Softens the flavor of meat and makes dough puffy – properties of alcohol in cooking

Traditionally, alcohol is used as a pleasant addition to a festive table. However, it is often used in cooking as well. And this is not surprising, because the unique flavor of drinks can emphasize the taste of ingredients and make a dish truly special.

The FoodOboz editorial team will tell you about the main properties of alcohol and how it is used in cooking.

The main properties of alcohol:

• Alcohol intensifies the flavor of ingredients, helping them to show off better.
• Alcohol is an ideal base for various extracts, tinctures, and marinades because most flavoring components dissolve much better in alcohol than in water or fat.
• Alcohol softens the flavor of meat.
• In baking, alcohol makes shortcrust pastry more fragile, crispy, and tender, and biscuits and muffins more fluffy.
• Alcohol plays an important role in the preparation of cheese fondue, as it keeps the cheese from curdling, even when heated for a long time. Thanks to this, the fondue is fluid, not too viscous, and the cheese does not harden as it would with conventional heating.
• A small amount of alcohol added to the ice cream lowers its freezing point, which makes the ice cream softer and creamier.

Use of wine in dishes:

1. It enhances the flavor and aroma of dishes, acting in a similar way to lemon juice or vinegar.
2. Acids in wine emphasize the natural flavor of delicate foods, so white fish is often cooked with white wine and served with a lemon wedge. White wine is often added to sauces for young delicate vegetables.
3. Highly acidic wines prevent legumes from boiling over.

The use of cognac in cooking:

1. Enhances the taste – cognac is a kind of preservative: cookies, cakes, and muffins are more fluffy, and fragrant, and a crispy crust forms on them.
2. It has a positive effect on the porosity of baked goods.

The use of vodka in cooking:

1. Improves the quality of dough and acts as a leavening agent: products are baked better and become more fluffy.
2. It disinfects and helps preserve food during preservation.

How to replace alcohol:

• Vodka – juice from light grapes or apple juice with lime juice.

• Red wine – juice from dark grapes, red wine vinegar.
• White wine – juice from light grapes with the addition of wine vinegar.
• Cognac – peach, apricot, or pear juice.