What draws me to hydrocolloids is their ability to effectively alter texture while maintaining flavor. The textures that they can produce range from thickened liquids and gels to dry crisps and meringues. Within this spectrum, there lies a texture that is dry on the plate, yet soft and melting on the palate; it is a powder.
Tapioca Maltodextrin(TM) is a modified food starch derived from the starchy roots of cassava. It can gel in cold solution, but is most noted for its ability to stabilize fatty compounds, a relationship which can be exploited to produce powders. When combined with an approximate 2:1 ratio by weight of TM to fat, the TM will absorb the fat and lock in its flavor. When the powder that is formed comes in contact with the warm, moist environment of the tongue, it will melt and release the flavor.
If this sounds too good to be true, it’s perhaps because it can be–at least in some instances. I’ve found that with some fats, the TM leaves a stickiness that clings to the teeth and interrupts the experience, while others melt away cleaner. I’m not certain if this variation is due to excess moisture in the fat, ratios, or if it is an inherent quality of TM, but it warrants further exploration.
The variety of fats that can be used to flavor powders are only limited by the imagination. Flavored oils, bu
tters (including peanut butter and nutella), chocolate, and rendered animal fats are all fair game. High-fat dairy products can also be used, providing that they don’t possess a high moisture content.
The blending of the two ingredients is almost effortless. For small quantities, it can be as simple as tossing the TM and fat in a bowl with a fork, or pulsing in a food processor for larger amounts. Both methods benefit from a final pass through a sieve to lighten the mixture and break up clumps.
For a crisper, sandy texture, a more balanced ratio of TM to fat is used to produce a paste that can be spread on silpat, dried in a low oven or dehydrator, then grated. A similar product can be made from whi
pped, dried methylcellulose, although in this case, the flavor comes from a non-fat base.
The melting factor of powders produced from TM and fat may be unique, but there are other, low-tech ways to achieve textural components such as dust, soil, and sand:
Dusts are very fine versions of powders and are traditionally used as ingredients or flavoring agents, but
when treated as a separate component, they can act as a dry sauce. Virtually anything that can be successfully dried and pulverized can serve as dust: vegetables, herbs, citrus zest, dairy products, meat, seafood, nuts, sauces…the list goes on. In some cases, you can find these products, already processed, on store shelves: dried milk,
dried buttermilk, dried yogurt, ground shrimp, coconut powder, chili powder, etc. The real fun comes in blending these flavors to create more complex, flavored dusts. Wylie Dufresne uses this concept to produce "pizza pebbles" with dusts of tomato, garlic, parmesan, and bread, then binds them together with olive oil.
Soil and sand share the same consistency, but differ in texture; soil being softer and moister than sand. These can be made from many of the already mentioned ingredients with the addition of baked goods such as: flavored breads, cakes, cookies, pastry and crackers.
Category: foodscience
fluid gel
beet fluid gel
Cara Cara orange powder
A fluid gel lies somewhere between a gel, a puree, and a sauce. In fact, it is all three of these things.
It is made by combining a flavored base with a shear-thinning (the ability to break down to a fluid state by vigorous agitation, as in a blender, and remain fluid) hydrocolloid such as agar agar or gellan, and allowing it to solidify. The solid gel is then sheared in a blender into a creamy, fluid state, and remains that way. Using agar also allows it to be reheated up to 185F/ 85C before it remelts.
A good example of a fluid gel and shear-thinning is ketchup. Ever wonder how a few good shakes will loosen it up and allow it to flow from the bottle? Well, now you know. You’re welcome.
The greatest advantage of this technique is that it allows us to take a thin, highly flavored liquid such as beet juice, and lend it body and viscosity without the use of flavor-diluting starches.
In the end, isn’t it really about the flavor?
fluid gel
1 cup (185 g) liquid flavor base
1/2 tsp (2 g) agar
1/8 tsp (.35 g) xanthan
Blend agar and xanthan into base. Place in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Allow to cool until solidified. Place solid gel in a blender and blend until creamy.
methylcellulose primer
Methylcellulose has been part of the chemical arsenal of avant guard chefs for years.
