Chef Shots: Wylie Dufresne

wd-50’s mad scientist shows us the genesis of his ice cream bagel

Once the smoked salmon and "bagel" were in the works, Dufresne knew that adding cream cheese would be the next logical step. "Since we already had a creamy, soft element, [I said], let's see if we can make the cream cheese crispy."

So Dufresne fashioned flat shards by combining cream cheese with water, salt and methylcellulose (a white powder known to molecular gastronomists as "A4M"), which works as a "substrate," explains Dufresne. "We then spread it out and dry it in a low oven so that when most of the moisture flashes off, you're left with a chip of cream cheese."