Fun with an iSi siphon

[mkayahara]

Easy!

250g egg whites

50g sugar

Whisk together (I've read different instructions on how stiff to whisk it, so experiment), strain, pour into a 1-pint iSi, charge and refrigerate 30 minutes before using. Keep in mind that this is not a meringue you can dry out in the oven, but it works great for topping a dessert and finishing with a torch.

[Robert Jueneman]

iSi has a pretty good cookbook, with lots of interesting recipes. I recommend it.

[BoldBaker]

Alright, boosting off a recently posted topic on an iSi meringue and a page from modernist cuisine I've got a question that I might lose my head over (it's a bold idea). MC says you can make a Swiss meringue in a whipper after cooking the whites with sugar at 60C(?). So now I've got two questions- can I do those whites sous vide and whip 'em up in a stand mixer for a buttercream? Now get ready, I've done some googling on a Swiss meringue macaron and all I've come up with is a Swiss bakery making macaron: can you make Swiss meringue macarons??? Can use my iSi to make a macaron??? Can you make a French meringue with an iSi whip??? Go ahead- truss me up, roast me, quarter me up!

[BoldBaker]

I think MC suggests cooking equal(?) parts salt and egg white cooked sous vide at 60C(?). Then whipped using the iSi whipper and baked. I'll get back on the official stuff. But it is indeed possible.

[BoldBaker]

Figured I'd make this a direct reply: you really hit it right on the head.

From Modernist Cuisine, "We developed this recipe to make a culinary classic more convenient. The meringue can be kept warm in the siphon at 60C/140F for an extended period and the used to create instant meringue to order."

Procedure is basically Beat 100 g egg whites into 100 g sugar. Vacuum seal and cook sous vide at 74C/165F for 30 minutes. Transfer to a 1 l siphon and charge with 4 cartridges. Dispense. To set, 150C/300F for 1.5 hr.

[dmg]

I recently tried the recipe for scrambled eggs from Ideas on Food Website. The recipe there is wrong. It calls for 1hr at 82 degrees, resulting in totally solid eggs that could not be dispensed through the ISI. They suggested I checked the "right" recipe in their book (which is kind of annoying that even though they know people have been having problems with the recipe, they don't update it... but that is a different story).

I finally had a chance to do it. The recipe calls for 6 eggs (inaccurately). In my case that meant 340 g (Canadian extra large eggs, even though the recipe called for large). 75 g whole milk, 4.5 g salt, and 50 g of unsalted butter. All goes into a bag and cooked for 25 minutes at 72.5C. Then into the ISI, one charge, and presto.

Everything worked well. The flavour was there, and as they are were extruded, the look was very impressive (like whipping cream), but they didn't hold their shape for many seconds. (I used them instead of egg in a Salad Nicoise, inspired by the recipe of Thomas Keller that uses tuna carpaccio.)

Has anybody tried this recipe? I wonder what magic-white-powder can be used to make them stay in shape for a bit longer. I suspect cooking them longer could help too.

Any suggestions?

--dmg

[Keith_W]

The MC version calls for the egg mixture to be cooked at 72C for 35 minutes, then held in the ISI whipper at 65C. I don't think it would be fair on them if I gave you the exact recipe, but it is very close to the Ideas in Food mixture.

[dmg]

The MC version calls for the egg mixture to be cooked at 72C for 35 minutes, then held in the ISI whipper at 65C. I don't think it would be fair on them if I gave you the exact recipe, but it is very close to the Ideas in Food mixture.

why didn't I check? I feel soo stupid... I have recently got MC and have been poking here and there... but trying to read it sequentially Thank Keith. I see that the MC recipe is more precise... I'll give it a try.

--dmg

[nickrey]

If you still have problems, try adding some lecithin to give stabilisation (it should bind with the butter fat). There is already lecithin in the egg yolks so it's really just beefing up what is already in the mixture.

[Keith_W]

Now that I think about your post a little, I am not sure what you mean by "stay in shape". Are you hoping to pipe the eggs so that they have a sculpted look, like icing? The eggs I get using the MC technique have the consistency of whipped cream, which is still a tad too thick for my taste. This is why I cook the eggs at 71C instead of the recommended 72C - I prefer the looser texture. I think if you want a thicker texture, try 73C or 74C.

[avaserfi]

I just got one of these for a dinner I'm doing soon and had a question. I know the non-insulated ISI whips can be kept warm in a bain marie. The thermo-whip manual states not to keep the unit in a bain marie, presumably because the insulation will keep the mixture warm.

