Spherification: let's talk about it

Spherification in a brand new technique coming from the molecular gastronomy, made popular by Ferran Adrià. It is a very impressive cuisine.

The goal is creating "ravioli" (big spheres obtained by a particular spoon) or "caviar" (little spheres similar to salmon eggs) having a stiff texture outside and a liquid one inside. Once you crush the caviar against the palate, the inside humor will come out.

Spherification is made by tre dry elements: alginate, calcium and citras.

Alginate is to be mixed with the main product to be spherificated at the avarage of 2 grams per 250 grams of product. Calcium is to be mixed in water at the avarage of 2.5 g per 1/2 liter, in order to create a calcic bath. Immerse the raviolis with a spoon or drop the alginate product with a big syringe into the calcic bath. After being immersed into this solution, ravioli and caviar will have to be "rinsed" in another bath of neutral water using a siever.

Spheres will become hard and solid after 8-12 hours after their preparation.

The kit includes all the tools required for the spherification process.

There are two different spherification types:

• Basic
  If the food is basic, it has to be helped with some acid (citras). This way you will obtain spheres with a very thin membrane.
• Reverse
  Very well served, it allows to create spheres using almost any kind of ingredients.

Recipe example:

Salmon with melon

• 250 g melon juice

• 2 g alginate

• 500 g water

• 2.5 g calcium

Mix the alginate with 1/3 of juice and whisk. Mix the other 2/3, strain and leave aside. Dissolve the calcium in water. Fill the syringes with the melon-alginate mix. Pour it drop by drop on the calcim base. Withdraw the spheres after one minute, strain and rinse in cool water.

Mandarin caviar

Put 250g of filtered mandarin juice into an electric mixer and add 2 g alginate, let all rest for 1 hour. Fill a plastic 200 cc. syringe with the mixed liquid. Prepare a calcic bath using 1/2 liter water and 2.5 dry calcium. Pour drop by drop the mandarin juice gently using the syringe; drops will become spheric oce into the calcic bath.

Withdraw the spheres after one minute, strain, rinse and immerse them in a neutral water bath.

Rinse them again. The caviar is ready.