Homemade DecoGel
Have you ever seen a cookie or cake achieve a glass-like shine? Maybe it’s a stained glass cookie or a cake with a shiny lake?
In most cases, that’s achieved with decorating gelatin, or DecoGel.
DecoGel was a product that made it super easy for cookie and cake decorators to get that shiny surface. The problem is that is has been discontinued.
The good news is that it’s really quick and easy to make at home with just a few ingredients! You may even have all of the ingredients in your pantry right now!
What You Need
Ingredients:
Corn syrup
Flavoring
Water
Tools:
Measuring cup and spoons
Small saucepan
Spatula
Small microwave-safe bowl
Glass jar
Food coloring
How to Make It
First, add corn syrup to your saucepan and place on the stove over medium-low heat. If you’d like to add flavoring to your gel, also add that in with the corn syrup. Once the corn syrup is warm it will become very liquidy and have some small bubbles on the top.
While the corn syrup warms up, stir together the gelatin and water. It will make a really thick paste that will be hard to stir.
Microwave the gelatin for 10 to 20 seconds. Watch it carefully to ensure it doesn’t bubble over. Immediately add the gelatin to the warm corn syrup, then stir to combine.
At this point, your homemade DecoGel is ready to use!
You can add food coloring if you’d like, or you can store it in a glass jar until you are ready to use it.
The DecoGel will start to set in about a minute, but it will take several hours to set completely into a soft gummy-candy like texture.
If you want to reuse your homemade DecoGel, reheat by microwaving in 10-second increments, stirring in between to ensure it’s evenly heated through. Once it gets back to a pourable consistency, it’s ready!
Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract (or flavoring of choice*)
2 tbsp gelatin
2 tbsp water
Instructions:
Pour corn syrup and flavoring into a saucepan, place over medium-low heat. Heat for 5 minutes until warm.
In a small microwave-safe bowl, stir together gelatin and water. It will become very thick.
When corn syrup is warm, microwave the gelatin mixture until melted, about 10-20 seconds.
Pour melted gelatin into the warm corn syrup and stir to combine.
Add food coloring, if desired, and use while still warm and easily pourable. Or store in a glass jar until ready to use.
To reheat, microwave in 10-second increments, stirring in between, until it returns to a pourable consistency.
*Adjust the amount of flavoring as necessary, depending on the type added.
Gel can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.