I have only been experimenting with it for a few weeks now, but have already found many significant uses for it. As a hydrocolloid, it can thicken liquids to form gels that can glue together vegetables, or spread thinly on silicone to form sheets that are flexible and plastic-like when dried, but turn crisp and brittle when baked. It can also be piped into hot liquid to form instant noodles. The gel, when whipped, behaves like egg whites and can be baked into souffles, marshmallows, and light and crisp meringues.
In the blogosphere, Ideas in Food have used various types of Methocel to make hot ice cream, whipped yogurt , hot mozzarella sheets, and gnocchi. Chadzilla has some recent posts in which he’s made whipped lemonade and tempura batter.
Since my s’mores post, I have received a number of email inquiries about working with Methylcellulose. While I am certainly no expert, I thought that I would share some research that I have found helpful to my understanding of this versatile gum.
Methylcellulose,or MC, is a chemical derivative of cellulose. Cellulose is the ‘bones’, or structural cells of all living plants.
Methocel and Benecel are trademarked brand names of MC.
uses
MC is widely used in the food, drug and cosmetic industries. If you have ever taken a coated tablet, or a capsule, you have ingested MC. It is often added to baked goods, beverages, ice creams, and whipped toppings. It is what forms the onion in the Burger King onion ring
category
MC is categorized as a food gum because it is a non-starch carbohydrate polymer. MC behaves like starch in the way that it thickens and stabilizes, but does so using much smaller amounts.
dietary
Because it does not ferment in the digestive tract, as does starch, it is non-caloric. MC is known to be non-allergenic, kosher, halal, and vegan.
applications
Methylcellulose has varied applications: it can coat, thicken, stabilize, gel, suspend, bind, form flexible or brittle films, carry flavors, reduce syneresis (weeping), and improve texture.
Within these applications, it delivers versatility: it is soluble in cold liquids (though it can be introduced in hot liquids and agitated when cool), its viscosity is stable over a wide PH range of 2-13, it is non-ionic, has a high tolerance for salt and sugar, and it can be combined with alcohol or oil. It is colorless, odorless, and tasteless.
thermoreversible
MC is unique among hydrocolloids in that it forms a reversible thermal gel; it has the ability to gel when heated and revert back to its original state when cooled.
types
There are several types of Methylcellulose: A, E, F, and K, and even more variations within each type. A types are Methylcellulose, or MC, while E, F, and K types are hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, or HPMC. They differ in viscosity, gelation temperature, and gelation strength:
Nominal Gelation Gelation
Type Viscosity* Temperature Strength
A15 12-18 122-131°F (50-55°C) Very firm
A4C 300-560 122-131°F (50-55°C) Very firm
A15C 1,125-2,450 122-131°F (50-55°C) Very firm
A4M 2,700-5,600 122-131°F (50-55°C) Very firm
E15 12-18 136-147°F (58-64°C) Semi-firm
E50 40-60 136-147°F (58-64°C) Semi-firm
E4M 2,700-5,040 136-147°F (58-64°C) Semi-firm
E10M 7,500-14,000 136-147°F (58-64°C) Semi-firm
F50 40-60 143-154°F (62-68°C) Semi-firm
F450 360-540 143-154°F (62-68°C) Semi-firm
F4M C 2,700-5,040 143-154°F (62-68°C) Semi-firm
K100LV 80-120 158-194°F (70-90°C) Soft
K99 C 80-120 158-194°F (70-90°C) Soft
K15M 13,500-25,200 158-194°F (70-90°C) Soft
K35M 26,250-49,000 158-194°F (70-90°C) Soft
K4M 2,700-5,040 158-194°F (70-90°C) Soft
K100M 75,000-140,000 158-194°F (70-90°C) Soft
K200M 150,000-280,000 158-194°F (70-90°C) Soft
*viscosity is measured in millipascal-seconds (mPa.s) in a 2% solution at 20 degrees C. (68F)
solubility
A types are soluble at 32-41 F (0-5 C) for 20-40 minutes. E, F, and K types are soluble at 68-77 F (20-25 C). Viscosity will continue to increase as temperature drops.
