Iota carrageenan

Carraghénane iota

What it is

Iota answers to calcium rather than potassium, and the gel it makes is elastic where kappa’s is brittle: cut it and it flexes, break it with a whisk and it knits back together in the bowl. It is also the fraction that does not weep — an iota gel holds its water where a kappa gel slowly puddles.

In the kitchen

For a fluid gel, set it in a tray at 0.4 % and blitz it cold — it shears into a pourable cream that still coats a spoon. It survives freezing and thawing, which neither gelatine nor kappa does, so it is the one for a glaze made ahead.

Goes with

Cream Butter Olive oil Lemon Calcium chloride White sugar Xanthan gum

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