ENCAPSULATED ENTREMETS
Techniques: SPHERIFICATION
Food additives: CALCIUM LACTATE, SODIUM ALGINATE
INGREDIENTS
- 5 fl oz (150 ml) almond liqueur
- 2 cups (500 ml) water
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) CALCIUM LACTATE
- 1 sachet (2 g) SODIUM ALGINATE
- water to taste
- lemon juice to taste
- lemon shavings to taste
- cubed pitaya (dragon fruit) to taste
DIRECTIONS
ALMOND LIQUEUR SPHERES
Warm-up 1 tbs (15 ml) of water and combine with calcium lactate. Stir until the calcium lactate is fully diluted, then combine with liqueur and pour the mixture into small, demi-spherical molds and let sit in the freezer for 1 hour or until the spheres are frozen. (While you wait, make lemon ice shavings.)
In a rectangular, flat-bottomed bowl and using a hand blender, dissolve sodium alginate in the remaining water. Let sit for 15 minutes, then warm briefly in a microwave oven.
Unmold frozen liqueur spheres in alginate bath. Let sit for 3 minutes while gently stirring once in a while to prevent the spheres from touching.
Fill a medium-sized bowl with water. Using a slotted spoon, delicately collect the spheres and briefly rinse them in the water, then remove excess water from each sphere by applying a piece of paper towel on the bottom of the spoon. Reserve.
LEMON ICE SHAVINGS
Combine 2 parts water and 1 part lemon juice and pour onto a shallow plate, then place in the freezer for 1 hour. Take out of the freezer just before serving and crack into small pieces.
ASSEMBLY
To serve, dress plates with a thin layer of lemon ice shavings, add a pitaya cube, and top with an almond liqueur sphere.