Adventures in Molecular Gastronomy, Part 2

As promised, I went back to the kit I got from Uncommon Goods, read the instructions more carefully (I put down my cocktail first), then re-tried the failed yogurt ravioles and made three new recipes.

REVERSE SPHERIFICATION - YOGURT RAVIOLES, take 2

The first thing I tried was a re-do of the yogurt thingies I tried last time. Guess what? Everything works better with the right equipment! The recipe is in the previous post, so I won’t bore you with the details, but this time I used full-fat yogurt and milk and I think it gave them more strength. I also used the round spoon provided (which looks like a tablespoon) and dropped them very close to the liquid so they held together in a round ball as opposed to a series of gross, squid-like forms. I still can't think of a good application for this item, it's just weird for the sake of being weird.

basic spherification - cantaloupe purée

They suggest you can create a sort of faux sushi roll using Prosicutto as the wrapper, a bread crouton in the center topped with Cantaloupe balls which look sort of like fish eggs. Why is this a good idea? Anyway I could not resist so I tried the cantaloupe part.

Ingredients
diced cantaloupe, puréed in blender to get 1 cup of strained purée
15 grams sugar
2 cups water
Sodium Alginate 1 gram (1/2 sachet provided)
Calcium Lactate 2 grams (2/3 sachet provided)

Procedure
Take the one cup purée and mix with the sugar and Sodium Alginate. Use your burr mixer to combine and then let sit 1 hour. Dissolve the Calcium Lactate in the water stirring with a spoon. Fill the provided pipette with the cantaloupe mixture and drip droplets into the Calcium Lactate mixture. Let them sit in there for 3 minutes and then drain using the small spoon with holes in it (provided). Rinse the balls in warm water before serving.

So here is the problem, no matter how hard I tried they looked more like little sperm them balls, and they were gross, enough said. Oh yeah, they also did not taste good.

 

Gelification - Edible Margarita

I tried this recipe because it sounded like a high-end Jello shot but cooler. I used the half-sphere silicon mold provided but had very poor results. Perhaps they forgot to tell me to lightly oil the mold? They did not come out well (see photo). Fortunately I had lots of extra mixture, so I poured it into a dish and was able to cut it into squares and serve it that way. Not bad and they had quite a kick!

After tasting the basic recipe mixture I found it was way too strong for me, so I added the Pomegranate molasses and the Agave. Yummy!

Ingredients
1/2 cup Tequila
1/2 cup Grand Marnier
1/4 cup Lime juice
2 tablespoons Pomegranate Syrup
1 tablespoon Agave
4 grams cold-soluble gelatin (1 sachet provided)

Procedure
In a bowl, combine all ingredients and mix with your Burr mixer till smooth. Pour the stuff into the lightly oiled mold or flat-bottomed dish. Put in fridge and let set for 3 hours. Unmold and serve. Or why not just make yourself a damn cocktail!

  

Gelification - chocolate spaghetti

My final experiment was the funnest one. I made chocolate spaghetti! I used all the right equipment and it worked perfectly. But what should I do with this stuff? Make a nest and put it on top of my head?

Ingredients
1 cup milk
3 ounces dark chocolate
2 tablespoons Tia Maria, or another liqueur
20 ice cubes
1 large bowl cold water
2 grams Agar Agar (1 sachet provided)

Procedure
Bring milk and 2 grams Agar Agar to a boil. Add the chocolate and stir till it melts. Remove from stove and mix in the liqueur (Shout out to my friend Teri, and her homemade Kahlua!). Place ice cubes into large bowl of water. Using the syringe (provided) siphon off some chocolate mixture and then attach a piece of silicon tube (provided) and inject it into the tube then submerge it into the ice water for 4 minutes. Next, use the empty syringe to force air into the tube, squeezing the chocolate spaghetti out onto a plate, or into your mouth, maybe?

   


Ultimately, I thought this kit was lots of fun, and there are more things I want to try because I love weird science, but for now I am going back to real food. Thanks again to Uncommon Goods!

Crème Fraiche Ice Cream and Cantaloupe Cider Sorbet

The Altitude Adjustment Section
In my quest not to turn on the oven before it cools off today, I offer for your enjoyment two frozen treats.

