Questions tagged [molecular-gastronomy]

Questions on the applications of modern science to culinary techniques in the home or restaurant.

The tag refers to the eponymous style of cuisine, AKA modernist cuisine or experimental cuisine, in which modern scientific principles and techniques are used to enhance or replace the more traditional culinary methods used in home or restaurant kitchens.

The term molecular gastronomy has, on occasion, been used to denote any in-depth study of the physics or chemistry behind culinary techniques, as described in Wikipedia: Molecular Gastronomy. We prefer that questions with this tag relate to one or more areas commonly associated with the discipline, such as:

  • Use of chemical reagents (for foams/gels, spherification, etc.)
  • Use of specialized equipment (syringes, centrifuges, Pacojet, etc.)
  • Quantitative experiments designed to test claims or understand processes

If you are seeking a broad, general, theoretical understanding, as opposed to controlled experiments and applied chemistry, please use the tag instead.

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Alkaline cooking

I have a (molecular) cooking recipe with instructions on introducing an agent to create an alkaline (base) environment while cooking (to influence the Maillard reaction). What 'normal'/common ingredients can I use to create such an environment in my…
Tobias Op Den Brouw
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Reformulate a marshmallow recipe to remove lactose and HFCS

I'm trying to modify the marshmallow recipe in this post to make it vegan: http://moleculargastronomy.wordpress.com/2010/10/09/molecular-gastronomy-carrageenan-kappa-and-iota/ The first hurdle is removing the lactose. I did a bit of reading to try…
CakeLab
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What went wrong with my Chocolate Chantilly (Hervé This' recipe)

I just made Hervé This' Chocolate Chantilly and it didn't taste anywhere near as good as I had hoped. The consistency seemed almost right, though very slightly grainy, but the taste was, well, what you might expect: watered down chocolate. Does…
Chris Steinbach
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What are some vegan thickeners for beverages?

I need a vegan thickener that dissolves well and doesn't have any flavor. I tried tapioca flour the other day and it didn't dissolve very well and left a powdery mouthfeel. Cornstach is not bad. Arrowroot seems to work like cornstarch but it seems…
paul
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Is cooking with hydrogen peroxide an accepted practice?

I had some pork (shoulder) I had to use today, suspecting it might be unsafe tomorrow. So I thought I'd soak it in some hydrogen peroxide, about 2-3% concentration to at least get rid of any surface bacteria. After about 10 minutes, the pork looked…
jontyc
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how to get powerful flavours when spherifying

Whenever I try to create something delicious using spherification I find that whatever has gone in comes out quite bland (I've tried using fruit juices (non-citric), liquers, soups). When I taste the food before it goes into the salts, it usually…
Dibstar
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Modernist / molecular cuisine with a microwave?

The microwave is usually frowned upon by ambitious chefs. It provides a convenient way to quickly heat ready made meals or the leftovers from the day before, but it is usually not regarded as a serious kitchen utensil (as is testified by one of the…
cgogolin
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Naturally occuring mono- and diglycerides?

If you read ingredients on processed foods, you will see mono- and diglycerides listed frequently. Fats are triglycerides - there are three chains of fatty acids trailing off the glycerol head of the molecule. Mono- and diglycerides act as…
Michael Natkin
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What ginger compound is responsible for the 'kick'?

Mint's minty kick mostly comes from menthol and pepper from capsaicin. What is the equivalent dominant compound in ginger that gives it the characteristic kick? All i can tell is it's water soluble :)
MandoMando
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How do I create spherical coffee?

As a Barista, I have been playing around with different coffee flavours and creations. Now I have been thinking of also adding textural elements in the coffee. I was hoping somebody could give me a quick guide on how to make spheres out of…
RedFox
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How quickly does soy lecithin lose its effect?

I bought a box of soy lecithin at a store yesterday, only to discover that it is past its "use by"-date. The date was a month ago. Now I am wondering whether to take the hassle of returning it to the store or just to go on using it. It is sealed, so…
torkildl
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How do I make large spheres using spherification?

I've had great success making 'caviar' with sodium alginate and calcium chloride. I've used both an eye dropper and a Parmesan shaker (when I needed a whole lot of spheres). But I've never been able to make the larger spheres, sometimes referred to…
yossarian
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Can you develop a gluten structure by kneading matzoh meal dough?

I'm interested in applying principles of dough magic to Passover cooking and I have sort of a general understanding of how developing the gluten structure works when kneading a traditional wheat flour dough. My question is whether there is any…
beth
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Why is High Fructose Corn Syrup not available as an ingredient?

In the age of molecular gastronomy I am surprised that it seems to be impossible to purchase HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) as an ingredient. Why is this?
ebpa
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How do I stabilize a lecithin-based foam?

I've made quite a few foams using the standard technique of adding powdered lecithin to my flavor base, and then agitating with an immersion blender in a wide, shallow container, with the blender near the surface so it beats in lots of air. This…
Michael Natkin
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