Got it. I will call it Chocolate Jaffa Moelleux. This was my second try at the Chocolate moelleux. Master Giovanni was right, use only best quality ingredients.
The spheres? Yes that is another story. Now we are talking about alginic sodium salt and calcium chloride. I raided the chemical pantry for these and I was in my element with the results! Watch this space for more about Alginate Gummies!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Emulsifiers
What happens when we mix water and oil?
That’s right! They don’t mix.
When adding oil to water the oil quickly separates from the water and floats to the top. This can be easily demonstrated when making French salad dressing.
Emulsions always tend to de-mix and separate because they have the basic characteristic to minimise any exposed surface area.
When adding an emulsifier the mixture will blend permanently. This is because the emulsifier is a molecule with two ends. The ‘head’ on the one end and the ‘tail’ on the other end. The’ tail’ likes to be in oil (lipophilic) and the ‘head’ likes to be in the water (hydrophilic). So when adding an emulsifier to a mixture of oil and water it will cover the oil droplets with water and so prevent them from clinging together, separating from the mixture and float to the top.
Instead we have a smooth runny mixture with a creamy consistency.
That’s right! They don’t mix.
When adding oil to water the oil quickly separates from the water and floats to the top. This can be easily demonstrated when making French salad dressing.
Emulsions always tend to de-mix and separate because they have the basic characteristic to minimise any exposed surface area.
When adding an emulsifier the mixture will blend permanently. This is because the emulsifier is a molecule with two ends. The ‘head’ on the one end and the ‘tail’ on the other end. The’ tail’ likes to be in oil (lipophilic) and the ‘head’ likes to be in the water (hydrophilic). So when adding an emulsifier to a mixture of oil and water it will cover the oil droplets with water and so prevent them from clinging together, separating from the mixture and float to the top.
Instead we have a smooth runny mixture with a creamy consistency.
Acidified fruit milk drinks
Fruit milk drinks
Casein is a milk protein that forms a colloidal solution and is dispersed throughout the milk and is not truly dissolved. The Casein micelles have a - negative charge that causes them to repel each other. This is the reason why fresh milk is liquid and not curdled.
The addition of fruit juice will neutralise the charge of the casein and cause the casein micelles to cling together and the milk to curdle. The acid in the fruit causes the Casein to lose its negative charge and become more neutral. Pectin is then added because of its ability to retain its negative charge. The difference in charge makes it possible for the pectin and the casein to link and prevent the curdling of the milk. We could not make commercial healthy milk drinks with fruit without the use of gelling agents.
Casein is a milk protein that forms a colloidal solution and is dispersed throughout the milk and is not truly dissolved. The Casein micelles have a - negative charge that causes them to repel each other. This is the reason why fresh milk is liquid and not curdled.
The addition of fruit juice will neutralise the charge of the casein and cause the casein micelles to cling together and the milk to curdle. The acid in the fruit causes the Casein to lose its negative charge and become more neutral. Pectin is then added because of its ability to retain its negative charge. The difference in charge makes it possible for the pectin and the casein to link and prevent the curdling of the milk. We could not make commercial healthy milk drinks with fruit without the use of gelling agents.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Molecular Gastronomy
Molecular Gastronomy…talking about trendy food!
“Miss you have to see this. We are doing this crazy food science stuff at work!” This coming from Khan one of my ex students doing his chef apprenticeship at a local Restaurant.
It takes one excited student to get me all ears. Couldn’t quite figure out what he was talking about, but fruit caviar sounded like a concept to be pursued. Mission was to find the magic powders.
Problem is that I am one of those odd readers who pages backwards through a magazine and that is how I approached Molecular Gastronomy. Buy the chemicals first and figure it out later and when all else fails I’ll just read the instructions! Paid an arm and a leg for one container, the one I thought would get me a “sphere” - a fruit sphere!
The container has been sitting unopened on my desk for a solid year, yes next to the computer and yes because Molecular Gastronomy (MG) needs to be ‘Googled’
“All good things come to those who wait.” My hosts at Massey University invited me to a workshop in MG with Giovanni Apollo. Bit of a rip off at $250 for two hours watching a demonstration and no handouts, but the Master was entertaining and we had the opportunity to ferret through and savour items like volcano oil, liquid nitrogen sorbets, consommé foams and Grand Mariner spheres. That much I can remember and then I was hooked.
Talking about ferreting! You should have seen me raiding the ‘additive pantry’. From now on I am a committed member of the kitchen chemistry chain gang.
Woe to me! It is not that easy. Until now all my trials in MG has gone to the worm farm, but I am not a quitter and I will keep you posted!
“Miss you have to see this. We are doing this crazy food science stuff at work!” This coming from Khan one of my ex students doing his chef apprenticeship at a local Restaurant.
It takes one excited student to get me all ears. Couldn’t quite figure out what he was talking about, but fruit caviar sounded like a concept to be pursued. Mission was to find the magic powders.
Problem is that I am one of those odd readers who pages backwards through a magazine and that is how I approached Molecular Gastronomy. Buy the chemicals first and figure it out later and when all else fails I’ll just read the instructions! Paid an arm and a leg for one container, the one I thought would get me a “sphere” - a fruit sphere!
The container has been sitting unopened on my desk for a solid year, yes next to the computer and yes because Molecular Gastronomy (MG) needs to be ‘Googled’
“All good things come to those who wait.” My hosts at Massey University invited me to a workshop in MG with Giovanni Apollo. Bit of a rip off at $250 for two hours watching a demonstration and no handouts, but the Master was entertaining and we had the opportunity to ferret through and savour items like volcano oil, liquid nitrogen sorbets, consommé foams and Grand Mariner spheres. That much I can remember and then I was hooked.
Talking about ferreting! You should have seen me raiding the ‘additive pantry’. From now on I am a committed member of the kitchen chemistry chain gang.
Woe to me! It is not that easy. Until now all my trials in MG has gone to the worm farm, but I am not a quitter and I will keep you posted!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
This is a dream come true. I find myself standing in the Food product development lab at Massey University in Palmy. The pantry I discovered is stocked with fresh ingredients!(so not!)I browse around and I know I have discovered the melting pot of stabilisers and emulsifiers. Got ya! I thought. So these are the creepy crawlies "on the label". Ingredients on the edge that adds another dimension to the philosophy of "living dangerously".On my first day of being a Royal Society Fellow at Massey University Food Technology, I got issued with a list of food science experiments. The experiments varied from the ancient ones (at least they were old news back in the seventies of teaching Home economics in South Africa) to fabulously exciting experiments that will knock the socks of any student in the kitchen. Going through the experiments was like opening up a box of chocolates. Every second experiment had the WOW factor!After having completed the safety induction to the Lab the kitchen was mine! My first experiment was the development of an Acidified Milk Drink and of course it could only be done successfully by adding some of those dreaded additives, but when you are in Rome that is what you do. Lovely results and I knew that this would make an exciting introduction to a product development lesson back at school.Back behind my desk I knew that I had to balance the forces between the 'pen and the grader'! OK, so what happened back in the kitchen? The dodgy ingredient used in my AMD is 'Pectin'. I know about the value of pectin in the production of jam and jelly, but hey this time it came as a powder in a jar!Bottom line of the story is that the pectin used is derived from apple pomace and that most 'gelling agents' are additives used to thicken and stabilise liquids. Rest assure most are from natural plant or animal origin.
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