Author: Maddie Van Beek
In the spirit of Halloween, we thought we’d have some more SLIMY SPOOKY FUN! Last week we made slime out of potato starch. This week, we’re going to use gelatin and corn syrup to make edible slime!
Gelatin is a product that is extracted from animal parts (usually the skin, bones and hooves of pigs or cattle) and is used for thickening certain foods. Gelatin comes from collagen, which is found in the connective tissue. You might not think of gelatin as healthy, but it is almost all protein. When gelatin is heated, the protein bonds break and form a liquid, but when it is cooled, the protein strands twist together and form a gel.
One special thing about gelatin is that it is thermoreversible, which means it thins as it is heated and thickens when it is cooled. Thermo comes from the Greek word thermos, which means heat. The Latin word reverses means to turn back. So thermoreversible means heat causes the substance to “turn back," or return to a fluid state when heated.
Because of its thickening properties, gelatin is used in many sweets and candies. It is flavorless and almost completely colorless, so it can be easily dyed and flavored.
Luckily, all these properties make gelatin perfect to use for our SLIME!
YOU WILL NEED:
* Gelatin (we used natural beef gelatin, but Knox gelatin packets will work well)
* Corn syrup
* Water
* Measuring cups
* Food coloring
* Saucepan
* Stove
* Mixing bowls
* Flavoring of your choice (any drink mix works well)
Here’s what to do!
1. Measure 1 cup of water into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Add a few drops of food coloring of your choice to the boiling water.
3. Measure 6 tablespoons of gelatin into the water, stirring constantly.
In the spirit of Halloween, we thought we’d have some more SLIMY SPOOKY FUN! Last week we made slime out of potato starch. This week, we’re going to use gelatin and corn syrup to make edible slime!
Gelatin is a product that is extracted from animal parts (usually the skin, bones and hooves of pigs or cattle) and is used for thickening certain foods. Gelatin comes from collagen, which is found in the connective tissue. You might not think of gelatin as healthy, but it is almost all protein. When gelatin is heated, the protein bonds break and form a liquid, but when it is cooled, the protein strands twist together and form a gel.
One special thing about gelatin is that it is thermoreversible, which means it thins as it is heated and thickens when it is cooled. Thermo comes from the Greek word thermos, which means heat. The Latin word reverses means to turn back. So thermoreversible means heat causes the substance to “turn back," or return to a fluid state when heated.
Because of its thickening properties, gelatin is used in many sweets and candies. It is flavorless and almost completely colorless, so it can be easily dyed and flavored.
Luckily, all these properties make gelatin perfect to use for our SLIME!
YOU WILL NEED:
* Gelatin (we used natural beef gelatin, but Knox gelatin packets will work well)
* Corn syrup
* Water
* Measuring cups
* Food coloring
* Saucepan
* Stove
* Mixing bowls
* Flavoring of your choice (any drink mix works well)
Here’s what to do!
1. Measure 1 cup of water into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Add a few drops of food coloring of your choice to the boiling water.
3. Measure 6 tablespoons of gelatin into the water, stirring constantly.
4. Once the gelatin is dissolved, remove from the heat and set aside for 5-10 minutes to cool.
5. Measure 1/2 cup of corn syrup into a separate mixing bowl. If you want your slime to have a certain flavor, add two tablespoons of flavored drink mix to your corn syrup and stir until evenly distributed.
6. Pour the gelatin mixture over the corn syrup and stir… you should start to see the texture change right away.
6. Pour the gelatin mixture over the corn syrup and stir… you should start to see the texture change right away.
7. Mix together and watch your slime form!
8. It may take a few minutes to thicken; as the gelatin cools the slime will get even thicker and gooier.
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9. Play, taste, enjoy!
Extension: What happens when you put your slime in the refrigerator? How about the microwave? Make a prediction! Think back to what you learned about gelatin being thermoreversible.
You can actually turn this edible slime into a gummy!
This is what happens if you put your slime into the refrigerator:
Extension: What happens when you put your slime in the refrigerator? How about the microwave? Make a prediction! Think back to what you learned about gelatin being thermoreversible.
You can actually turn this edible slime into a gummy!
This is what happens if you put your slime into the refrigerator:
Spoon some slime onto a tray and refrigerate for creepy looking slimy treats.
OR
Heat your slime for 45 seconds in the microwave and stir; notice, your slime is now completely smooth again like it was before it thickened. Pour the slime mixture into a tray and place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Check your slime—it should be completely firm. If it’s still gooey, wait another 5 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and slice into bite size pieces or gummy snakes!
OR
Heat your slime for 45 seconds in the microwave and stir; notice, your slime is now completely smooth again like it was before it thickened. Pour the slime mixture into a tray and place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Check your slime—it should be completely firm. If it’s still gooey, wait another 5 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and slice into bite size pieces or gummy snakes!
