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Soy Lecithin

What is Soy Lecithin?

Lecithin, also called soy lecithin, is a natural emulsifier that comes from fatty substances found in plant tissues. It is derived from soy beans either mechanically or chemically and is a byproduct of soy bean oil creation. The end product is a light brown powder that has low water solubility.

As an emulsifier, it works to blend immiscible ingredients together, such as oil and water, giving way to stable preparations.

Aside from being used as an emulsifier, soy lecithin is also used in creating foams, airs, mousses and other aerated dishes that are long lasting and full of flavor. It is also used in pastries, confections and chocolate to enhance dough and increase moisture tolerance.

When used as an emulsifier, soy lecithin can be whisked directly into the liquid of choice. A concentration of 0.5% to 1% of the liquid's weight may be used depending on the desired outcome of the preparation.

In the preparation of foams, the lecithin can be added to the liquid with dosage ranging from 0.3% to 0.8% and aerated with a hand blender just below the surface of the liquid. The resulting foam may be skimmed off for use and will remain set for upwards or 15 or 30 minutes.

As with most ingredients, dosage and concentration for soy lecithin will depend on the ingredients used, specific properties desired in the resulting preparation, as well as other conditions.



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Soy Lecithin

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How to Make a Soy Lecithin Foam

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Soy Lecithin Citrus Air Recipe

Soy Lecithin Citrus Air Recipe image Within molecular gastronomy one of the easiest things to experiment with are foams. There are a lot of ingredients that can cause foams, and a lot of variety depending on what type of foam you are trying to make. For my preparation I wanted to make an "air", basically a really, really light foam, similar to the fizzy head you get when you pour soda or a light beer. For this type of foam soy lecithin is perfect.
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