Do you really know what allows the Flanby to unmold perfectly?

This is the dessert that feasts children as much as it amuses them. And if our children do not wonder why their flanby is so easily unmolded, Romain El Andaloussi, an agricultural engineer, did it. Questioned by our colleagues from Parisianthis doctoral student even wrote his thesis on the subject. Or more particularly on “The production of food texture to reproduce gelatin”. Thus, it is perfectly capable of explaining the mechanics behind this little sleight of hand that seduces the young … and the big ones.

“Two factors allow the Flanby to unmold easily. The first is physical “explains the teacher-researcher in Sup’Biotech, in Villejuif. If you have already eaten one of these desserts, you surely know how to proceed: just take the yogurt, remove the seamless and place it “head down” on a plate. Then just remove the metal tab on the underside of the yogurt, and the flan is unmolding as if by enchantment. “At that time, an air call is created, helping the flan to take off” explains the researcher.

But that’s not all! An ingredient also allows the blank to simply slide along the plastic walls of the yogurt. If you detail the list of ingredients, you can read “Carraghenane”. The latter is essential for the texture of dessert and its good unmolding. However, it is a controversial ingredient.

Only, carraghenan (E407) is a controversial ingredient in the food industry. The Que Choisir site indicates that “the International Center for Research on Cancer has classified carraghenians as potentially carcinogenic”.

To avoid any problems, the researcher specifies that it would be preferable to opt for a dessert that uses other thickening. Those of certain organic brands, for example, have a similar look and are unmolding just as well, without using this thickener. Instead, industrialists use agar-agar and carob gum. It is better from a healthy point of view, but a little more expensive and also effective in demolding.