100th post?

I didn't realize that my previous entry is the 100th post!! yippiieee!!!

Muffins Experiment

This is my first post for muffins, coz this is the first time I bake muffins!! I think there are so many of choices for muffins, I just don't know which one is the best to do first. So today, I tried 2 types of muffins: Banana, and Carrot.

I have made banana loaf/bread for some time, so I am quite sure of the mixing. While, I have never done anything with carrots. I'm quite sceptical with carrot cake/muffin, just because I don't know how it tastes like. Though carrot cake/muffin is a very popular.

I took the recipes from Joyofbaking.com.
For Banana muffins, please go here.
For Carrot muffins, please go here.
I added some chopped peanuts, instead of walnut or pecan.

I baked these muffins using 3 different moulds, as part of my experiment.
One batch of carrot muffins, I used the mini muffin metal mould.
Second batch, I used the paper muffin cups.
For the banana muffins, I used the silicone mould which I received for Xmas.
Oh! So this is also my first time using silicone muffin mould :D

Carrot muffins:


Grated carrots


1 grated Granny Smith apple


Dry ingredients mix


Wet ingredients mix


Pouring the wet to the dry mix


Batter ready

Banana muffins:


Dry ingredients


Wet ingredients

In the oven they go!

Small metal mould

The result:



Paper muffin cups

The result:



Silicone cups

The result:


The verdict:
Silicone molds rules!!!! The muffins fall off from the mold without needing any effort. I will never go back to tin/metal molds uhuhuhu

Molecular cooking

Mole-whaatt??
Yes you read it correct.. Molecular cooking. This is my first cooking class :D and I chose molecular cooking hihihi
So what is it actually? After the class, in my opinion it is new cuisine, chemical in the kitchen, revolution, evolution, science, fun, test, practice - all mix together. That is what cooking is all about :D
This is not an ordinary cooking class. If you are looking for new recipe, new menu, new taste, this is not the class for it. Molecular cooking class is a science class, where you learn about science in food and to learn the technique based on science and molecules in the foods.

There are different branches of molecular cooking. There are spherification, mousse, cooking at low temperature, cooking with liquid nitrogen (l'azote liquide in french), and gelification.

For this class, I only learn spherefication. What is it?
It is a culinary technique to make gelification around a liquid that form spheres.
There are 2 types of spherification: basic spherification and inverse/reverse spherification.
"Basic Spherification consists of submerging a liquid containing Algin in a Gluco/Calcic bath."
This technique is used when making "caviar" type (small sphere).
For basic spherification, it is not advisable to use foods which are high in acidity, highly oily and alcohol. (so don't dream of making wine caviar LOL)

"Inverse Spherification consists of submerging a liquid containing Gluco in an Algin bath."
Inverse spherification created more stable spheres, thus can be kept longer.
Usually you add Xantane as a thickener. You may use basically any kind of foods for this technique (unlike the basic technique), such as olives, mozarella, yoghurt :D

Next post shows some photos of my adventure into science fooding!

Molecular Cooking - Spherification

Chez Mmmmh!
There are 2 "classes". This is actually Italian cuisine class. They are making Tortellini.


At "Backstage", where molecular cooking class is.


The Chef starts the class by explaning some theories. On the table, are the items we will be using later. Chef Sergio introduces us to the different scientific ingredients.

Basic Spherification


Measuring 2.5 grams of Calcic for 500g of water - for the bath.


The bath is ready, and now measuring for the mint syrup + water


Mix the mint syrup water with algin. Let it settle for 1 hour or so. This is important to let out all air in the mix.


After 1 hour, use small pipette(what is the name in english?) or syringe to produce droplets.


Prepare also a simple chocolate mousse and use the siphon to make the mousse "airy".




Et voila!! Mousse au chocolat aux perles de menthe! :D


Another basic spherification using tomato juice.



The different sizes of spoon determine the different time to let the sphere "rest" inside the calcic bath. 1-2-3-4 minutes.





Practice makes perfect sphere :D


After the estimated time in the calcic bath, spoon out the sphere and put it rest in a normal water in order to "wash away" the calcic taste.
See the blob on the absorbant paper towel? That is an example of failed sphere LOL It will have the shape of Barbapapa LOL


My sphere!!!

Reverse spherification using olive juice.
As said before, the bath for reverse specification is algin, and and Xantane is used in the olive juice as thickener.




Olive spheres in olive oil.

Great thing about reverse spherification is not only it makes the sphere more stable, but also you can have different taste at the outside than the inside. For example, you can put the olive spheres in spicy olive oil. So that when you put the sphere in our mouth, you will first taste the spicy oil, then when you broke the jelly membrane, you get the natural olive taste, and they made a nice combination in your mouth :D