Modernist Cooking Made Easy (23 page)

Stir in the cocoa powder, hot sauce, and sugar and blend for 30 seconds with the immersion blender until fully combined. Taste and adjust the chocolate, sugar, and chipotle levels as needed, they will be diluted with the additional milk but you should be able to balance them at this point.

Remove the pot from the heat and blend in the remaining milk with the immersion blender.

Put the milk in the refrigerator to chill completely. It can then be drunk as is or stored in the refrigerator for several days. It may need a quick blend with the immersion blender if it has set.

I
OTA
C
ARRAGEENAN
G
ELS

One of the areas that iota carrageenan excels is in the creation of gels. These gels can range from the consistency of soft custard to firm custard. They are typically elastic, but they can become more brittle when mixed with other ingredients, especially kappa carrageenan.

To gel, the liquid must contain calcium that is free to bind with the iota carrageenan. If the base ingredient lacks calcium it can be added in the form of calcium salts like calcium lactate or calcium chloride.

Iota Carrageenan Gel Process

To make a gel you combine the iota carrageenan with the liquid you would like to gel. Bring the mixture above 70ºC / 158ºF and as high as a boil, then pour the liquid into molds. It will begin to set around 40-70ºC / 104-158ºF, depending on the calcium and ion content of the liquid. Let cool to room temperature, or in an ice bath, and then place in the refrigerator to finish setting. It should be fully set after a few hours for most mold sizes.

Once it has set, the gel can be turned out, shaped, and plated. The gel will maintain its form as long as it stays cooler than 5-10ºC / 9-18ºF above its setting temperature. Please be careful serving gels that are at such a high temperature. They can cause severe burns because many people expect them to be cool.

The gel will also last for a day or two in the refrigerator.

Iota Carrageenan Gel Ratios

The amount of iota carrageenan you use is dependent on the type of liquid you are gelling, and the firmness of the gel you are trying to create. For typical dairy gels you can use a 0.4% to 1.5% ratio. For non-dairy gels, a 0.75% to 1.5% is pretty standard.

P
OBLANO
C
USTARD

This creamy custard is full of poblano flavor and great as an additional to many different dishes. You can serve it alongside pork chops or pork belly, or even as a side with fish.

For additional flavor you can roast the poblano peppers and the garlic. Feel free to tweak the amount of peppers, garlic, and spices to meet your own tastes and how you plan to serve it. You can also use other peppers and spices to really tailor it to the dishes you are making.

Tools Needed

Iota carrageenan

Immersion blender

Molds or setting containers

Chinois

A scale with small gram measurements

Ingredients

1 teaspoon whole coriander

1 teaspoon whole peppercorns

½ teaspoon whole cumin

½ teaspoon whole cloves

500 grams milk, about 2 cups

1-2 poblano peppers, roughly diced

4 garlic cloves, roughly diced

Salt and pepper

5 grams iota carrageenan, 1%

Place a small pan over medium heat. Add the coriander, peppercorns, cumin, and cloves and toast until fragrant, just a few minutes.

Pour the milk into a pot and add the spices, peppers, and garlic. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, and bring to a boil. Once it boils, blend with an immersion blender until slightly pureed. Remove from the heat and let steep for 20 to 30 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Strain the milk, preferably through a chinois for the finest texture. Return the milk to the pot and add the iota carrageenan and blend well with an immersion blender. Bring to a boil and blend for 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from the heat and pour into molds.

Let cool at room temperature, or in an ice bath, then place in the refrigerator to finish setting.

Once fully set the gel can be turned out and cut into any shapes desired. The gel should last for several days covered in the refrigerator.

I
OTA
C
ARRAGEENAN
F
LUID
G
ELS

As with many gelling agents, fluid gels can be easily made from iota carrageenan gels by blending or pureeing them.

Iota Carrageenan Fluid Gel Process

To create an iota carrageenan fluid gel you first make a normal iota carrageenan gel and let it set fully. Once it is set you blend or puree it until it is smooth.

One thing to keep in mind when creating fluid gels is that you need enough gel to easily blend. For instance, it is very hard to make 1 cup of fluid gel because the blender will just throw the gel on the walls of the blender and not puree it. It’s much easier to make 2 or 3 cups and reserve the rest for a later use. For smaller amounts using an immersion blender can be helpful.

Iota Carrageenan Fluid Gel Ratios

The strength of the gel will determine the final viscosity of the fluid gel which can range from very thick to relatively thin. The fluid gel can also be thickened with a small amount of xanthan gum or thinned out by blending in a liquid.

