I love clear gel. Are used it for the first time last year when I was canning apple pie filling. It holds up to the heat the way cornstarch doesn’t, supposedly. It sure made a pretty filling though - nice and clear, whereas the cornstarch turns cloudy in the jars.
Looks like I’m not the only one that doesn’t do fancy pastries. I’m reading a lot about lamb and the two fat ladies :-). LOL