Infuse
Aroma transfer
Moving flavor from one medium into another.
01At a glance
CategoryAroma transfer
Taste impactNeutral
Texture—
02How to do it
- 1Warm the liquid or fat (milk, cream, oil, syrup).
- 2Add the aromatics — herbs, spices, zest, tea.
- 3Hold it warm off high heat to steep, or leave it cold for a slow infusion.
- 4Strain out the solids once the flavor is right.
03Doneness & pitfalls
Doneness cues
- The liquid tastes and smells distinctly of the aromatic.
Common mistakes
- Boiling can turn herbs bitter or make dairy catch.
- Over-infusing tannic items (tea, rosemary) turns bitter.
- Leaving the solids in too long muddies the flavor.
Ingredients it suits· 18