Say I make a foam that I want to serve hot ahead of time, how do I reheat it for service? Same question for if I make something, but have left overs I don't want to toss. Can I make the mixture hot, as I normally would, let it cool and refrigerate over night then rewarm carefully in a bain marie? The manual says no, but I don't see why not. Pressure shouldn't be an issue because it was made warm and rewarmed back to the original temperature, although it might take longer considering the insulation.

[pervis]

Limited usage with isi but to have a foam/ froth with butter or browned butter would really work in this application. Can anyone help me out with a good method?

thanks in advance..

danny

[Anonymous Modernist 11836]

Ok so I have a question. I use my whipper a lot for whipped cream (My fiance loves it). But, I want to make a smoother whipped cream. Typically I whisk together a pint of heavy cream, a few tablespoons of powder sugar and a splash or two of vanilla. I charge it with 1 cream charge, shake and go. But, it is very...stiff...for lack of better terms. Whenever I go to Starbucks and they use their whippers they get a really smooth texture. What can I do to make a better, smoother cream? Thanks!

[Anonymous Modernist 12636]

Here's a recipe - http://www.creamright.com/blog/starbucks-secretor-not-so-secret-whipped-cream-recipe/ - Maybe the problems is confectioners sugar, or just using too much of it.

[Sam Fahey-Burke]

Try switching to granulated sugar. A lot of powdered sugars have traces of starch in them to prevent caking, which can result in a stiff foam.

Sam

[Raamo]

Watching the latest Iron Chef we saw them put Grapes in a ISI Syphon and made carbonated grapes. 

 

Has anyone else got fun ideas - we have a hot one (red) and I've only used it do eggs ala Modernist Cuisine.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I've done grapes.  Carbonated grapes were OK as a novelty but for me not worth repeating.  The main use for my iSi's (I have four) is method rotuts, of which I am fond.  Beyond MR I currently have a pint of whipped cream in the refrigerator.

 

Most recently I acquired an insulated iSi.  I am still looking for an interesting application.

 

[Chris Hennes]

A few years ago someone posted here about making “air waffles” where the batter is dispensed from an Isi— they are pretty fun.

 

I also love Daniel Humm’s hollandaise, if you haven’t done it already.

[Anna N]

Air Waffles

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I've used the iSi for pancakes...

https://forums.egullet.org/topic/133897-blueberry-pancakes/?do=findComment&comment=1982277

 

[Raamo]

2 hours ago, Anna N said:

Air Waffles

 

I love waffles so we may have to give this a try.  I'm not so much a fan of pancakes.

[AAQuesada]

6 hours ago, Chris Hennes said:

I also love Daniel Humm’s hollandaise, if you haven’t done it already.

 Is that recipe posted somewhere?

[pastrygirl]

I used to do sabayon in the isi

[btbyrd]

Dave Arnold developed a couple of interesting ISI techniques. Rapid infusion is probably the most useful. Here he is on the ISI YouTube channel demonstrating the technique. (Check out that channel for a bunch of recipes and ideas).

 

 

The other technique Dave Arnold developed mimics the result of vacuum infusion or quick-pickling using a chamber vacuum machine. You basically pop your soft ingredient in a bag with a flavorful liquid or booze or whatever, get all the air out, put the zippie in the ISI along with some water, and pressurize it to drive the liquid into the product. 

 

A similar technique is rapid marination which uses pressure to drive marinades into soft product. Scallops in your whipping siphon? Why not?

 

 

ChefSteps has a siphon class with a bunch of techniques. It's paywalled, but they have a few public recipes that are worth checking out. Like their hollandaise. It's nice because you can make it a couple hours ahead and then hot hold it in the ISI in a circulator. 

 

 

They also have a good tempura fry batter that's light and airy and doesn't require vodka or beer. That recipe was posted in a video to their FB page.

 

If you have access to liquid nitrogen, frozen and par-frozen foams are fun. The most famous dishes in that regard are probably the frozen apertifs at The Fat Duck and the frozen foam in Alinea's "dessert on the table" preparations. ChefSteps has a Fat Ducky recipe for Strawberries and Cream Cryocycles:

 

 

Microwave sponge cakes are another fun thing to do when you're not cooking for a crowd. Iron Chef Cat Cora was especially fond of using the ol' siphon cake technique in Kitchen Stadium to pull off a quick and convenient dessert. I have been meaning to do this myself, but it requires you to buy microwavable paper cups that I never seem to have on hand. 

 

 

They also have an ISI kimchi recipe if you like yours bubblin' for some reason. And there's rapid nitro cold brew coffee, if you're in a hurry. These are basically just applications of rapid infusion.

 

Lots of fun possibilities. Mine mostly makes whipped cream.

Edited January 8, 2023 by btbyrd
Link. (log)

[palo]

WOW! Thanks btbyrd!

 

I don't have an isi siphon and probably never will, but if I did that would be a great resource

 

p