DIY NAC Gummy Disaster - Need Help!
Hey everyone! I tried making my own NAC gummies at home and they turned into a sad, sticky mess. I used beef gelatin and NAC powder, but they never set. They’re gooey and taste awful. I was aiming for that nostalgic gummy bear texture. Any tips? I really want to avoid the jello-like consistency.
Sounds like you might’ve added too much liquid or not enough gelatin! I’ve been making my own vitamin gummies for a year now. Here’s my go-to: for every 1 tsp NAC powder, mix with 2 tbsp water first, then bloom 1 tbsp gelatin in 3 tbsp cold water for 10 mins. Heat up fruit juice (like 1/4 cup) and dissolve the bloomed gelatin into it ON LOW HEAT (don’t boil!). Then stir in your NAC mixture, pour into molds, and fridge for at least 2 hours. They come out perfect and chewy! Also, add a little honey or stevia – it helps mask the sulfur taste.
I’m an amateur cook and I’ve had issues with gelatin gummies too. Actually, I switched to agar agar because it works better for me – no refrigeration needed and it sets firm even with acidic stuff. But with NAC, I found that the powder doesn’t dissolve well if you don’t premix it with a tiny bit of warm water. Also, check the pH of your base – gelatin hates acidic environments (like citrus juice). If you want to stick with gelatin, use a neutral juice like apple or pear. Or try my agar recipe: 1 tsp agar, 1 cup liquid, bring to a boil for 2 mins, then add NAC (premixed) and pour into molds. Sets in 30 mins at room temp!
Thanks guys! I bet it was the pineapple juice I used – I heard it has an enzyme that breaks down gelatin, right? I’ll try Frank’s method with apple juice and maybe add a touch of lemon to cut the taste. Also Liam, I might experiment with agar next time. Do you think I can substitute the agar amount for gelatin in recipes, or is it totally different?
Totally different! Agar sets firmer and needs boiling to activate. And yeah, pineapple juice is a gelatin killer – bromelain ruins it. For agar, use about 1 tsp per cup of liquid (or 2 tsp if you want harder gummies). But FYI, NAC’s sulfur smell gets way stronger if you boil it too long – so add the NAC after you take the agar mix off the heat. Hope this helps!