Typically a ratio of 0.1% to 1% will result in a fluid gel ranging from a thin cream sauce to pudding like.

G
ARLIC
C
REAM
S
AUCE

Making a cream sauce can sometimes be a hassle, especially trying to reduce it to get the thickness you want. Using iota carrageenan makes the thickening process very easy to consistently replicate. The roasted garlic adds great flavor to the richness of the cream.

The cream is great as a finishing sauce on many dishes, including steaks and meatier fish. It is also a good way to add flavor to vegetables like asparagus or broccoli. I love using it with biscuits and gravy as well.

Because of the thickness provided from the iota carrageenan, you can even get away with using 2% milk in this recipe and the result will still have a nice, creamy texture.

Tools Needed

Iota Carrageenan

Standing or immersion blender

Chinois

A scale with small gram measurements

Ingredients

1 large head garlic

500 grams heavy cream, about 2 cups

1 sprig of rosemary

Salt and pepper

1 gram iota carrageenan, 0.2%

0.5-2 grams xanthan gum, optional, 0.1% - 0.4%

Preheat an oven or toaster oven to 200ºC / 400ºF.

Cut the end off the garlic, exposing one end of the cloves and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap the garlic in aluminum foil. Cook in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the cloves are soft. Let cool enough so you can comfortably handle them.

Pour the cream into a pot, add the rosemary, and squeeze in as much garlic as you can. If some of the paper gets in that is fine because you will strain it at the end. Bring to a simmer while stirring occasionally and puree with an immersion blender until slightly pureed. Remove from the heat and let steep for 20 to 30 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Strain the milk, preferably through a chinois for the finest texture. Return the milk to the pot and add the iota carrageenan and blend well with an immersion blender. Bring to a simmer and blend for 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from the heat and pour into a container for it to set.

Let cool at room temperature, or in an ice bath, then place in the refrigerator to finish setting.

Once fully set cut the gel into cubes and puree with a standing or immersion blender, or food processor until nice and smooth. If needed, you can add some water to thin it, or some xanthan gum to thicken it.

After it is pureed it is ready to be served.

K
APPA
C
ARRAGEENAN
A
T A
G
LANCE

Common Names

Kappa Carrageenan

Basic Ratios By Weight

0.3-1.5% dairy gels

0.3-1% dairy fluid gels when blended

Dispersion Temperature

Cool

Hydration Temperature

Above 70ºC / 158ºF

Setting Temperature

35-60ºC / 95-140ºF, depending on calcium and ions present

Melting Temperature

About 10-20ºC / 18-36ºF above setting temperature

K
APPA
C
ARRAGEENAN
G
ELS

Kappa carrageenan can be used to create firm, brittle gels and is especially effective at gelling dairy-based liquids. To gel, the liquid must contain either calcium or potassium that is free to bind with the kappa carrageenan.

If the base ingredient lacks calcium it can be added in the form of calcium salts like calcium lactate or calcium chloride or potassium salts like potassium citrate or potassium phosphate. For ease we will focus on dairy gels.

Kappa carrageenan can also be combined with locust bean gum to strengthen the gels and make them less elastic.

Kappa Carrageenan Gel Process

To make a gel you combine the kappa carrageenan with the liquid you would like to gel. If the liquid does not have calcium or potassium then they will need to be added.

Bring the mixture above 70ºC / 158ºF and as high as a boil, then pour the liquid into molds. It will begin to set around 35-60ºC / 95-140ºF, depending on the calcium and potassium content of the liquid. Let it cool to room temperature, or in an ice bath, and then place the gel in the refrigerator to finish setting. It should be fully set after a few hours for most mold sizes.

Once it has set, the gel can be turned out, shaped, and plated. The gel will maintain its form as long as it stays cooler than 10-20ºC / 18-36ºF above its setting temperature. Please be careful serving gels that are at such a high temperature since they can cause severe burns because many people expect them to be cool.

The gel will also last for a day or two in the refrigerator.

Kappa Carrageenan Gel Ratios

The amount of kappa carrageenan you use is dependent on the type of liquid you are gelling, and the firmness of the gel you are trying to create. For typical dairy gels you can use a 0.3% to 1.5% ratio. If you are adding locust bean gum, it will be in at two-thirds the weight of the kappa carrageenan.

B
UTTERSCOTCH
C
USTARD