Hi Guys
This is a pecanut pie recipe im working on I get a nutty taste on the exhale but cant taste any crust any ideas.
I am looking at your recipe and I see:
A nut/caramel note:
Butter Pecan* (FW) 5.0%
An additional caramel/butterscotch "filling" note:
Butterscotch* (FW) 1.5%
Crust notes:
Graham Cracker (TFA) 2.0%
Sugar Cookie* (CAP) 2.0%
Dairy notes:
Cheesecake (TFA) 1.0%
Sweet Creme* (TFA) 2.0%
Custard (CAP) 1.0%
A thickener note:
Marshmallow* (FA) 1.0%
And a LOT of sweetener:
Sweetener* (PUR) 3.0%
When I think "pecan pie," I think of
three primary/identifiable components:
1. the pecans
2. the sweet caramelized filling
3. the pie crust
With that as my starting point; I question all the dairy.
Don't get me wrong, creams can be good, and useful for adding texture to a
vape. But, at 21.6% of the total flavoring, that is moving well away from a classic pecan pie's flavor profile. At these combined levels; it is not only adding mouthfeel, it is adding flavor.
Second, I question the use of any additional sweetener (the PUR in this case).
All of the ingredients I marked with an asterisk already are contributing a sweet note. Excessive use of sweeteners (combined; or as a single ingredient) can often cause flavor muting. I would completely leave out the PUR Sweetener... until I had the the rest of the recipe as good as I could get it. And, then, only add as much as needed, to get the added sweetness I required. I would test in half, or even quarter percent increments (I would be amazed if it needed more than 0.5-1.0% total).
Overall, to me, the recipe looks like it is out of balance.
When I am designing a recipe; I consider what I want the main focal note to be (pecan? filling? crust?). That makes up (roughly; depending on the specific ingredient's potency) 50% of my total flavoring. The remaining 50% is for
all of the supporting flavors.
That primary flavor, also acts to set the ceiling for total flavor percentage. If I am using a concentrate that requires 10%, to taste "right" to me, I try not to go over 20% total flavoring. If I have potent concentrate, that only needs 3%, then 6% total flavoring becomes my ceiling. This is, by no means, a hard and fast rule. But, more of a general guideline. Often I don't need all (sometimes; any) of the extra 50% in additional flavors. Less often; the flavor is so intense, that I do exceed my self-imposed 50% ceiling. But, at the same time; I don't want that primary flavor, to get lost in the weeds created by too much/many supporting flavors. I suspect that is what is happening with your recipe's current incarnation.
Right now; you have:
27% nut
8.1% filling
21.6% crust
and
43.24% "other" stuff
Looking at it that way; it is not surprising that your desired flavors are weak and hard to identify. Now... if you were wanting a pecan flavored custard-y/cheesecake-y/creamy kind of vape... I would think you were on the right track.
I would personally strip back all the less than obvious ingredients (all the dairy, and sweetener) and focus on getting the core flavor profile right,
first. Once, I got the "nut to filling to pie crust" where I wanted it;
then I would consider if a dairy note would help, or hurt it. Then, after that, I would consider if it needed anything extra for mouthfeel (marshmallow). And then, lastly, does it need any additional sweetening.
When I think of pecan pie crust; I think of a classic pie pastry crust. Graham Cracker, and Sugar Cookie, don't really fit that profile. I find, FA Apple Pie can add a solid "pie crust" note, without adding identifiable apple notes, to the recipe. I would start around 1.5%. FA Apple Pie 1.5%, plus INW Biscuit 0.5% is a go-to pie crust for me. If I want it extra buttery; I might bump the Biscuit to 0.75%.
DISCLAIMER:
This is all just my opinion. I have not mixed you recipe. I do not have your taste buds. Nor do I know what the actual flavor profile is, that you desire. This is entirely speculation on my part, and based solely on your one sentence description. Therefore, more than ever, the caution of "Your Mileage May Vary" applies.