s’more
chocolate-filled methocel marshmallow
aerated chocolate
graham cream
graham crumbs
methocel marshmallow
230 g water
90 g sugar
4.5 g methylcellulose
1/2 tsp vanilla
confectioners sugar
Bring water and sugar to a boil. Let cool. Add methylcellulose and vanilla. Blend with immersion blender. Cover and chill for 2 hours or until thickened. Transfer to a mixing bowl and beat at high speed until fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Spread out on a silpat or mold and bake at 300F for 5-8 minutes or until set. Unmold or cut into desired shape. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and apply a blowtorch or place under broiler until browned. Serve hot.
aerated chocolate
Heston Blumenthal has been described as a mad food scientist. If this is true, then his madness is borne of an exquisitely focused curiosity of food.
In his books "In Search of Perfection" and "Further Adventures in Search of Perfection", Blumenthal turns this curiosity to classic dishes that evoke fond memories and nostalgia. They are last meal dishes. He dissects them and goes to extraordinary lengths to execute each component according to his standards of perfection, which are high indeed.
There is much to be learned from these books; simple and practical lessons on how to properly roast a chicken, knead bread, fry potatoes. He almost had me convinced that he is not mad. Then he goes and vacuums chocolate with a Dyson.
special equipment:
whipped cream dispenser
3 N2O charges for dispenser
a vacuum sealer such as foodsaver with its large canister*
a plastic container that will fit inside the large canister
set up:
fill a small saucepan with 2" of water and bring to a simmer
place whipped cream dispenser in a bowl of warm water
place plastic container in large canister and surround with ice
attach hose from vacuum sealer to lid of large canister
step 1 (melt chocolate)
place 18 oz (500g) of good quality chocolate that has been chopped into small chunks into a metal or glass bowl. Add 1/3 cup (65g) peanut oil. Set bowl over simmering water in saucepan. Stir occasionally until completely melted and smooth.
step 2 (foaming)
pour the melted chocolate into the warmed whipped cream dispenser. Screw on the top and charge with 3 N2O charges. Shake vigorously and discharge into the bottom of the plastic container, stopping when the chocolate foam is halfway up the container. Immediately place dish on ice in large canister.
step 3 (aerating)
place lid securely on canister. Begin vacuum. When the chocolate has doubled in bulk, stop the vacuum. Remove the hose attachment and carefully transfer the canister to the refrigerator to chill.
step 4 (chilling)
let canister chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Remove and release pressure from canister. Remove plastic container from inside canister and unmold aerated chocolate by running a thin knife along the sides. If the chocolate does not release, wrap a towel that has been soaked in hot water around the outside of container.
* in ISoP, Blumenthal uses a plastic storage container to hold the foamed chocolate,then places it into a plastic baggie and inserts the nozzle of a Dyson vacuum into the opening.
honeycomb candy
Science was my weakest subject in school. Although I had not yet decided on an occupation, I knew that it would be in a creative field, to which science would be irrelevent. As it stands, I was wrong. Science and creativity are two sides of the coin that is cooking. Modern cooks understand this.
Despite my lack of interest in hypothesis and theories, the experiments captured my attention. One in particular was the effect of carbon dioxide when combining baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) with an acid. The voluminous foam that billowed out of the beaker and all over the lab table delighted and fascinated me.
I find myself now, many years later, reliving that experience. This time, the results are edible and delicious.
honeycomb
candy
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbspns water
2 Tbspns honey
1 1/2 tsps
baking
soda
Because the final steps must be executed rapidly, before you start cooking the sugar have ready: a baking sheet that has been well greased or lined with a silpat, a whisk and the premeasured baking soda.
