Automnal Stroll

Note-by-Note Dish: Autumnal Stroll

Author: Tara Elliot (M.Sc. student, Dublin Institute of Technology)              Tutors: Dr. Roisin Burke (Science) & Ms. Pauline Danaher (Culinary Arts)

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School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology,

College of Arts and Tourism,

Dublin Institute of Technology,               

Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin 1, Ireland

Project Aim

The aim of the project was to create innovative and unique recipes and food concepts using Note by Note cooking and including pre-specified compounds and compounds of choice.

To do this a dish was created which included milk proteins (Ingredia), phenolics (Cooperative Sud) and 1-octen-3-ol (Mane)). The theme of autumn was selected and flavours, aromas and textures were developed to reflect the season.

Image 1: Final Dish: ‘An Autumnal Stroll’

Recipes, Methods and Materials

Walnut and Hemp Marshmallow

60g Water

10g Milk Protein

4 leaves of Gelatine

250g Sugar

120g Water

5g Hemp powder (Proteins: Edistin (65%) and Albumin (35%))

10 drops of Walnut extract Oil (Glycerol, Linoleic, Oleic & Palmitic acid)

Method:

1. Soak Gelatine in cold water

2. Whisk 10g Milk Protein into 60g Water in KitchenAid® (Model: 5KP M50; 222-240v ~ 50/60Hz; 315w) bowl to dissolve

3. Mix 120g Water with 250g Sugar and bring to 118°C

4. Pour sugar mix into KitchenAid® machine and whisk

5. Add  10 drops of walnut oil and 5g of Hemp powder

6. Add soft Gelatine to mixture and whisk to cool

Spread into oiled moulds on greaseproof paper and allow to set

Image 2: Walnut and Hemp Marshmallows in moulds   

Hemp Brûlée

100g Caster Sugar

5g Hemp powder (proteins; albumin and edistin)

Method:

1 Mix together

2 Sprinkle on top of marshmallows, caramelise with blow torch when plating up

3 Remove moulds

Walnut and Mushroom Powder Décor

7 drops of Walnut oil (Glycerol, linoleic acid, oleic acid & palmitic acid)

10g Pistachio paste (sucrose, glucose, water, oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid)

7 drops of mushroom compound (1-Octen-3-ol)

10g Ab-zorbit    (Tapioca starch)

Method:

1 Mix together and sprinkle onto plate

T. molitor (Mealworm) Port Jelly

6g Carrageenan Iota

100g Sugar

150g Water

200ml Port Wine mix (Ethyl acetate, methoxypyrazines (volatiles), tartaric acid, malic acid and phenols)

8g T. molitor flour (Protein, lipids and fibre)

Method:

1.       Blend 6g carrageenan with 100g sugar

2.       Bring 150g Water + 200ml Port to boil

3.       Combine both mixtures

4.       Pour into glasses to half way level

5.       Allow to set

Grape Must Foam

3g Grape Must Powder

50ml Water

1.5g Milk Protein

1.5g Xanthan Gum

30g Sugar

3 Drops Strawberry flavour (Benzyl-Acetate, 4-hydroxy-2, 5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone (HDMF))

3 Drops Red Carmine dye (Carminic acid, E120 Natural red 4)

Method:

1 Mix all ingredients together

2 Whisk for 2 minutes until fully aerated and lighter in colour

3 Place on top of port jelly in glass

Images 3(i) & 3(ii): Grape Must Foam

 

Image 4: Insect Jelly with Grape Must Foam

T.molitor (Mealworm) Décor

8g T.molitor flour (Protein, lipid, fibre)

10 Drops Red Carmine dye – made from female cochineal insects - (Carminic acid, E120 Natural red 4)

5g Ab-zorbit (Tapioca Starch)

4g Dehydrated Raspberry (Polyphenols; 60% Flavonoids, 30% phenolic acids, 10% tannins)

Method:

