How to make Flavour/Aroma Powders

This instructable will introduce you to simple food science using a product called Maltodextrin. It's used commonly in the pharmaceutical industry to bulk out pills and the like but it also can be used for soaking up flavourful high oil content items, such as butter, oils and other fats, and turning it into a light, sprinkle-able powder.

The resulting powder can be sprinkled on things like chips(crisps), popcorn, etc.

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Step 1: Ingredients/Equipment Needed

First you'll need to obtain your maltodextrin. I bought mine on eBay. You'll need a few spoonfuls of maltodextrin per teaspoon of flavourful oily substance.

Then you'll need to decide on what oil/fat you want to use. Bacon drippings are good. If you want to use butter, you'll need to clarify it by melting it over very low heat until it starts to bubble and foam. Then you skim off all the foam so you're left with a bright yellow fat with no white milk solids and reduced moisture content.

If you're making savoury powders, you'll need salt. Even with the sweeter powders a tiny bit of salt will help bring out the flavours better and compensate for the additional, but slight, sweetness of the maltodextrin.

For equipment, you just need a few bowls, a small whisk, a spoon, and a sieve.

You'll need a pan or a pot if you're going to melt the fat out of bacon or clarify butter.