Question
Are jelly and crème caramel allowed on the system?
Answer
Good evening, and apologies for the late reply. The system doesn't address these specific desserts directly, but if we look at the ingredients of traditional crème caramel — essentially milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla — we can assess each component on its own. Milk: when exposed to high oven heat, its casein breaks down, which is allowed. And if you swap it for heat-treated cream (Sahne), the casein is already broken down by the high heat of processing, so that's allowed too. Crème caramel itself also bakes in a water bath for 45–60 minutes at 160°C — enough time and heat to break the casein down completely. The real problem is the egg. Eggs are forbidden in every form — fried, boiled, in crème caramel, or anything else. And you can't substitute it, because it's the key ingredient that gives crème caramel its firm, creamy set; remove it and the result is something else entirely, not crème caramel. So traditional crème caramel is forbidden — but there's an excellent alternative: caramel pudding. It's made with heat-treated cream + cornstarch as an egg-free thickener + sugar for the caramel + vanilla. The texture comes out very creamy and close to crème caramel, the taste is great, and it fits the system because it has no egg and no fresh milk. As for jelly: its core ingredients are gelatin, water or fruit juice, sugar, and flavorings (in the ready-made kinds). It has no dairy and no egg, so it doesn't fall under any of the system's prohibitions. Gelatin itself is a pure animal protein made from bones and skin, usually from a bovine or porcine source — so make sure the gelatin you buy is halal (Bovine = beef), whether inside Egypt or abroad in Germany. Jelly is fully allowed, provided the gelatin is halal. It's best to make it yourself at home with natural juice from allowed fruits (dates, grapes, strawberries) or with water, sugar and vanilla. The ready-made kinds contain artificial colors, artificial flavors, and citric acid — these aren't outright prohibitions in the system, but they're industrial additives that aren't ideal for general health. Either way — whether you make it from scratch at home or use a store-bought jelly powder — it isn't among the forbidden foods.