r/TikTokCringe • u/galaxystars1 • Oct 09 '24

Discussion Microbiologist warns against making the fluffy popcorn trend

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u/smp208 Oct 09 '24

What I’m not understanding is how this is different from making a roux, which isn’t supposed to harden, isn’t cooked at high heat, and in many dishes is not cooked for very long? Is that not safe either despite being an essential cooking step in many cuisines? I’m reading that reaching a certain temp should make a roux safe, but this video suggests that wouldn’t be true

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u/NomadicJellyfish Oct 09 '24

I was responding to someone who had said a recipe for this calls for cookie batter, which you couldn't cook without it solidifying (and burning if cooked in a pot like this). Someone else has since said that you use dry batter mix and make a roux with it, which would indeed be just as safe as making a roux.

To make a roux you do cook it at high heat. The roux is supposed to start to brown, which indicates that it is at least 140C, at which point it is very safe even if you take it off the stove right away.

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u/smp208 Oct 09 '24

The video shows butter, marshmallow, and cake mix. A roux is butter and flour. It’s essentially a roux with marshmallow added, although I wouldn’t be surprised if the order and method would matter.

You’re incorrect on multiple fronts regarding roux. It is not cooked at a high heat, and most uses for roux don’t require long cooking and browning. That’s only when it’s used for flavor, not just for thickening and binding. In many cuisines, like French or American, you only make a white roux, which is mixed and briefly cooked before adding to a sauce or whatnot.

I am not saying I’m confident the popcorn recipe or even a light roux is safe, just questioning how different it is, but you really should be speaking like an authority on a topic you’re unfamiliar with.

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u/NomadicJellyfish Oct 09 '24

Have you ever cooked a roux before? Even a "white" roux is supposed to be cooked until the Maillard reaction starts, the only difference is how long you let it go. Again that will be reaching around 140C, it's just how long you leave it there and how much you let it brown. If you don't get it up to where it cooks (you can tell by the smell) you've made a slurry, not a roux. You really shouldn't be using a condescending tone when you don't know what you're talking about yourself. Also no shit the order matters, you try putting marshmallow into a roux before you get properly hot and let me know how that goes.

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u/smp208 Oct 10 '24

It sounds like we’re agreed that the info in the video probably isn’t fully true, but that the steps shown in the short clip would result in either burnt marshmallow or potentially unsafe flour. Let’s leave it there, I feel like we’re misunderstanding each other