Project:FoodHacking/Spherification
From London Hackspace Wiki
Supplies Needed and Sources
- Fruit juice or other liquids
- Sodium Alginate - apparently only need 2g for 200-400ml of liquid. ebay seems to be the cheapest source http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kalys-Gastronomie-Sodium-Alginate-Gelling-Agent-10-/120846716153
- Calcium Chloride - Homebrew seems to be the cheapest place for this. 200g for £2.50 from Hop & Grape http://www.hopandgrape.co.uk/public/detailv1.asp?itemcode=CAL20154153
- Syringes
- bowls for dripping and mixing
- Possibly stick blender for mixing the sodium alginate
- strainer for lifting out the balls
Ideas
- cinnamon "caviar"
- apple
- ??? More stuff to go into fancy cocktails!
Method
- Mix sodium alginate powder into liquid slowly and gradually without forming clumps. (2g to 200-400ml liquid)
- Wait 10 minutes to thicken
- Mix up calcium chloride solution (500ml water to 5g calcium chloride)
- Fill syringe with sodium alginate goop and drip into calcium chloride bath from a height to encourage spherification. Stir solution gently to form balls
- Only leave the balls in the solution for 1-3minutes so they remain liquid inside. scoop out, rinse and place in un-alginated liquid (fruit juice or whatever). Should keep for 2-3 days (source: The Extraordinary Cookbook by Stefan Gates)
