I enjoy a molecular technique now and then, but foams have always been a little hard for me get behind. In my estimation, there simply aren’t many foods that benefit from that particular mouthfeel.
Processed cheese is, it turns out, one of them.
[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2018/09/whip-up-a-bespoke-liqueur-with-nitrous-oxide/” thumb=”https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_ku-large/bpduyfrmjny6iismew8h.jpg” title=”Whip Up A Bespoke Liqueur With Nitrous Oxide ” excerpt=”Giving homemade liqueurs as gifts is a favourite party trick of mine. They’re fun to customise, inexpensive to make, and — if you have a whipping siphon — very easy to throw together at the last minute.”]
Some weeks ago, in a moment of millennial madness, I ordered what was described to me as “a fun play on a cheesesteak.” It arrived, topped with what amounted to artisanal Easy Cheese, and the self loathing begin to rapidly set in.
Then I took a bite, and realised the slightly fluffy cheese was more than a gimmick. The aerated dairy was intensely savoury and tangy, with a densely creamy texture that I can only describe as “impossibly whipped.”
“I could make this at home,” I said to my dining partner. “Cool,” he replied.
If you have a whipping siphon, making your own fancy Easy Cheese-like product is not only something you can do, it’s something you should do. Ingredients-wise, all you need is a package of your favourite processed cheese wedges — Laughing Cow is good, but I really like the ones Dubliner makes — and heavy whipping cream.
Fancy Processed Cheese Foam
Ingredients:
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8 of your favourite processed cheese wedges, wrappers removed (obviously)
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200 mL of heavy whipping cream
Equipment:
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Whipping siphon (I use the 1-litre version. If you’re using the 500 mL, you can halve the recipe.)
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2 “cream” nitrous chargers (Decrease to 1 charger if using the smaller siphon.
Combine cheese and cream in a blender (or use an immersion blender) and process until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into whipping siphon. Screw on the chargers, one after the other, than shake vigorously 15 times.
Place the siphon in the fridge for 2-4 hours; the longer it chills, the more structure your foam will have. Use it as you would any foam cheese, but make it fashionable.
I would not fault you for consuming the entirety of the batch with crackers — which is what I ended up doing — but it makes a crazy good sauce for roasted broccoli or crispy fried potatoes.
Could you also dispense it directly into your mouth, like whipped cream from the can? Yes. Yes, you could, and I for one would not dream of stopping you.
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