Crème Fraiche Ice Cream

Ingredients
1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch salt
4 large egg yolks
1 cup crème Fraiche
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Procedure
Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod with the tip of your knife into a heavy saucepan. Add cream sugar and salt and bring just to the boil, stirring till sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks until smooth then temper with a little hot cream and then add the rest slowly while stirring. Now return to the heat and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, till mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. A thermometer should read 170-175 — this takes out the guesswork! Immediately pour mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a metal bowl and place this bowl over a larger bowl filled with ice. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Remove custard from ice bath and stir in Crème Fraiche and lemon juice and mix till smooth. Now put into your ice cream freezer and process as usual. Let harden in freezer at least 4 hours before serving. This ice cream will keep 1 week in the freezer.

Cantaloupe Cider Sorbet

Ingredients
4 cups cantaloupe puree
(that’s about 1 1/2 cantaloupes, skinned, seeded, and put in food processor)
1/2 cup sugar
Grated zest of 3 limes
5 teaspoons (2 envelopes) powdered gelatin
1 1/2 cups apple cider

Procedure
Combine the melon, sugar, and lime zest in a bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar. Soften the gelatin in the cold apple cider for 5 minutes, and then heat to over low heat in a small saucepan to dissolve. Stir into the cantaloupe mixture. Now transfer to your ice cream maker and freeze as usual. If you have the small freezer variety as I do, the recipe will have to be processed in two batches.

Three unusual and healthy Smoothies

Refreshing Beverage of the Week

Oatmeal Smoothie

Makes one serving

Ingredients
1 cup apple juice
1 frozen banana
3 heaping tablespoons of uncooked oatmeal
3 tablespoons of maple syrup
Additional frozen fruit if desired (I like mango)

Procedure
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Avocado Blueberry Smoothie

This recipe is from the California Avocado Commission. I added this because I love avocados and blueberries, but even I must admit this seems like a very strange pairing. Makes two servings.

Ingredients
1/2 Cup ice cubes or crushed ice
1 (11.5-oz) can peach nectar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 large, ripe California Avocado, peeled, seeded, cut in small chunks
1 (6-oz.) carton non-fat vanilla or peach yogurt
1 Cup fresh blueberries, rinsed, picked over, well-drained
1/4 ripe California Avocado, peeled, sliced lengthwise (optional, for garnish)
6 plump blueberries (optional, for garnish)

Procedure
Place all ingredients in blender with lid. Blend on high speed for two minutes or until smooth and creamy. Pour into two tall glasses to serve. If desired, pierce slice of avocado with three blueberries on a tiny cocktail sword or skewer and hang on the side of the glass for garnish. This is a high-fiber recipe.

Cantaloupe Carrot Creamsicle Smoothie

Get a healthy dose of vitamin C and beta-carotene in a concoction that tastes like an intensely delicious creamsicle, and is good enough to serve as a dessert. Makes three servings.

Ingredients
2 cups diced lush, ripe cantaloupe
1 to 1 1/2 cups carrot juice
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
1 cup low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt

Procedure
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust consistency with more liquid if desired. Serve at once in tall glasses.

Cantaloupe Lime Sorbet with a hint of Tarragon

The Altitude Adjustment Section
Okay, so it's not actual high altitude baking, but it is a tasty, healthy sweet. This is another great Weight Watchers option. I do fresh fruit sorbets all summer long and always keep a few flavors in the freezer. They get hard over time, so it's best to let soften about 15 minutes on the counter, then re-whip in the food processor and put back in the freezer until it's time to serve. Just be sure to use ripe fruit. I usually keep my fruit in a bowl on the counter for a week till it smells quite fragrant then I cube it and freeze it. Cantaloupe is a great base and you can add berries, peaches, or — for a creamier texture — a banana. Freeze everything separately and combine as needed.

Ingredients
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup Splenda sugar substitute
30 medium tarragon leaves
1 medium cantaloupe, well ripened, skinned, seeded, cut into cubes and frozen in ziplock bag
3 tablespoons lime juice

Procedure
In a small saucepan, combine water, sugar substitute, lime juice, and Tarragon; bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 1 minute, reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes more; remove from heat and let cool. Strain out tarragon. Next, take frozen melon cubes out of freezer and puree in food processor. Add sugar syrup. Take puree and pour into shallow metal tray and freeze till solid about 30 minute. Break up with a fork and place back in food processor. Puree till smooth and refreeze. Eat soon! Yields about 2/3 cup per serving. 8 servings.