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Smartwhip pressure regulator zoomed

Smartwhip Pressure Table

Know exactly which pressure to use for the best results of any dish, infusion or drink

Getting the pressure right is essential for achieving the desired texture and intensity of any dish, infusion or drink. The Smartwhip pressure regulator allows you to do precisely this – tailor the pressure to achieve the perfect consistency every time. Learn to determine exactly how much pressure each creation needs by understanding the relation between foam density and pressure.
Smartwhip Pressure Table Triangle
Smartwhip Pressure Table Triangle

1. The Food Matrix

The food matrix considers the molecular relationship between the fats, proteins and sugars present in a recipe. Fat and protein are essential for stabilising a foam and ensuring the air bubbles remain intact. The higher the proportion of these components in the recipe, the more pressure is required to aerate them and achieve a stable foam structure. 

Fats

Nitrous oxide dissolves well in fatty substances, meaning your recipe requires fat for the gas to dissolve in and aerate it. The higher the fat content, the denser your liquid is and the more pressure it requires to become aerated.

Proteins

To stabilise the foam, you also need a protein, which will form a sort of net around the air bubbles and keep them from bursting.

bread-egg
Flavours

Each flavouring element in a recipe will all affect a foam’s structure differently, depending on their density and water content. Denser contents require more pressure while ingredients with a high water content might require more protein to froth up.

2. The Siphon Contents

The amount of gas (in other words, pressure) required for each recipe is proportionate to the amount of free space in the siphon. The lower the contents, and the more free space there is in the chamber, the more nitrous oxide gas the recipe requires to fully penetrate the ingredients. 

3. The Desired Level Of Aeration

As a general rule of thumb, the higher the pressure (in other words, the more gas you use), the firmer and more voluminous the resulting foam will be. It therefore depends on how voluminous and intense you want your recipe to become as the airier the foam is, the less concentrated the flavour is.

Foam pressure table

Type of foam & level of foam density Siphon contents Recommended pressure (bar)
Soft and airy foam 300-450 ml 6-9
Thick foam 300-450 ml 9-11
Foam for cocktails  200-400 ml 8-11
Runny foam (e.g. soup)  300-450 ml 5-7
Firm foam (e.g. cakes & merengue) 200-250 ml 15-16

Rapid infusions and marinades pressure table

Level of intensity Siphon contents Recommended pressure (bar) Recommended infusion time
Low 10-150 ml 5-7 15 minutes
Medium 150-250 ml 7-13 30 minutes
High 250-500 ml 8-17 2 hours

Proteins and binding agents that are suitable for producing foams