xanthan

[kiwigirl]

hello i would like to know if anyone has used xanthan and if so how many teaspoons to how many mls of water to make a syrup . thanks

 

[Andy M.]

Hello and welcome to DC, kiwigirl.

I've never used xanthan. What are you making?

 

[AllenOK]

I just ran a seach on xantham gum. I remembered from college it was used as a stabilizer. My google search confirmed this. It helps maintain a certain viscosity in liquids, stabilizes it so the liquid doesn't break down, and helps to retard the growth of ice crystals in the freeze-thaw cycle.

That said, I haven't used xantham gum in anything. Although, that ice cream I made last night is kind of gritty. Maybe some xantham gum is just what I need?

 

[kiwigirl]

thanks for that

 

[daddy-o]

I have used xanthan gum for years as a stablizer in home-made ice cream and it is fabulous. I have also used it in sauces and it is excellent for stablizing sauces and gravies, even acidic fruit sauces. Its characteristics include maintaining products through the freeze and thaw process. It is effective in dough products such as pie crusts and similar type wraps as well as the sauced contents. I have used it in fruit pies and meat pies.

I recommend that you use traditional starches as the basis for your thickening, including a small amount of xanthan gum to stablize and preserve the thickening. As you gain experience with it you might increase the quantity. It is considerably more expensive than traditional thickeners.

As to quantities, I have used as little as 1 tsp per 1/2 gal. fruit based ice cream, less in chocolate and vanilla ice creams. This is the most impressive place to use it, in my opinion. I routinely make home made ice cream that will remain frozen in my freezer for as long as it takes to eat it all, maintaining the same smooth, creamy consistency as the hour it was made. One particular chocolate recipe lasted nearly two weeks and retained the same silkiness you expect from the world's best high priced brands.

Best of luck.

 

[kiwigirl]

thanks daddy-o your information has helped me alot but there is one thing , can you taste it .

 

[AllenOK]

Time for my question. Where can I purchase xantham gum?

 

[Michael in FtW]

Well, Allen, by mail order - go to http://www.google.com/search?biw=989&hl=en&q=xanthan+gum

 

[daddy-o]

There is no taste that I have been able to discern. I don't recall actually sticking my finger in it and tasting it, but it does not add a taste to food. I will note that it will 'cook' eggs, that is, if you beat whole eggs or egg yolks as you would to add to ice cream and you don't want to cook them to avoid the custard taste, adding xanthan gum to them for me has changed them in some way so as to remove the raw egg taste without applying heat. Disclaimer: if you don't know absolutely that your eggs are not contaminated with salmonella do not use them raw.

I am fortunate to live in the vicinity of Bob's Red Mill https://www.bobsredmill.com/catalog/index.php?action=showdetails&product_ID=431, and that is where I get mine. Their website offers an 8 oz. bag and that is quite enough for most people's needs. As I said before, very small quantities are sufficient.

Good luck.

 

[culinarywayne]

I used to use xanthan gum and yes it is virtually tasteless