Spread the sugar out in an even layer in the bottom of a large saucepan. Drizzle the water and honey over the sugar and place on a burner over high heat. Cook, without stirring, until it reaches 300F. You will observe the sugar melting, then the syrup forming small, tight bubbles, then the bubbles will become larger and looser and finally, the syrup will begin to take on an amber color. When it reaches 300F., immediately remove it from the heat. Quickly add the baking soda and whisk just until the baking soda is mixed in. In one quick motion, dump the foaming syrup onto the prepared baking sheet. Do not spread or disturb, as this will cause it to deflate. Let it stand until cool to the touch, about 10 minutes. Break or cut into pieces. Transfer immediately to an airtight container to preserve the crispness.
teacakes
"It has been said that tea is suggestive of a thousand wants,
from which spring the decencies and luxuries of civilization"
Agnes Repplier
Tea is a seemingly simple beverage, just water and leaves, yet look deeper and you will find that it is steeped in legend, ritual, history, geography, religion, and politics. Once available only to emperors and kings, it can now be found in the humblest of pantries around the world.
What you may not know about tea is that white, green, oolong and black teas all come from the same plant, Camellia Senesis. The difference lies in the stage at which the leaves are harvested, and in the way that they are processed. The simplest form being white tea, which is harvested from young buds before they open and quickly dried before oxidation can take place. The most complex (and rarest) is the pu-erh, which is allowed to oxidize, then fermented in a process similar to composting for up to a year, then compressed and aged further. One international hotel lists a 1949 Vintage Cave-aged pu-erh on its tea menu at $90 a cup and a 1985 Royal Reserve (that was hand carried out of China after a 5 year negotiation) at $300 a cup! Who knew?
matcha genoise
A genoise, or sponge cake, contains no leavening. Instead, it gets its lightness from whipped eggs. Because it contains no fat in the form of butter or oil, it tends to be dry, which can be corrected by soaking it with a simple syrup. I’ve found that the addition of a small amount of gelatin in the syrup helps it cling to the cake, producing a moist instead of wet texture. Matcha, which is the powdered form of green tea, blends in very nicely with the dry ingredients, lending the cake its vibrant green color and characteristic grassy flavor.
matcha genoise
orange flower syrup
honey ginger buttercream
meyer lemon ice cream
honeycomb candy
matcha genoise
1/3 cup sifted cake flour
3 Tblsps cornstarch
2 Tblsps matcha
2 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
syrup
2 Tblsps sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp powdered gelatin
1/8 tsp orange flower water
cake: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9" cake pan. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch and matcha. In a large bowl, beat the whole eggs, the yolks, and the sugar on high speed for about 5 minutes, or until thick, fluffy, and about tripled in volume. Sift half of the flour mixture over the eggs and fold in with a spatula. Repeat with the remainder of the flour mixture. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites just until foamy. Sprinkle on the cream of tartar and continue whipping to stiff peaks. Fold the whites into the batter, then pour into prepared cake pan and level off the top. Place in the oven immediately and bake for 25 minutes, or until the top springs back when pressed, or a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before turning out of pan to finish cooling.
syrup: Place sugar and water into a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and allow to soften for 3 minutes. Whisk the gelatin into the mixture an place over medium high heat until it comes to a full, rolling boil, and the gelatin and sugar are dissolved. Cover tightly and remove from heat. Allow to cool to room temperature and stir in the orange flower water. Brush or spoon the syrup over the cake.
rooibos butter cake
Rooibos is considered a tisane, or herbal tea, as it comes from red bush, Aspalanthus linearis, indigenous to South Africa, and not Camillia Senensis. It contains no caffeine, and has a naturally sweet cream and vanilla flavor with hints of sun- baked hay. For the color and flavor to permeate this cake, it will need to be finely ground (I use a coffee grinder), then steeped in hot water. Butter cake, as the name implies, gets its moisture and richness from butter, as well as eggs and sugar. In this recipe, I’ve used honey and brown sugar to enhance the flavor of the rooibos. The acidic buttermilk reacts with the alkaline baking soda to give the cake its lift, while the protein in the eggs and gluten in the flour give it structure.
