Food Myth Friday?

Fair enough! Look at all that alliteration!

Does alcohol really get cooked out of foods?

With the dawn of St. Patrick's day, quite possibly the booziest day of there year (after New Years Eve of course) I got a little curious about how much alcohol actually cooks out of all those booze infused cupcake recipes I've been ogling over. (If you're curious I will likely be trying my own adaptation to this Tequila Sunrise recipe) It's easy to assume alcohol would, as it's boiling point (173° F) is significantly lower then that of water (212°F)

It didn't take much searching to find out that some ultra-smurt scientists, universities and the USDA were way ahead of my ponderings. In the study they used a variety of alcohols, recipes, and preparation methods, including simmering, sauteing and my favorite of course, baking.  So does alcohol really get cooked off during cooking? Well the answer is...Kinda sorta..sometimes...maybe.

Not surprisingly the study concluded that the amount of alcohol retained in food ranged between about 4 and 85 percent. What was surprising was that the amount of alcohol remaining didn't just depend just on how long the alcohol spent above it's boiling point, but the types of foods and vessel size were a primary factors as well. Obviously foods that had alcohol added towards the end of cooking was clocking in at about 75% of the alcohol remaining. 

When baked for 25 minutes with the mixture not being stirred, I assume this is where cakes fall into, the retention rate was 45%. ...Those margarita cupcakes you wanted to take to work aren't looking like such a good idea now, is it?

When baked/simmered where the mixture was stirred ( sauces, glazes, syrups, etc)  are on average the following:
15 minutes 40%
30 minutes 35%
1 hour 25%
1.5 hours 20%
2 hours 10%
2.5 hours 5%

So...yes the alcohol cooks off, but to my shock not a whole lot of it... Guess my cupcakes won't be going to any AA meetings.



References
Ochef
About Home Cooking
Today I Found Out

Caramel Almond Monkey Bread

Caramel Almond Monkey Bread

I'm not really sure where I originally got this recipe, but I do know it's a  favorite of mine and it's exceptionally adaptable. The Almonds can be omitted or replaced with any type of nuts (i did half and half almond and walnuts for the one pictured) , the caramel can easily take additions of extract or zests for an orange or rum caramel.   And finally the dough can easily be switched with homemade, box mix, or frozen doughs.

• 2 package's of biscuits (one dough box mix prepared / one thoroughly thawed frozen loaf)  cut into one inch pieces
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter/margarine melted

• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup milk or cream

• 1/2 cup of chopped or sliced almonds 

1. Preheat oven to 350F . 
2. In a wide bottom bowl combine cinnamon and sugar. 
3. In a small saucepan combine brown sugar, 1/4 butter and milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce slightly and cook until early in the soft ball stage (230-235F). 
4. While you're waiting for your sugar mixture to turn to caramel:  coat dough pieces in melted butter and roll into cinnamon sugar mixture.
5. In greased bunt pan layer in 1/8th cup almonds, 1/3 of the caramel, and about half of the dough balls, repeat this layer again,  top off with the last third of the caramel.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Carefully invert immediately or leave in bunt pan and return to 200F oven for 10 or 15 minutes prior to serving.
7. EAAAT!