You can use science to make phenomenal snacks.
PLAY WITH VAPOR PRESSURE BY POPPING CORN IN A MICROWAVE OVEN, DEHYDRATE DELICIOUS FRUIT LEATHER, PICKLE SOME MOUTH-PUCKERING CUCUMBERS IN ACETIC ACID, OR WHIP UP SOFT PRETZELS BY BATHING THEM IN BAKING SODA.
A good story makes food more fun. So tell your friends that German soft pretzels were invented when a baker accidentally brushed bread sticks with laundry detergent made of lye. Luckily, a baking soda pretzel bath is safer than lye and initiates the same chemical reaction, giving pretzels a gorgeous brown crust that will have everyone reaching for more.
“Knowing how ingredients play with each other as they are mixed together, or once they go into the oven, is the key to having fun with baking. It allows you to be more creative and experiment with flavors and textures in cookies, cakes, pies and breads.”
Zoë François, author of The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day series and chief pastry creator on zoebakes.com
PAPER-BAG POPCORN EXPLOSION |
THE HOT CRUNCH OF POPCORN IS A DELICIOUS WAY TO SATISFY A SALT CRAVING OR MAKE WATCHING A MOVIE AT HOME FEEL MORE SPECIAL. POPPING CORN IN A PAPER BAG IS QUICK AND SIMPLE AND DOESN’T GET ANY DISHES DIRTY, WHICH IS ALWAYS A BONUS.
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup (85 g) popcorn kernels (unpopped)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) canola or other vegetable oil
Salt
EQUIPMENT
2 paper bags
Microwave oven
Small bowl (optional)
SAFETY TIPS AND HINTS
Steam and hot oil can cause burns. Use caution when opening the bag.
Popping time will depend on the microwave you are using.
RECIPE
1. Put one bag inside the other to make a double bag.
2. Pour the popcorn into a small bowl. (Fig. 1)
3. Add the oil to the popcorn and mix with a spoon. Alternately, add the popcorn and oil directly to the bag and shake it up. (Fig. 2)
4. Pour popcorn and oil into the doubled paper bag and fold the top over. (Fig. 3)
5. Microwave on high for 3–4 minutes, until the popping has almost stopped. Open the bag carefully to avoid getting burned by steam. (Fig. 4)
6. Share your snack with a friend. (Fig. 5)
PRETZEL BREAD STICKS |
BOILING DOUGH IN BAKING SODA-INFUSED WATER GIVES SOFT PRETZELS THEIR UNIQUE FLAVOR AND COLOR. DEVOUR THESE TREATS WHEN THEY’RE FRESH FROM THE OVEN.
Adapted from Food & Wine magazine and a recipe from my mom’s cooking school, the Cook’s Workshop.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups (475 ml) warm (not hot) water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (75 g) light brown sugar
2 envelopes (14 g) active dry yeast
1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
6 cups (750 g) all-purpose flour
Cooking spray or butter
1/2 cup (110 g) baking soda
1 large egg
Kosher salt or flaky salt for topping pretzels
EQUIPMENT
3 or 4 baking sheets
Basting brush
Knife or kitchen scissors
Large, deep skillet
Large bowl
Oven
Paper towels
Parchment paper
Slotted spoon
Small bowl
Spoon
SAFETY TIPS AND HINTS
Use caution with boiling water. It’s good to have an adult around when you tackle this recipe.
These tasty snacks are easier to handle if you don’t make them too big. If your pretzel sticks are falling apart when you boil them, cut them into shorter pieces.
RECIPE
1. Rehydrate the yeast by dissolving 1/2 cup (75 g) brown sugar in 2 cups (475 ml) warm water and adding the dried yeast. Stir the mixture and let it sit for 5 minutes. (Fig. 1)
2. Add 1/4 cup vegetable oil to the yeast mixture.
3. Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3 cups of the flour. Mix well and stir into the yeast and oil mixture. (Fig. 2)
4. Use your hands to knead an additional 2 3/4 cups (340 g) of flour into the dough and dump it out onto a flat surface covered with flour.
5. Continue to knead the dough until it is soft and silky, adding the remaining 1/4 cup flour if needed so the dough is not too sticky to work with. (Fig. 3)
6. Coat a large bowl with vegetable oil. Add the dough and let it rise at room temperature until it has doubled in size (30–45 minutes, depending on the temperature).
7. Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C).
8. Line baking sheets with parchment paper that has been greased with cooking spray or butter.
9. Punch down the pretzel dough and knead it a few times. Flatten it out and cut it into 24 pieces of similar size. (Fig. 4, 5)
10. Roll each piece into sticks around 1/2 inch thick, then cut each pretzel stick in half. Position them on the parchment on the baking sheets with space for them to double in size. Let them rise for 25 minutes. (Fig. 6)
11. While they rise, beat an egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl to create an egg wash for the pretzels.
12. Bring 2 quarts of water and 1/2 cup baking soda to a simmer in a deep skillet. Reduce the heat to medium. Put some paper towels on a large plate for draining bread sticks.
13. Use slotted spoons to transfer 6 to 8 bread sticks to the simmering water. After about 20 seconds, flip them over and simmer for another 20 seconds. (Fig. 7)
14. Drain the boiled sticks on the paper towels and return them to the parchment paper on the baking sheets. Continue boiling the remaining pretzel sticks. When you’re about halfway through, add a cup of hot water to the cooking liquid to replenish it.
15. Snip or score the tops of the pretzels lightly, brush them with egg wash, and sprinkle them with salt. Bake them at 450˚F (230˚C) for 10 minutes or until they’re a rich brown color. (Fig. 8, 9)
16. Enjoy the soft pretzels plain or serve them with your favorite dipping sauce. (Fig. 10)
Make homemade pesto (Lab 20), aioli (Lab 16), or hummus (Lab 17) to take your pretzel dip to the next level.
FLAVORFUL FRUIT LEATHER |
YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO STOP EATING THESE NATURALLY SWEET FRUIT SNACKS! WRAP THEM IN PARCHMENT TO MAKE HOMEMADE FRUIT ROLL-UPS OR CUT THEM INTO CREATIVE SHAPES BEFORE YOU GOBBLE THEM UP.
INGREDIENTS
3 cups (435 g) fresh or frozen chopped fruit, such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, mango, or peaches
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
1–4 tablespoons (20–80 g) honey
1/4 cup (60 ml) water (optional, depending on fruit)
EQUIPMENT
Baking sheet
Fork
Kitchen shears or clean scissors (optional)
Saucepan
Standard or immersion blender (optional)
Silicone mat or parchment paper
Stove
Wooden spoon
Plastic bag with end cut off, for piping (optional)
SAFETY TIPS AND HINTS
Hot fruit leather can cause burns. Let it cool before you taste it.
Silicone mats work better than parchment for drying fruit leather, but you can use either.
Frozen mango is our family’s favorite fruit for fruit leather.
Make several batches of fruit leather at once to create multiple flavors and colors.
Some fruit combinations dry out more quickly than others. Fruit leather like mango that dries quickly can be removed from the pan while other fruit purée continues to dry in the oven.
RECIPE
1. Preheat the oven to its lowest setting, such as 170°F (77°C).
2. Place the chopped fruit and lemon juice in a saucepan.
3. Add honey to the fruit. Fruit such as blueberries and strawberries tastes better with more honey, while peaches and mango require less. (Fig. 1)
4. Cook the fruit over medium heat, stirring occasionally until most of the water evaporates and it is thick like jam. The fruit should be soft enough to crush with a fork. Some fruit that contains less water, such as mango, will require the addition of 1/4 cup water as you cook it. (Fig. 2)
5. Remove the fruit mixture from the heat and allow it to cool.
6. When fruit is at room temperature, transfer it to a mixing bowl and use a fork or a blender to mash it into a smooth paste.
7. Taste the mixture to see whether it needs more honey. It should be tart, but flavorful. Add another tablespoon of honey, if needed.
8. Spread or pipe the fruit mixture onto a silicone baking sheet or parchment that has been placed on a baking sheet. Use a knife or spatula to spread it into a thin layer. (Fig. 3)
9. Put the fruit in the oven to dry until it is no longer sticky to the touch. (Fig. 4)
10. When it is dry, peel the fruit leather off the silicone sheet or parchment. Roll it up in parchment or cut it into fun shapes. Try to eat it within a week or so of making it. (Fig. 5)
Experiment with different types and mixtures of fruit. Do some fruits contain more water than others? Sour fruits naturally contain more acid than fruits with more delicate flavors, so adding them to sweet fruits will create a tasty mixture.
