Can agar-agar be used in fondant icing in place of gelatin?

Question

Can china grass (agar-agar) be used as a substitute to gelatin in fondant cake icing?

Answer 1

Yes, there are several vegetarian fondant recipes using agar. Most tend to substitute it for gelatin in equal amounts.

Keep in mind two things:

• Agar has a much higher melting point and sets firmer than gelatin, so the resulting icing will be less "melty".

• The hydration process is completely different from gelatin. It doesn't bloom; it needs to be dispersed in cold/warm water and then heated all the way up to 90° C with constant agitation.

I'd recommend that you include the glycerin in any agar-based fondant recipes - they'll make it a lot easier to work with. Some gelatin recipes leave it out but IME you need it more for agar.