Claire, from the BA's kitchen, attempts to create a gourmet version of the classic crunchy Cheeto. She experiments with various ingredients and techniques to replicate the unique texture and flavor of Cheetos, including using an extruder to shape the cornmeal mixture and dehydrating cheese for the coating. After several trials and adjustments, she achieves a close approximation of the original snack's crunchiness and cheesiness. The final recipe involves cooking polenta, adding baking powder, egg white, and seasonings, then frying and dehydrating the shaped dough before coating it with a homemade cheese powder made from dehydrated cheddar and other ingredients.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The goal is to make a gourmet Cheeto.
2. The classic crunchy Cheeto is used as a reference.
3. The ingredients of a classic Cheeto include enriched cornmeal, corn, vegetable oils, cheese seasoning, and other additives.
4. The process of making Cheetos involves extruding cornmeal through a machine that heats and shapes it into the iconic Cheeto shape.
5. The process takes 19 minutes in a factory, but the attempt in the text is to make it in four days.
6. The initial attempt at making Cheetos involves mixing cornmeal with water and salt, and then frying it in oil.
7. The result is a sad, thin, and oily Cheeto.
8. The second attempt involves adding baking powder and cornstarch to the mixture, and then frying it in oil.
9. The result is a crunchier Cheeto, but it still breaks apart easily.
10. The third attempt involves using an air fryer to dry out the Cheetos before frying them in oil.
11. The result is a crunchier and less oily Cheeto.
12. The cheese powder is made by dehydrating cheese and then blending it with tapioca maltodextrin and other seasonings.
13. The final result is a gourmet Cheeto that is crunchy, cheesy, and addictive.
14. The recipe for making gourmet Cheetos involves combining cooked polenta, baking powder, egg white, salt, garlic powder, and cayenne in a food processor, and then adding cornstarch and processing until thick and tacky.
15. The mixture is then piped onto a surface, cut into irregular pieces, and rolled into Cheeto-like shapes.
16. The Cheetos are then fried in oil and dried in a dehydrator until crispy.
17. The cheese coating is made by combining tapioca maltodextrin, dehydrated orange sharp cheddar, salt, turmeric, powdered buttermilk, garlic powder, and cayenne in a blender, and then drying it in a dehydrator until totally dry.