PUCKER-UP PICKLES |
VINEGAR IS DILUTED ACETIC ACID AND IS GOOD AT PRESERVING AND FLAVORING FOOD. TAKE THE EDGE OFF THE ACIDITY WITH SOME SUGAR AND POUR IT OVER SLICED CUCUMBERS TO MAKE QUICK REFRIGERATOR PICKLES THAT LIVEN UP PICNICS AND SUMMERTIME BARBECUES.
INGREDIENTS
Small cucumbers
Onion or garlic (optional)
Large container of white vinegar, cider vinegar, or rice vinegar
Salt
Sugar
EQUIPMENT
Cutting board
Mixing spoon
Knife
Small jars
SAFETY TIPS AND HINTS
Use proper cutting technique, keeping fingers and thumbs tucked away from the knife end of the vegetable you’re cutting.
If using cider or rice vinegar, reduce the amount of sugar by half.
RECIPE
1. Slice cucumbers into coins or spears. (Fig. 1)
2. Pack them tightly into jars. Add onion or garlic, if desired. (Fig. 2)
3. Mix 2 cups (475 ml) vinegar, 2 teaspoons salt, and 8 teaspoons (36 g) sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
4. Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers. Make more vinegar solution if you need it, or top jars off with plain vinegar. Screw the jar lids on loosely. (Fig. 3, 4)
5. Refrigerate pickles for 1–2 days. Pair them with a snack or pile them on a sandwich. (Fig. 5)
Make some pretzels (Lab 6) to go with your pickles.
To make Southern-style pickles, slice cucumbers very thin, sprinkle them with salt and let them sit for half an hour. Dry them with a paper towel, and add them to the vinegar-sugar mixture. Refrigerate and serve them as an appetizer.
Pickle other veggies, such as thinly sliced onions. Experiment with different seasonings.
JUICY FRUIT SPAGHETTI AND POPPING BOBA |
USE TECHNOLOGY ADAPTED FROM SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH LABS TO POLYMERIZE TASTY FRUIT SPAGHETTI AND POPPING BOBA.
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup (175 ml) fruit juice, such as mango/orange juice (no added calcium)
1/4 teaspoon sodium alginate
2 teaspoons calcium chloride
4 cups (946 ml) water, plus extra
EQUIPMENT
2 large bowls
Blender, hand blender, or wire whisk)
Medium bowl
Mixing spoon or whisk
Slotted spoon
Squeeze bottle or medium to large syringe
SAFETY TIPS AND HINTS
You’ll have to order some of the ingredients for this one, and you’ll need a squeeze bottle or syringe, but it’s so much fun that it’s worth it.
Fruit juice containing too much calcium will solidify immediately when you add the sodium alginate, so it’s a good idea to have a few different juice options on hand.
RECIPE
1. Pour 3/4 cup fruit juice into a medium bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This will help dissolve the alginate in step 2.
2. Blend or whisk the cold juice and sprinkle the sodium alginate into the agitated liquid. Mix well, trying to minimize bubbles. The liquid may thicken slightly. (Fig. 1)
3. Put the liquid in the refrigerator and let it sit for 2 hours to overnight, to remove bubbles.
4. When the alginate mixture is ready, fill a large bowl with water.
5. Add the calcium chloride to the water and whisk it in until dissolved, creating a calcium chloride bath. (Fig. 2)
6. Fill the syringe or squeeze bottle with the juice/sodium alginate mixture and try to drip the juice into the calcium chloride bath one drop at a time to form popping boba, also called spherified caviar. (Fig. 3)
7. Let the boba sit in the bath for 1–3 minutes and remove them using a slotted spoon.
8. Fill a bowl with clean water and use it to rinse the boba.
9. To make fruit spaghetti, squeeze a continuous stream of fruit juice solution into the calcium chloride bath. Let sit until firm and then remove and rinse as before. (Fig. 4)
10. Taste your creation. Boba and fruit spaghetti can be stored in fruit juice without sodium alginate. (Fig. 5)
Add popping boba to a fruit smoothie or frozen matcha tea (Lab 3).
Experiment with different juices to see which ones work best for making popping boba and fruit spaghetti.