rooibos butter cake
creamsicle marble
mango
tangerine caramel
rooibos butter cake
1/4 cup finely ground rooibos
1 1/4 cups hot water
2 1/2 cup sifted cake flour
1 1/4 cup muscovado or brown sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9" cake pan. Place the rooibos in a large bowl and cover with hot water. Stir well and allow to steep for 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. To the steeped rooibos, add the honey, the butter, and the eggs. Beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes. Beat in half of the flour mixture, then half of the buttermilk. Repeat, using the remainder of flour mixture and milk. Beat for 2 minutes more to aerate. Pour into prepared cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top springs back when pressed, or a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before turning out of pan to finish cooling.
chai financier
Chai is black tea to which spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and black pepper have been added. Financier is moister and denser than genoise or butter cake. Egg whites are used here because they contain more water than the yolks, yet have the same stabilizing protein. Finely ground almonds and browned butter add flavor and texture. Because the eggs and butter are used in liquid form, instead of whipped and creamed,there is less air in this cake, which contributes to it’s density, but also lowers it’s risk of oxidation. This means that the batter can be held in the refrigerator for up to a week (in fact, it improves upon standing) and is ready to be baked on a whim.
chai financier
kala jeera rice pudding
persimon "yolk"
brown butter powder
chai financier
3 oz. blanched almonds
1/2 cup plus 2 Tblsps sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 Tblsps cake flour
1 1/2 Tblsps finely ground chai
1/4 tsp salt
4 egg whites
1/2 cup warm browned butter
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour an 8" cake pan. Place the almonds and 2 Tblsps of the sugar in a food processor and process in short pulses until finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the remaining sugar, cake flour, chai and salt and stir until blended. Add the egg whites and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour in the butter and beat for 2 minutes more. Let stand for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 week in the refrigerator (in which case, the batter should be brought to room temperature and stirred before proceeding). Pour into prepared cake pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning out of pan to finish cooling.
lyophilized
Freeze drying is a complex process in which a product is frozen and dehydrated under vacuum. It differs from other drying methods in that the resulting products are virtually weightless and possess a shattering crisp bite similar to baked meringues that melts quickly away .The process leaves the flavor true and intact, yet amazingly amplified.
Chef Laurent Gras, formerly of Peacock Alley, NYC, and currently preparing to open his own restaurant, L.2O in Chicago, has installed a custom designed freeze dry machine in his new kitchen and it is formidable, both in presence and potential. Follow his odyssey into the making of what promises to be an exciting new restaurant on his L.2O blog.
sugar-crusted
Most of us are familiar with the salt crust method of roasting foods encrusted in a paste of egg whites and salt. When executed properly, the baked crust is cracked open to reveal a tender, moist piece of fish or meat, perfectly roasted. One would think that in this insulated enviroment the food would steam as it does en papillote or in a cocotte, but because the crust is porous and absorbs moisture, it does indeed roast.
What if we were to replace the salt with sugar? Would the sugar caramelize and transfer its aroma into the food which it is cooking? These are questions posed by Pierre Gagnaire and Herve This in their collaboration Art et Science, and the answers are yes.
Immediately, I thought of bananas, which have frustrated me in my attempts to achieve a balance between color and texture when roasting. With this method, although the color is light, there is an aura of caramel. The drawing away of moisture as it cooks leave the bananas firm with a texture that reminds me of roasted chestnuts.
Considering the possibilities sends my mind reeling…pineapple, pears, apricots, root vegetables, squash, onions, scallops, shrimp…to name just a few. And to take it to another level, the sugar can be infused with spices or aromatics.
unBloody Mary
Admittedly, I am not a huge fan of the cocktail. All too often they are overly sweet or sour. A well-balanced cocktail is quite another matter. Case in point: the Violet Fizz at Tailor, NYC. Even as I ordered it I was leery, but curious. No need, it was light, bright, and perfectly balanced.
Bloody Marys seem to belong in another category altogether. It may be due to their texture that they feel more like a fluid meal…something to sate your appetite, rather than pique it.
