Tapioca Maltodextrin, Grrrr.

Tapioca Maltodextrin is a big name for a super-light, flour-like substance.  It has magical powers in that it can convert a fat into a powder. (The scientific way of saying that it is "a modified food starch that thickens and stabilizes fatty compounds")

There are a lot of "recipes" out there for using this stuff, but really, just think of the equation that anything with fat or oil in it, plus Tapioca Maltodextrin (TM), equals flavored powder.

Bacon Fat + TM = Bacon Powder
Peanut Butter + TM = Peanut Butter Powder
Olive Oil + TM = Olive Oil Powder.
Nutella + TM = Nutella Powder

My first exploration into using TM was to make Nutella powder, which I made without any measuring, and it turned out fantastic.    I found Emily's fabulous blog and made the powder and the cake and it was de-lish.
 http://emilysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2010/12/emilys-chemistry-adventures-flourless.html 

 I threw Nutella and TM into my food processor, and a magical powder came out.

Unfortunately, every powder I have attempted after that one has been a failure.  I follow the recipe, throw measured ingredients into my food processor, and no matter how much TM I throw in there, the mixture never gets powdery.

So, this time, I decided I would follow the recipe EXACTLY and see how it came out.  Set my sights on the classic "Dry Caramel With Sea Salt" http://www.molecularrecipes.com/transformation/dry-caramel-salt/

First, made the caramel.  That turned out just fine.

The next step was: " in food processor combine caramel base with Tapioca Maltodextrin and process until caramel base is completely absorbed."  And so I did.  I measured the TM, combined it in the food processor.  I processed it and processed it and processed it.  Still a "wet" mess.  Added more TM. And more, and more, well beyond the scope of the recipe.  (and this is also what happened in my other failed "powder" attempts.

It looked like powder, but it was chewy.  Was it good?  Oh, yes.  Was it the right texture?  I didn't think so.

So, now I have failed on three different powders, time to think outside of the recipe to look for a cause.

1. Caramel wasn't cooked enough?  I think the caramel was right on, and certainly that doesn't account for the previous olive oil or bacon fat failures.

2. High humidity?  Uh, no.  This is Phoenix, in April, 17% humidity max.

So, I surrendered to the internet, and found other "powder makers" on YouTube and looked for their technique.

First, I found this inadvertently hilarious lady who had the same problem I had with bacon fat powder:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLKDVHUzyqk&list=PL83FF2C3331E96CA9&index=4&feature=plpp_video   (and she is entirely too excited about her bacon fat).

But the next video was a gold mine.  The originators of the Dry Caramel with Sea Salt recipe (Alinea Restaurant, Chicago) demonstrate how to make it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTWZIDUrUzo
It's supposed to be soft and chewy in your mouth!  Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

So, mine was probably OK, but I think I had more "blobs" than powder for the most part.  After watching a lot of videos on YouTube, I think the next time I make a "powder" I will use my whisk instead of my food processor and see if it comes out better.   (Most all of the chef-types in the videos were whisking to make their powder instead of using a machine.)

I see a bacon powder attempt in my near future...