Jel® in making jams and jellies is not an exact science. Many factorsinfluence the quality of the product. It is best to try a small batch and makeadjustments before making larger batches.• Use pint or 1/2 pint jars.• Any fruit jam or jelly recipe may be used as long as the product is processed for10 minutes or frozen. Substitute 7 tbsp of Clear Jel® for the pectin in cooked jamsand jellies and 3-4 tbsp of Clear Jel® for the pectin in freezer jam recipes.• Clear Jel® does not dissolve easily in liquid. To help dissolve the product mix theClear Jel® with a little sugar before adding to the fruit or juice.Problem solving:Jam is too stiff: To make softer, heat the product and add a little more juice or water,then reprocess.Jam is too thin: To make stiffer, heat the product and add more Clear Jel® mixedwith a few tbsp of sugar and dissolved in 1/2 cup of the product.

This is the type that does not need heat to thicken, but that does not mean you cannot heat it. As long as it's only cooked or baked once, it holds up just fine. You can use it for a glaze over fresh strawberry pie, or you can heat it on the stove in a sauce, or use it for baking a fruit pie.This is very handy for thickening all kinds of things. I used it in my dairy-free pumpkin pie this year which has always been a little loose until now. Since I use coconut cream (canned) and not sweetened condensed milk, there is more moisture in my pies. I prefer to only use 2 eggs to avoid an eggy taste. I added 2 tablespoons, and was able to make a pie firm enough to slice the way normal pumpkin pie is.It works when making cream pies too out of melted chocolate and coconut cream. I even tried some in a coconut-pecan frosting, to emulate the German's chocolate cake type. Since I avoid dairy, and the original recipes call for sweetened condensed milk and/or yolks, I just played around with adding some clear jel. I'd advise going lightly. My first attempt seemed fine when I dressed the cake, but turned a hint of rubbery the next day instead of "creamy." Simply cutting back by a teaspoon gave a more natural result.I intend to try this in making non-dairy ice cream too. I make the kinds with a custard base. Somewhere I got a recipe that calls for substituting corn starch in place of eggs. I have been using a recipe where I use both eggs and corn starch, but this next season, I am going to use clear jel in place of the regular corn starch.

My new favorite kitchen staple. So much better than Cornstarch. I promise you if you try it you will never use cornstarch again!!!

I have not yet used this instant clear gel, which arrived in a very timely fashion, BUT I ordered and received it the first week of May 2025, and the Best By Date is December 2025. I expect that it will work very well, but I'm terribly disappointed that the best by date is only 7 months away.