The sweet side of MSG

There once existed a more formal divide between the sweet and savory sides of the kitchen, but over time the lines between them were blurred. Techniques and ingredients started crossing from one side to the other in both directions. A recent Epicurious article brings this concept home, as Anikah Shaokat makes the argument that MSG belongs in sweet foods just as much as in savory ones.

MSG (monosodium glutamate) has overcome its once negative connotation as being the source of the mysterious (and fictitious) “Chinese restaurant syndrome.” It is found in all manner of processed foods because of its ability to be a umami-booster and flavor amplifier. It is most commonly associated with meat, but has found its way into a variety of food products, but seldom into sweets or desserts. One Reddit user said that trying MSG in their peanut butter ice cream made it taste “beefy”.

Shaokat dug deeper into the concept of harnessing MSG to add umami to desserts and asked Christopher Koetke, corporate executive chef at Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America, Inc., for his take on it. Koetke believes that MSG would work well in desserts that contain ingredients naturally high in glutamates such as walnuts and eggs, saying that custards, ice creams, and fruit curds could benefit from a small amount of MSG. Abi Balingit’s recipe for Turrones de casoy MSG brownies uses the compound to boost the flavor of five-spice powder. If you are looking to experiment with using MSG in a recipe, Koetke’s rule of thumb is to use between 0.2 and 0.4 percent of the total weight of the ingredients, so if the total weight is 1000 grams, use 2-4 grams of MSG.