Preparation

• Please Read before embarking on this recipe:
  
  To make black garlic you need:
  heads of garlic (the whole bulb that contains the cloves): choose normal garlic and not new garlic.
  A rice cooker with “keep warm” function
  
  The success of the recipe depends on many criteria, the main one being the model of the cooker: is it airtight, at what temperature is the “keep warm” function, and so on.
  
  If the garlic is too harsh, and this is often the reason for a failed homemade black garlic, it's that the environment you put it in wasn't humid enough. This happens either because your cooker heats up too much, or your cooker is not airtight enough, or has a steam outlet which lets too much moisture escape, maybe the pods were already dry. before heating them, etc.
  
  So,by sealing the cooker tightly, putting weight on the lid, insulating with a tea towel, plugging the drain hole, etc. Some people put a small glass of water in the cooker to increase the humidity inside the cooker and the feedback is good. Cooking is not an exact science!
  
  
  Preparation of the recipe :
  
  To sum up, put the garlic heads in a rice cooker and leave the appliance on the "keep warm" function for 15 days, then air dry the cloves.
  
  To be more precise:
  
  Nothing could be simpler than to prepare black garlic yourself, put the bulbs (which contain the cloves) unpeeled, directly in the rice cooker and put the rice cooker on the "keep warm" function.
  Leave to heat for 10 to 20 days non-stop. The cooking time will vary depending on how much garlic you are going to cook, but generally it's good from 12 days, check by opening a clove, if it's charcoal black it's okay.
  Once the garlic has turned black, stop cooking and air dry the cloves (very important step!), At room temperature for 10 to 20 days.
  When they have become firm enough, your black garlic is ready! Store in the refrigerator or freezer.
  
  Important tips:
  
  Do not fill the cooker to more than 80% of its capacity.
  
  Turn the pods 2 or 3 times during the fermentation period, as the cooker heats more from below, which could "toast" the garlic.
  
  In terms of flavor, black garlic is ready from the 10th day, but depending on the quantity, check their color from the 12th day: cut a clove with a knife and observe the color in the heart of the clove, it is necessary that the pod is charcoal black and not just brown.
  
  Open the cooker as few times as possible and for as short a time as possible. Close it as soon as the verification is complete. I know that at first you want to see what's going on in it, especially the first time around, but you have to resist the temptation for the recipe to be successful.
  
  Be careful, if you open the cooker, especially at the start of cooking, the steam and gas will have the same effect as a tear gas, if you are not careful you can cough, cry, and have irritation of the mucous membranes.
  
  The first week, the smell of garlic coming out of the cooker is really strong! If you have the possibility, put the cooker outside, it will prevent a stinging smell! The smell fades over time.
  
  Prefer bulbs in large regular cloves, few in number, black garlic will be easier to use, especially if you want to cut it into slices.
  Details on the preparation:
  
  For black garlic to caramelize, you need an environment between 130° F and 175° F (55 and 80 ° C), with a humidity of between 70 and 95%. All methods of reproducing this environment are good, but the easiest way is to use a rice cooker.
  
  Once the recipe is finished, the garlic is very tender, it will harden a little as it dries, it is also at this time that it will finish taking all its flavors: the acidity comes little by little, as well and its sweet side is
  reminiscent of balsamic vinegar.