I’ll be the first to admit that I love fancy desserts. I love stripey chocolate cigarettes, spoon-shaped tuiles and painted macarons. I love finishing touches that make dessert extra special.
One fun flourish that I’ve always wanted to make is dessert caviar, but as a home baker I’ve never had the overwhelming urge to delve into the world of molecular gastronomy (which is the usual way it is made). The whole process seems a little intimidating to me, and I can’t see myself keeping sodium alginate or calcium chloride stocked in my pantry just in case I get a craving.
I hoped for an accessible spherification recipe for the ordinary baker (like me) that used common pantry staples, and after a rigorous online search I found one! The recipe was simple but after making it I felt there were some visual cues that could help further explain the process, so I made a short video. I hope it will help and encourage you to try the technique for yourself!
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Making this was so much fun and not difficult at all! And it’s not all for looks, it’s tasty too! My first thought was to make unsweetened coffee caviar to go with a sweet cappuccino pudding. I really loved the balance the caviar brought to the entire dessert.
The major difference between this version and its culinary physics counterpart is that this one is a solid sphere of gelatin and most (if not all?) molecular versions are fluid-filled. Still, this version holds its own; it’s tender but just firm enough to create an interesting texture.
I am truly in love with the possibilities that could happen with this technique. I’m already dreaming up a basil infused caviar for some lemon pots de crème.
I know someone will ask if this can be done with a vegetarian alternative such as agar-agar, but I have not tried yet. When I do I’ll update here, so check back.
Gelatin “Caviar” 101
Choosing a liquid: These little pearls are made to impart big flavor! Ideal liquids are strongly flavored such as balsamic vinegar, strongly brewed coffee and tart fruit juices like cranberry and pomegranate.
Choosing an oil: The flavored gelatin gets dropped in chilled oil to give it a spherical shape. The oil needs to be kept overnight in the refrigerator, so it’s important to choose one that will not become overly cloudy when chilled. Canola oil, vegetable oil and grape seed oil are all good choices. Avoid using olive oil as it will become too firm.
Salt the water bath: The container of oil must be placed in an ice water bath. Adding salt to the water bath will help keep the oil super cold so the gelatin will set almost instantly (same effect as adding rock salt to your ice cream machine). Any salt will do, though you can see in the video that my salt is coarse and grey. Celtic sea salt is all I had at the time because I buy it in bulk. Regular salt will do fine!
With which to drop: I used a plastic squeeze bottle from Wilton (used for candy making), but you could certainly employ an unused or clean eye-dropper or even a syringe. All of these are very inexpensive and easy to find; craft and cooking stores will have squeeze bottles and culinary syringes and drug stores will stock medicine droppers (called pipets).
Gelatin Caviar
Equipment
- Plastic squeeze bottle, unused medicine dropper (pipet) or culinary syringe
- Mesh sieve
Ingredients
- 2-3 cups vegetable oil
- 2 – 1/4 oz. packages powdered gelatin or 4 teaspoons
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 3 fluid oz. hot liquid 1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp i.e. hot coffee, or other liquid heated on the stove-top or in microwave
- Ice
- 1/4 cup salt for water bath
Instructions
- Place oil in a 9×13-inch metal pan (or similar size) and store in refrigerator overnight. The oil must be very cold for the gelatin to set properly.
- In a medium bowl mix the gelatin and water until thoroughly combined and no lumps of gelatin remain. Let stand while you prepare the hot liquid.
- