Hi,
I've been playing around with some methylcellulose that Judi kindly lent me. It makes great syrup!

Put 1 teaspoon into 1 cup of HOT water and stir. Once it is dissolved you can add sweetener and flavourings to taste. I would suggest starting with the equivalent of 2 cups of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon flavouring ( eg. maple).

Wait for it to cool and store it in the fridge. It may need a gentle shake before serving, but the texture is almost like regular pancake syrup.

NB. Methylcellulose has a few little quirks. It will only disperse in hot water but it will dissolve in cold. If you try to put it in cold water it will clump up.

It is very safe to use, and is in many commercial products as well as Citrucel laxative. It is a natural fibre.

It is hard to find in Canada (hence me having to borrow some from Judi) but I hear that it is available from Ener-G (?) food products under the name of "methocel". You could probably find the brand in a good health food store ans ask for them to order some in.

Good Luck

Colin

Oy, Colin, I see you have indeed been having fun!

I checked today, and the methylcellulose is still available in my absolutely favourite local health food store (now turning into a small and very successful chain), Lifestyle Foodmarkets. It's in the bulk packaging section, right next to the Xanthan gum, in the celiac-friendly (gluten-free) section, with a house-brand label on it. Pretty darn good price for the size of package, too.

It sounds like you have a pretty good source. I will check Choices in Vancouver. So far Galloways and Capers don't seem to have it.

Do they have any recipe suggestions? I tried it in a carrot cake but got Christmas pudding. Obviously the liquid was off. I have also used it in Icing to stabalize and beat air into it. So far it has worked well. Now that fall is here I hope to get the oven going again.

Colin

Quote:

Do they have any recipe suggestions?

Sadly, no. Not really. There was a small sticky on the shelf to the effect that most {bread} recipes call for 1 tsp of the methylcellulose and that the equivalent in xanthan might be 1 tbsp but naught else. This clearly represents the majority of users (non-gluten bread and the like) and enquiries.

Hmmmm. A carrot cake!?! I surely hope that's an LC recipe in development (for which I'd dearly love to have more time). If so, it's often more than the lack of liquid that's problematical. Do share the recipe when you can, I'll chip at it, too! Soon! I hope! aaaaaaagh.

PS: I was thinking this conversation should probably be ported to the Kitchen forum, what say you?

Hi Judi,
Yes we have gotten off the topic here. The cake is in development and I will share the result in the Kitchen once I get a reasonably good product. I was counting on the MC to help with it. I'm working with "flour" blends to give the right texture. I'm pretty close I think and will have to get careful in my recording ( a big downfall of mine).

More to the point of this thread though is the idea of using MC to make sauces and syrups. I miss the gooey part of a good cinnamon bun and think this might just work in that regard. More kitchen time.....

Colin

Hmmmmm, twas always my understanding that the gooey part came from the caramelizing and other chemical properties of sugar(s).

Therefore I suspect a polydextrose or a maltitol, sugar alcohols -- polyols -- whatever, might be required. Are you for, against or neutral on this subject, dear Colin?

Hi Judi

I was trying to replicate the "gooey" effect by using the MC instead of going the sugar route. Granted it would have to be applied just prior to serving, but that is a minor inconvenience.

I made a thick syrup and like the consistency. Now I have to work on the flavouring. Getting the sweetener mix is one challenge, and I think I will have to use cinnamon flavouring rather than just the spice, and just a smidge of blackstrap molasses.

We'll see if MC is worth all the effort. And of course there is the making of the actual cinnamon roll to deal with.

I guess we have gotten off the original theme here, so deal with this as you deem fit.

Bye for now

Colin

Quote:

I was trying to replicate the "gooey" effect by using the MC instead of going the sugar route. Granted it would have to be applied just prior to serving, but that is a minor inconvenience. ... I made a thick syrup and like the consistency. Now I have to work on the flavouring. Getting the sweetener mix is one challenge, and I think I will have to use cinnamon flavouring rather than just the spice, and just a smidge of blackstrap molasses.

Sounds GREAT so far... I'm awaiting the next installment (and consider a pinch of allspice in there, really rounds out the cinnamon).

By the way, what IS your position on the polyols, or have you tried any of them yet? A lot of people do like to use them, it makes the whole 'sugarfree' (debateable but not here, I guess) baking easier but I have grave reservations about dependencies on such, personally.