Ever since first reading the idea (and it may have come from more than one source), the technique of utilizing caramelized milk powder has been doing circles in my head. The flavor of the toasted powder once browned is reminiscent of dulce de leche, graham crackers, and soggy cereal. When rehydrated into milk or other liquids, it adds a nice sweet nutty flavor tones. The possibilities of uses for this are as limitless as the uses for milk. We recently made a toasted milk pudding for a dish. Not a bad starting point, but I cannot wait to try other applications.
The milk powder browns fairly quickly in an oven, so attention and frequent stirring are necessary. The pudding is toasted milk rehydrated in whole milk and blended into an agar fluid gel. We utilized this as an element with corvina.
Other plate elements are Chef Laiskonis' black sesame pain de genes, sangria-infused grapes, muscadet jelly, and whipped orange. All of the components flow together and run the borderline of overpowering the delicate fish (which can be improved upon by trying new flavors in the bag when cooking it), but the toasted milk element offers an unexpected platform to meld the other sensations together... probably through texture as much as through taste.
And I'm loving this black sesame cake. I took some home to eat and share. I'd like to do a grilled peanut version soon. Peanuts need love right now.