While
Guy Allan Davis has worked to bring back time-honored entremets and
traditional pasties from Europe, he also recognizes the need to innovate
to ensure his creations are as enjoyable as possible for modern diners.
In addition to focusing on presentation in the food that he prepares,
he has replaced gelatin with Xanthan Gum in many of the baked goods that
he creates. There are many people who may not have heard of Xanthan
Gum, which is a thickening agent that is becoming increasingly popular
for use in food and the creation of cosmetics due to is strong binding
properties. With that in mind, these are all of the advantages that this
agent has to offer.
Gluten-Free
Gluten
is often considered to be vital in baking, not least because it is the
component in bread that causes the flour to stick together. However,
increasing awareness of gluten intolerance has led many to seek
alternatives. Unfortunately, baked goods that are made without gluten
tend to be dry and crumbly. Xanthan Gum provides the ideal solution due
to the fact that it offers many of the same properties of gluten when it
is added to a liquid, without containing the gluten that can aggravate
conditions like celiac disease. As such, it can be used when creating
gluten-free foods to improve the texture and make the end product less
gritty.
A Healthy Additive
In
addition to being used to make gluten-free foods, Xanthan Gum has come
into wide use as a food additive, particularly for dishes that require
binding agents. The fact that the gum prevents the formation of ice
crystals has led to its use in the creation of frozen foods, ice creams
and other frozen desserts. It also has similar characteristics to
ketchup in that it can be squirted out of a bottle easily and settles on
the plate quickly, making it simple to use for chefs and food
preparation specialists.
Cosmetics and Medicine
Further
to its myriad of uses in food preparation, Xanthan Gum is also
regularly added to lotions and other liquid cosmetics, primarily because
of the binding properties that were previously mentioned. It allows for
a smoother and more even application of cosmetic creams, so that they
can be more effective. It has also been used in various medications and
pills, plus it is often taken as a standalone substance by people with
dry mouth as its properties allow it to act as a synthetic saliva.
Allergy Warning
While
Guy Allan Davis advocates the use of Xanthan Gum in baked products, it
is important to point out that some people may be allergic to the agent.
In these cases, it is best to avoid Xanthan Gum altogether, so ask
about it when buying food or cosmetics.