1 Mix dye with flour and dehydrated raspberries

2 Add Ab-zorbit and blend until desired powder effect is achieved

Pear Spaghetti

100g Water

60g Sugar

3g Agar-Agar

17 drops Pear Williams flavour compound (Ethyl trans: 2-cis: 4-decadienoate)

Method:

1 Combine 100g Water and 60g Sugar heat to dissolve Add 17 drops (Using Pipette) Pear Williams flavour compound (Ethyl trans:2-cis:4-decadienoate )

2 Add agar-agar to pear syrup, bring to boil

3 Use syringe to suck up solution into PVC tube

4 Leave to cool and set in ice cold water

5 Push spaghetti out using reverse vacuum with syringe

Arrange on plate

Image 5(i) & 5(ii): Pear Spaghetti

Blue Cheese Pearls

Blue cheese syrup:

300ml Water

12 drops ‘SOSA’ #77 mould (Penicillium roqueforti) – used for more intense flavour

0.5g blue cheese powder (Penicillium roqueforti, 2:0, 4:0, 6:0.8:0 fatty acids, methyl ketones, C5, C7 and C9 secondary alcohols, 2-phenylethanol, ethyl butanoate, methyl hexanoate, methyl octanoate) – used to add flavour and colour

3g MSK Sodium Alginate

20g sugar

1 drop green food dye (water, tartrazine E102, Green S E142, acetic acid)

1.0g Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) white powder dye (E171)

Method

1 Dissolve 0.5g blue cheese powder in 300ml water add 12 drops mould (Penicillium roqueforti)

2 Add green food dye and white powder dye

3 Place in mixer bowl on lowest speed

4 Mix Sodium Alginate with sugar, add this mix slowly to bowl – avoid the whisk

5 Continue to mix for 10 minutes until syrupy consistency

6 (Or, without mixing – allow to stand for 10 minutes to thicken)

Calcium Bath

500 ml Water

5g MSK Calcium Chloride

Method:

1 Add Calcium Chloride to water, stir to dissolve

2 Draw Blue Cheese solution into syringe

3 Hold approx. 6 inches above calcium solution

4 Push pearls into bath

5 Remove caviar balls into water then remove with Sieve and plate up

Images 6(i) & 6(ii): Blue Cheese Pearls

Gingerbread Tuile

Isomalt powder

Gingerbread flavour mix (Water, Gum Arabic, Natural Flavour (Vanillylacetone, 6-Shogaol, 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, 10-gingerol and 12-gingerol), Citric Acid)

Method:

1 Drizzle Gingerbread flavour mix on to Silpat

2 Sprinkle layer of isomalt on top of gingerbread flavour mix

3 Place another Silpat on top and bake in deck oven for 10-15 minutes @ 220° C top and base

4 Allow to cool

5 Remove top Silpat and break to desired shape/size

Image 7: Gingerbread Tuile

Equipment Used

Image 8: KitchenAid® Pro Line® Model: 5KP M50; 222-240v ~ 50/60Hz; 315w

KitchenAid® Pro Line®, (2014)

Image 9: Mini Scales: 0.1g increment

 MSK Ingredients, (2015)

Image 10: Agar Spaghetti Kit: PVC tube and Syringe

Molecular Recipes, (2015)

Image 11: Pipette: Conical, 5ml

MSK Ingredients, (2015)

Image 12(i) & 12(ii): Tom Chandley Deck Oven

Dillon, (2014)

Process Steps and Results

Week 1

Pear Spaghetti:

100g Water

100g Sugar

3.6g Agar (1.8%)

Pear flavour compound -, taste and record amount – (Ethyl trans:2-cis:4-decadienoate )

Citric Acid

(Following the same method as previously mentioned in the final pear spaghetti recipe)

Results: As I developed the flavour of the pear consommé the recipe required 17 drops of the pear flavour compound and 0.6g of citric acid. Once the spaghetti was pushed out from the tube, it did not retain its shape and broke up. The gelling ability of agar is affected by the pH of the ingredient mix. The required quantities of agar powder in a recipe will vary depending on the liquid selected. I decided to remove the citric acid entirely from the recipe. I also reduced the sugar content as I found it too sweet. As a result of the adjustments, the pear spaghetti was finally a success.

