Using Modernist Ingredients

[LOG]

What can I use to substitute propynel glycol alginate for the gruyere spheres? or where can I buy it, I have been looking in internet and I haven't been able to find it.

[Kerry Beal]

What can I use to substitute propynel glycol alginate for the gruyere spheres? or where can I buy it, I have been looking in internet and I haven't been able to find it.

Not positive - but I suspect sodium alginate might substitute.

Here is a table that looks at the attributes of various alginates.

[Chris Hennes]

Kerry, I don't think you can make that substitution in most cases: propylene glycol alginate is used when the acidity is too high for the other alginates, I think. My understanding is that it is frequently used to stabilize the head on beer, so you might look at a homebrew supply store.

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry, I don't think you can make that substitution in most cases: propylene glycol alginate is used when the acidity is too high for the other alginates, I think. My understanding is that it is frequently used to stabilize the head on beer, so you might look at a homebrew supply store.

I did see there was a place in Belgium that was selling it for it's purpose of stabilizing beer foam. Might be a bit of a challenge to import though.

In the table I linked to it shows PGA is the only one that will work with 'polyvalent cations' ie milk - so perhaps that's why it's used in the cheese sphere recipe.

A quick look in "Food Stabilisers, Thickeners and Gelling Agents" - just confused me a bit more! Check 4.7.3 here.

Edited March 20, 2011 by Kerry Beal (log)

[LOG]

Thanks, after reading the article and the table, I think I’m going to try the home brew supply first, I’ll tell you how it goes.

[dmg]

Does anybody know where to buy lactic acid? I have searched online but I usually end in sites that sell it for skin purposes.

I want to try making the ricotta using the recipe from MC.

I tried it making it sous-vide with citric acid instead, and it worked great:

1 l milk

1.5 g citric acid

1 g of sea salt (next time 2g)

125ml of heavy cream

I followed Emily's instructions http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2011/03/everyday-yumminess-perfect-ricotta.html

and the result was phenomenal (although I feel it could have benefited from more salt, as noted above).

--dmg

[thayes1c]

Just found a new website for modernist ingredients, modernistpantry.com. If you're anything like me you will accidentally type modernistpanty.com instead and feel like a pervert, but it's looks like a good source. It's the first place I've seen that sells Activa in smaller than kilo form (12.99 for 50g). Same with iota carrageenan (I nearly bought a pound of the stuff! I think 50g of that is much more manageable for a home cook). I haven't received my order yet but they seem to have good customer service and the prices are good, especially if you want to try smaller amounts before you buy bulk.

[Twyst]

It's the first place I've seen that sells Activa in smaller than kilo form (12.99 for 50g). Same with iota carrageenan (I nearly bought a pound of the stuff! I think 50g of that is much

Definitely going to use this site for that, Ive been looking and looking for somewhere to get it in smaller amounts.

Ive been really happy with willpowder.com up until now, but they only sell activa by the kilo.

[Tri2Cook]

It's nice that somebody is making them available in smaller amounts for those wanting to test the waters or just try a few recipes. The activa in particular if it was properly packaged from the manufacturer as the pictures suggest. That would be handy even for those who work with it regularly. If you really get into working with those ingredients and start experimenting and playing around with your own ideas, you'll be buying the bigger packages of some of those things in short order though. Some of them go much more quickly than you might think. Tapioca Maltodextrin, for example, is really not worth buying in small packages if you're going to do more than follow a single recipe that calls for it. 50 grams might work for one smallish job but it's $6... a pound of n-zorbit is $10 at willpowder so in this case I'd seriously consider going with the larger.

[Tri2Cook]

Does anybody know where to buy lactic acid?

Chef Rubber has it in 500ml and 1 liter bottles.

[maL]

Hey there everyone!!!

I've recently bought myself some sodium alginate, calcium lactate and chloride, hyfoamer, gellan gum and xanthan gum... I bought a starter pack to strting experimenting with some

Molecular cooking... I'm a bit lost at where to start.. Ive started looking at websites but just wondering if anyone out there has some simple and interesting spherification recipes and tips for me to help get a feel for what I can and can't do with these products

Any help or pointers or links would be much appreciated

Thanks

MaL

[nickrey]

Check out Martin Lersh's blog at this link and download his recipe collection entitled "Texture: A hydrocolloid recipe collection."

[Tri2Cook]

Check out Martin Lersh's blog at this link and download his recipe collection entitled "Texture: A hydrocolloid recipe collection."

I was going to toss in my 2 cents based on my experiences and dig up the threads here on the subject... but "what he said". That will Bullet Train you to working with the stuff.

