Sour Gummy Bites

Getting the Texture Right

Agar is more potent than gelatin and sets firmer, so the amount you use is really a matter of taste. Two teaspoons per cup of juice gives a firm, sliceable gummy with a clean bite. Here is how to adjust from there:

• Softer and more tender: drop to 1.5 teaspoons per cup.
• Firm and candy-like: stay at 2 teaspoons.
• Very firm, or extra sour: go up to 3 teaspoons. More acid means more agar, since acidity weakens the set.

The best part is that agar is forgiving. If a batch sets firmer or softer than you like, melt it back down over low heat, whisk in a little more juice or a little more agar, and pour it again.

Make Them With Gelatin Instead

Gelatin gives a softer, chewier, more elastic bite, closer to a classic store-bought gummy bear. The method is different, so follow these steps rather than the ones above.

• Use 3 tablespoons of unflavored gelatin powder in place of the agar agar.
• Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold fruit juice and let it bloom for 5 minutes, until it looks wrinkled and absorbed.
• Add the sugar or honey and warm over low heat, stirring, just until fully dissolved. Do not let it boil, which weakens gelatin and gives you a soft set.
• Remove from the heat, then stir in the lemon juice and citric acid.
• Fill the molds and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, then unmold, air dry, and coat exactly as above.
• Keep gelatin gummies in the refrigerator. Unlike agar, gelatin softens at room temperature.

Tips and Tricks

• Dial in the sour. One teaspoon of citric acid per 1/4 cup of sugar gives a pleasant pucker. Go to 2 teaspoons for a serious pinch. Taste the coating before you toss the gummies in it.
• You have about two minutes. Agar starts setting at around 90 to 105F, much warmer than gelatin, so once it comes off the heat the clock is running. Have your molds greased and lined up before you start cooking. If it does thicken in the pan, just warm it gently until it flows again.
• Coat right before serving. Sour sugar pulls moisture out of the gummies over time, so a coated batch slowly turns damp and sticky. Store them uncoated and toss just what you plan to eat.
• Two acids are better than one. Malic acid is sharper and lingers longer, while citric acid is brighter and hits first. Using half of each is how commercial sour candy gets that layered pucker.
• Grease the molds. Agar sets firm and grips silicone more than gelatin does. A very light coat of neutral oil makes unmolding effortless.
• Do not skip the drying. An hour on a rack is the difference between a coating that clings and one that slides off in the container.
• Juice matters more with gelatin. Fresh pineapple, kiwi, papaya, mango, fig, and ginger contain enzymes that break down gelatin and will leave you with a puddle. Agar agar is not affected by those enzymes at all, which is one more reason to reach for it.
• A note on honey. Honey works beautifully here, but it should never be given to children under one year old.
• Store them right. Agar gummies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week. Gelatin gummies belong in the refrigerator.