Image 13: First Test Recipe for Pear Spaghetti

Week 2

Walnut Marshmallow with Agar

160g water

3.6g agar (0.53%)

290g sugar

230g light corn syrup

Pinch of salt

2g pure vanilla essence (ethyl vanillin)

2g walnut compound oil (Glycerol, Linoleic, Oleic & Palmitic acid)

Corn starch (for dusting)

Results: The method for this recipe was to heat 80g water, sugar and corn syrup to 114°C and then pour this over agar and another 80g of water and whisk until thick. It should turn white and almost triple in volume. This did not happen; my mixture remained syrupy and somewhat transparent. I poured the mixture into molds and allowed to set over night according to the method; however the mixture remained liquid and did not set. I could only surmise that perhaps there was not sufficient Agar in the mix or that the temperature of 114°C had not been reached. As an alternative, I developed a new recipe which worked very well.

Image 14: Walnut Marshmallow with Agar

 

Blue Cheese Pearl - liquid

300ml water

Blue cheese powder – to taste

3g MSK Sodium Alginate

20 g sugar

1-2 drops green food dye

1.0g Titanium Dioxide (TiO2)

Analysis of Results: The method called for the blue cheese powder to be dissolved in 300ml of water. I dissolved 0.5g of blue cheese powder and then added 12 drops of ‘Sosa’ 77 mould (Penicillium roqueforti) to give a balanced flavour. I also decided to add 1.0g of white Titanium Dioxide dye to soften the green colour. Titanium dioxide is the most widely used white pigment in products such as paints, coatings, plastics, paper, inks, fibres, and food and cosmetics because of its brightness and high refractive index (> 2.4). When combined with other colours, soft pastel shades can be achieved. The high refractive index, surpassed by few other materials, allows titanium dioxide to be used at relatively low levels to achieve its technical effect. The food applications of titanium dioxide are broad. US regulations authorize its use as a colour additive in foods in general at levels not to exceed 1%. The European Union also permits its use in foods, in general, with some specified exceptions, at quantum satis levels (FAO, 2010). The first and only risk assessment of titanium dioxide (TiO2) as a food additive was carried out by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) in 1969, who concluded: “Titanium dioxide is a very insoluble compound. The studies in several species, including man, show neither significant absorption nor tissue storage following ingestion of TiO2. Establishment of an acceptable daily intake for man is considered unnecessary” (Jovanović, 2014). Based on the US regulations the quantity added was well within what is accepted as safe for human consumption. This mixture was then vac-packed and stored in the fridge to be used on the final day of ‘plating up’.

Week 3

Insect Jelly with Grape Must Foam

6g Carrageenan Iota

100g Sugar

150g Water

200ml Port Wine mix (see above)

8g T. molitor flour

As the T. molitor flour provided by ‘Ynsect’ was dark in colour, I decided to include a Port wine mix (to compliment the grape must) in the recipe. This added flavour and darkened the colour to disguise the insect flour. The grape must foam was straightforward, but I chose to add strawberry flavour to enhance the flavour of the grape must and port wine mix. It worked very well and looked and tasted delicious.

The final elements to the dish; Hemp Bruleé, Walnut & Mushroom powder décor and T.molitor décor were prepared at home and brought to the final class for ‘plate up’. I chose to make the caramel tuile flavoured with gingerbread, to compliment the ‘Autumnal’ theme of ingredients. This was prepared in the final class.

Discussion

When I initially set out to create the Note-by-Note dish I chose a theme of autumn, and named the dish ‘An Autumnal Stroll’.

The main flavour compounds associated with the food and drink below impart a sense of Autumnal days: