Agar-agar question

[peacewillfollow]

Okay, I was very excited to get Vegan Pie In The Sky in the mail recently, and even more excited to try the pumpkin pie recipe that's included. But I do have a few questions about that recipe, all revolving around agar.

Firstly, the recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of agar powder, but I could only find agar flakes at my local natural food store.

Comments

[ilo]

There was some agar info a few posts back, that might help.

[peacewillfollow]

Oh thank you...I should've looked back a bit. Still no solid answers. =/ I'm hesitant to make this pie if the book is so specific in saying that you can't substitute agar flakes for agar powder. I don't want the pie to come out poorly! Good thing I have another pumpkin pie recipe that I adore (and has no agar!).

[storytellerslie]

I haven't got the book yet, but I just checked on Amazon because I know there's usually a section in the beginning of these books about ingredients--on pp. 8-9 they talk about the difference between the powder and flakes, and where you can get the powder, because they think it works much better

[yennafrost]

http://theppk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=14693&p=417876&sid=fd78dc65cc341f268bbc23a7ee5e0166#p417876

[vonvoncake]

I'm making this pie, too! I actually went to the Asian store and bought the agar powder because I hate adapting new recipes before I make them once per the directions. It was REALLY cheap, like a dollar for a packet.

[peacewillfollow]

I wish I had an Asian market nearby. =( Seems like the easiest solution to this dilemma!

[storytellerslie]

you can buy agar powder online at multiple places: http://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Food-Products-Powder/dp/B000MGSJ5A, http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Healthy-Foods-Agar-Powder-2-oz-57-g/374?utm_source=gb&utm_medium=f2, http://store.veganessentials.com/agar-powder-by-now-p1133.aspx, and more

[vonvoncake]

You can also try a "natural foods store". I also generally count on Amazon, but their stuff was either too much, too long to get it or way too expensive.

The guy at Whole Paycheck (Whole Foods) told me I could whiz up the flakes in a small blender, but my friend cautioned me against this. I suppose you could try the flakes melted in some of the maple syrup or soy milk.

[pearllessoyster]

I've done this, or similar, recipes for pumpkin pie and it worked just as-is in the recipe. You can also try it with just cornstarch and no agar if you're still having an agar-flake dilemma and see if holds up - in my experience, it has. You could also try subbing out the agar for arrowroot powder, which should work also. But I definitely wouldn't use the flakes. Do you have a natural food store nearby? If they don't carry agar powder, they should be able to special-order it for you. If they carry NOW brand supplements, NOW makes a pretty cheap agar powder, as does Eden Naturals.