Chemistry of Food and Cooking - Fluffy and Rich Chocolate Mousse
A.
The ingredient that I chose to experiment with was heavy whipping cream. In this experiment, I was testing to see how varied whipping times of the cream would impact the total density of chocolate mousse, more specifically, the varied densities of the whipped cream in the chocolate mousse. Heavy whipping cream is very high in fat content, through my research, I found that it has a fat content of about 35-40%, the high-fat content of the cream makes it whip easily. When it is whipped, the fat in the cream and the air being whipped into the cream create the fluffy and airy texture.
The more the cream is whipped, the less dense the structure becomes. As I tested whipping times, I found that the longest whipping time resulted in the least dense sample due to the increase in air bubbles from the whipping action. Through my experiment, I noted that the whipping action changes the creams chemical structure through the integration of air bubbles into the fat. Through this general observation and research, I found that by over whipping the cream, it is possible to increase the fat content of the whipping cream. This is caused by the air bubbles eventually being “whipped out”, this leaves something that is basically butter.
D.
Cooking and science have many similarities, as well as differences. Some of the notable similarities are that both cooking and science, specifically chemistry and cooking are both based on how “ingredients” interact together to create some type of product. This could apply to a chemical reaction between two chemicals in a lab or to a cake recipe. Science and cooking come down to the combination of ratios, without the correct measurements in correspondence with other ingredients the recipe/reaction cannot complete itself correctly. A cook is similar to a scientist as they are either following a recipe of ratios to achieve a result, or they are experimenting with ratios to discover a new result.
Science and cooking are also different in ways, science is based on experimentation and exploration while cooking from recipes is almost always based on set ratios to achieve a specific result. Another differentiation between science and cooking is the fact that some recipes do not require any type of reaction. The approach and process to cooking are often what can determine it as a science, the overall development of the product is what determines this.
The ingredient that I chose to experiment with was heavy whipping cream. In this experiment, I was testing to see how varied whipping times of the cream would impact the total density of chocolate mousse, more specifically, the varied densities of the whipped cream in the chocolate mousse. Heavy whipping cream is very high in fat content, through my research, I found that it has a fat content of about 35-40%, the high-fat content of the cream makes it whip easily. When it is whipped, the fat in the cream and the air being whipped into the cream create the fluffy and airy texture.
The more the cream is whipped, the less dense the structure becomes. As I tested whipping times, I found that the longest whipping time resulted in the least dense sample due to the increase in air bubbles from the whipping action. Through my experiment, I noted that the whipping action changes the creams chemical structure through the integration of air bubbles into the fat. Through this general observation and research, I found that by over whipping the cream, it is possible to increase the fat content of the whipping cream. This is caused by the air bubbles eventually being “whipped out”, this leaves something that is basically butter.
D.
Cooking and science have many similarities, as well as differences. Some of the notable similarities are that both cooking and science, specifically chemistry and cooking are both based on how “ingredients” interact together to create some type of product. This could apply to a chemical reaction between two chemicals in a lab or to a cake recipe. Science and cooking come down to the combination of ratios, without the correct measurements in correspondence with other ingredients the recipe/reaction cannot complete itself correctly. A cook is similar to a scientist as they are either following a recipe of ratios to achieve a result, or they are experimenting with ratios to discover a new result.
Science and cooking are also different in ways, science is based on experimentation and exploration while cooking from recipes is almost always based on set ratios to achieve a specific result. Another differentiation between science and cooking is the fact that some recipes do not require any type of reaction. The approach and process to cooking are often what can determine it as a science, the overall development of the product is what determines this.