The science of molecular cookery to make ‘pearls'

How to prepare the alginate solution: carefully sprinkle 2.5g of the alginate powder into 500ml of liquid of your choice (fruit juice, stock etc…). Using an electric mixer, mix until the powder is completely dissolved. Leave to rest for 30 to 45 minutes in order to avoid any lumps forming. We recommend that you add the alginate to 2/3 or the liquid to be used, and then add the rest of the liquid, and that you avoid beating too much air into the mixture.

To make the calcium chlorure mixture: dissolve 2.5g in 500g of water. The quantities used depend upon the recipe.

Important: Ensure that you use a set of scales accurate to a 10th of a gram.

Spherification: to form spheres or ‘caviar', it is necessary to add, drop by drop, tiny quantities of the liquid-alginate mixture to the calcium chlorure mixture. After 30 seconds, lift out the pearls and rince them in a bowl of iced water. We recommend that you test the solution by injecting a few drops of the liquid-alginate mixture into the chlorure mix , using a syringe.