What is a common cause of gelatin lumps in pastillage?

A common cause of gelatin lumps in pastillage is that the gelatin was not bloomed long enough. Blooming gelatin is a critical step that involves soaking the gelatin in cold water before it is dissolved. This process allows the gelatin granules to absorb water and swell, which ensures that they dissolve evenly when heated. If the gelatin is not bloomed adequately, it can form lumps when added to the mixture because insufficient hydration leads to clumping.

Thoroughly blooming the gelatin helps achieve a smooth texture in the pastillage, where a homogeneous mixture is essential for the final product's quality. Furthermore, other factors like excessive glucose or heating too rapidly may lead to issues, but they don't specifically lead to the formation of lumps from the gelatin itself. Similarly, using too much water might alter the consistency but does not directly relate to the gelatin's blooming process.