The umami depth you didn’t know you needed
Miso, once a niche ingredient, is now rapidly becoming a household staple across the UK, showing up in both sweet and savoury dishes—a remarkable shift over the past five years. Originating in Japan, miso was historically a luxury seasoning reserved for the wealthy, first documented in the Heian period. Back then, it was consumed differently, often eaten raw and spread onto food to enhance flavour and was considered a valuable commodity frequently used in trade. Today, miso is most associated with miso soup, known for its rich, salty umami flavour.
Miso comes in various forms depending on its base and the production process. The four most popular types are rice miso (often white miso), soybean miso, barley miso, and blended miso. Each type offers a unique flavour profile, influenced by fermentation techniques that have been refined over centuries. Factors such as whether the ingredients are boiled or steamed, the ratio of koji (the fermenting agent), and stirring during fermentation all contribute to the final product’s sweetness, saltiness, or umami depth.
So how is this ancient seasoning transforming modern dishes? Miso’s versatility has made it a key ingredient in soups, dumplings, and glazes for everything from pork to aubergine. But its rise to popularity has also led to creative uses in more familiar British fare.
Tesco’s summer miso masala chicken wrap and miso-infused gravy for a Sunday roast are just a couple of examples of how miso has entered the mainstream. Even cucumbers have found a perfect partner in miso, with the dressing enhancing their taste to an irresistible level.
On the sweeter side, miso is increasingly being used to balance salty and sweet flavours, challenging traditional ingredients like salt and honey. One popular innovation is caramel, where miso adds not just saltiness but a rich, umami depth. M&S has even introduced a brown sugar and miso buttercream celebration cake, showcasing the trend. Other creative pairings include miso with banana, and even smoked miso, adding savoury complexity to both desserts and cocktails. In fact, miso is being used in cocktails with whiskey, where it complements the smoky notes and balances sweet and savoury flavours seamlessly.
Miso’s adaptability and unique flavour-enhancing qualities are helping it transform everything from classic British dishes to innovative new recipes, firmly establishing it as a modern kitchen essential.
Miso is a versatile ingredient, perfect for adding depth and complexity to both sweet and savoury dishes. Our liquid miso flavouring captures the essence of umami, requiring only a few drops to transform any recipe. Below, we present a range of innovative sweet product concepts that embrace the intriguing interplay of sweet and savoury flavours.
A classic soft Viennese whirls is the perfect platform to add our burnt butter flavour transforming the fat flavours into nutty richness which is then compliments the zesty citrus note from our added orange oil. This is all completed with a miso milk chocolate ganache cutting through the sweetness of the ganache to create an umami profile – the ultimate biscuit sandwich.
Crafting a rich, intensely flavoured dark chocolate muffin by incorporating miso flavouring into the sponge. The miso enhances the chocolate’s depth while balancing the sweetness of the muffin. Each muffin is filled with a coffee-infused chocolate ganache, creating a luxurious mocha-like profile, and topped with a honey-flavoured buttercream for a touch of added sweetness and a bright, uplifting finish.