[ChrisZ]

'Cooking for geeks' is less than 10% of the price of 'Modernist Cuisine' - maybe closer to 5% if you find a good price online - and it covers all the basics. If you're keen enough to have bought a starter pack you should definitely have it on your shelf.

[maL]

Awesome thanks so much for your quick responses I'll look straight into your suggestions and let you know how I go!!! Thanks again

[Kevin Liu]

[shameless plug] Hey, you can also check out my blog for a list of ingredients and a link to where you can find out how to use them: http://www.whycook.org/ingredients-scientific-cooking/

And check out the blogroll while you're there, there are tons of sites out there with great resources.

[Genkinaonna]

Wow Kevin! That's a pretty amazing list...kudos for all your hard work!

[nickrey]

Nice work Kevin, I've bookmarked your blog.

[maL]

Thanks a lot Kevin awesome blog!!!! And chris just awaiting the book to start reading up on it!!!

[gfweb]

I'm trying to find Trisol, a wheat starch for frying. Only source is a UK company that won't ship to US (although they ship everywhere else, jerks).

Any ideas?

[Carlton]

Oh thanks for the reminder, I had found a place with it once before and then lost the link. http://www.auiswisscatalogue.com/622028/1-MODC.html and it's cheaper than Tienda used to sell it for too. Shipping is on the high side because they seem to only offer next and 2nd day but its still cheaper than the alternatives.

[nickrey]

Tried to get Trisol but couldn't find it and the distributor had none in store or on order.

On researching frying and crispness, I found that it seems that trisol is most likely Wheat Dextrin. Dextrin is also made from corn and tapioca. Corn dextrin is sold here in Australia as maltodextrin and is used in home brewing to add body and mouthfeel to beer.

Off to the home brew store. Bought a kilo for $9.60. Tried it out on some fried green tomatoes that I am making for a food group next week. They were crisp on being made and were still crisp two hours later, which makes them perfect for pre-preparation and reheating at the venue.

[ScottyBoy]

Modernist Pantry should study the MC books and offer a pack of all the random ingredients they use. I have found myself reading a recipe and coming up short on one ingredient here and there.

[Baselerd]

Any food science experts out there? I obtained a relatively large sample of Maltrin M100 from GPC, and was wondering exactly how to use it (formulations, %, etc). The Modernist Cuisine uses this ingredient in a few recipes (which were delicious), but unfortunately doesn't explain the reason for using these too well. Nor is there a parametric recipe for using this additive (with the exception of a "light set foam" such as souffles).

Reading up on the product data sheet, I found that M100 is a corn-based maltodextrin, produced by the hydrolysis of of a corn starch slurry. The various grades of Maltrin indicate different dextrose equivalents (a measure of the completeness of hydrolysis). The more complete the hydrolysis, the lower the average molecular weight. Maltrin M100 (according to the data sheet) has a DE of 9 to 12 (10% sweetness vs. sucrose), and has "low" hygroscopicity (ability to adsorb water-based solutions).

The most interesting application to me is in dry mixes. The brochure states that Maltrin M100 is an ideal bulking agent for instant beverage mixes or other dry powdered products. This reminds me of the popular tapioca maltodextrin (N-Zorbit), which is prized as a very-low density bulking and dispersal agent for oils and fats. I couldn't find any technical specs relevant to oil adsorption (as far as I know), but can this product be used to make powders in a similar way to N-Zorbit ? I tried briefly by stirring olive oil into a small amount of M100 and it worked reasonably well, but didn't quite have the melt-in your mouth goodness of N-Zorbit. My expectation is that this is simply not the correct application for this additive, but I would love to be proven wrong.

With that said, other applications for this product are listed to include quite a few things. A few of interest to me include improved texture/mouthfeel for baked goods, frostings, salad dressings, and fats/creams. It is also used to prevent sugar crystallization (i.e. improve chewiness of sugar candies like fruit leather, soft candies, etc.). Does anyone have anyone have any pointers or experience they could lend? I would love to at least know a ball-park figure for adding this to dressings for improved mouthfeel, or to fruit leathers for improved chewiness.

Edited October 11, 2012 by Baselerd (log)

[Keith_W]

I'm trying to find Trisol, a wheat starch for frying. Only source is a UK company that won't ship to US (although they ship everywhere else, jerks).

Any ideas?

Any retailer that stocks the Texturas line of products should be able to get it for you. I got mine from a local retailer (Simon Johnson, for Aussies who are reading). It took 6 weeks to arrive and I could only buy it in 5kg quantities. Result: I have a massive tub of Trisol in my pantry. I have been giving it away but still have more than I know what to do with!