On a recent shopping trip, I was surprised to find young lovage tucked in among the herbs, something I have never seen in super markets in my area…surely a good sign. I cannot think about lovage without conjuring up a memory of the late Adelma Simmons "The First Lady of Herbs" at a lecture that I attended years ago at Caprilands Herb Farm. She was nearly 70 at the time, yet spoke passionately and extensively about herbal cultivation, lore and uses. She threw out one tidbit that I have carried with me since, but have never implemented: the use of lovage stalks as straws.
So, there I stood, at the market, with a bunch of lovage in my hand, and it spoke to me, and what it said was "Make me a Bloody Mary!"
When herbs speak, one must listen.
unBloody Mary
potato and salt cod cake
lovage and preserved lemon fluid gel
Gelatin Filtration is a technique that Harold McGee wrote about in an article in the New York Times in which gelatin is combined with a flavored liquid, frozen, and allowed to drain. The gelatin forms a net which traps fat and particles as it thaws, resulting in a clear liquid with pure flavor. This method can be applied to stocks, sauces, or purees and provides an alternative to a Superbag or the egg white raft method which, arguably, draws flavor from the liquid which it clarifies. It is groundbreaking in its simplicity, requires no specialized equipment or ingredients and provides infinite possibilities. The only drawback is that it needs to be planned ahead–its always been a 3 day process for me. You can read more about this and other progressive techniques at the highly innovative Ideas in Food.
Applying gelatin filtration to a Bloody Mary base of seasoned vegetable juice produced a light colored, crystal clear liquid that tasted identical to the base. To give a visual and textural reference back to the original cocktail, I added a sphere made from the base. In order to suspend it, I blended some Xanthan into the clarified liquid.
Spherification is another technique developed at elBulli in 2003 in which sodium alginate is mixed with a liquid base and dropped into a bath of calcium chloride. The alginate reacts with the calcium, forming an orb with a gelatinized membrane surrounding a liquid center, similar to a raw egg yolk. There is also Reverse Spherification, in which a base is combined with calcium in the form of calcium gluconolactate and dropped into an alginate bath. Spherification is now considered passe by some, although I continue to see it come out of cutting edge kitchens, I think largely because it offers a playful delivery of flavor. This process is explained in depth on the Texturas site (elBulli product line) and demonstrated by Martin at Khymos in this videoclip.
unBloody Mary
base
2 lbs. ripe tomatoes lemon juice, to taste
3 stalks celery jalapeno hot sauce, to taste
1/2 cup lovage leaves salt and pepper
2 scallions dash Worcestershire
Pass vegetables and herbs through a juicer or liquify in a blender with 1/2 cup of water. Add remaining ingredients, adjust seasoning to taste. Strain through a sieve. Measure out 4 cups of base and transfer to a saucepan, setting the rest aside in a covered container in the refrigerator and reserve for spheres. To the saucepan add 2 tsps. powdered gelatin by sprinkling it over the surface. Let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk it in over medium high heat until base just begins to simmer and gelatin has completely melted. Remove from heat, let cool and transfer to a bowl and place in freezer overnight or until frozen solid. The next day, line a colander with cheesecloth, pop out the frozen base and place it in the prepared colander, set over a large bowl and transfer to the refrigerator to drain for 24 to 48 hours. When it appears that the base has fully drained, remove colander and discard the solids. When ready to serve, add 1 part vodka to 2 parts of clarified base.
spheres bath
2 grams sodium alginate 2.5 grams calcium chloride
60 grams water 500 grams water
140 grams reserved base
spheres– place the water and base in a container with high sides. Sprinkle on the sodium alginate and blend in with an immersion blender. (This can also be done in a high speed mixer). Set aside in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours to allow the bubbles formed during blending to dissipate.
bath– combine calcium chloride with water in a bowl and stir until dissolved.
to form spheres– with a rounded spoon, scoop up some alginated base and slowly submerge into bath, tipping spoon to allow sphere to release. When skin has formed, lift sphere out of bath with perforated spoon and transfer to a clear water bath. Use immediately as sphere will continue to react and harden.
Note: because the finished cocktail has little viscosity, the spheres will sink to the bottom of the glass. If you wish to suspend them, blend 1 gram of Xanthan into 500 grams of finished cocktail.
Playing with Fire and Water 
