Soy lecithin
An emulsifier from soybeans, the same kind of molecule that lets egg yolk hold a mayonnaise. In modernist kitchens it's mostly for airs: light, bubbly foams whipped from a thin, flavoured liquid.
neutral · faintly beany · foaming
Kinds
- Powder or granules
- Disperses in water — for airs and water-based emulsions.
- Liquid
- Thick and oily; for chocolate and fat-based mixtures.
Goes with
fruit juicedashimilkchocolate Knowing it
- Where to buy
- Modernist suppliers and health-food shops. Sunflower lecithin works the same if soy is a problem.
- Worth knowing
- Blend about 0.5% into a thin, strongly flavoured liquid — juice, dashi, an infusion — then tilt the container and hold the stick blender just at the surface to pull in air. Let it settle a minute and spoon the foam off the top. It collapses within minutes; make it last.