Preservation Experiments

Custard
Make a pint of instant custard and a pint of traditional custard powder with milk. Make them just
slightly thicker than normal so that the chilled version will hold its shape like a blancmange when
chilled.

Freeze one of each in ½ pt plastic cups, and chill the other 2 in the fridge for next lesson. Label the
cups: - frozen instant; frozen traditional; chilled instant; chilled traditional.

Apples
Peel the apples, core and slice.

Divide them into 2 groups.

Quickly blanch one group, drain then place in a freezer bag, press all the air out and label freezer bag
with the words “Blanched apples”. The second group – simply place in the freezer bag and label
“Fresh apples”.

Runner beans
String the beans and slice diagonally.

Divide them into 2 groups.

Quickly blanch one group, drain then place in a freezer bag, press all the air out and label freezer bag
with the words “Blanched runner beans”. The second group – simply place in the freezer bag and
label “Fresh runner beans”.

Banana
Place a whole banana in the freezer.

Peel and slice a banana and place the slices in a freezer bag, exclude the air then place in the freezer.
Results after defrosting
Remove from freezer to fridge to allow to defrost for the next lesson.

Custard
The instant custard powder is made with modified starch. There should be no change in either the
frozen or the chilled. Turn out on to a plate, it will collapse because there is no change.

The traditional custard powder. Turn both out on to plates. The chilled one should hold its shape like
a blancmange. The frozen one will to start with and then gradually sink. You should notice water
leaching out. If you press it gently more water will leach out. Synerisis is taking place. If you squeeze
it you are left with what looks like a wet paper hankie!

Traditional ‘native’ starches cannot be frozen because of this leaching.

If there are only 2 days between the lessons some should be edible.

Apples
Blanched O.K.

Unblanched – enzymic browning?

Runner beans
Blanched O.K.

Unblanched – probably O.K. for a short length of time such as a few weeks. If you want them to keep
over winter the water inside would swell and burst the cell structure and they would be very limp.

Banana
Whole banana – probably black skin, swollen and split due to water content. Very soft.

Sliced banana – probably not ok to eat as fresh, but excellent to add to smoothies whilst still frozen.

Shopping list
1pk instant custard powder to make a pint, (but only add 15 fl oz not 20 fl oz).
1pk custard powder to make up with sugar and milk, (but only add 15 fl oz not 20 fl oz).
1lb apples
1pk fresh runner beans
2 bananas.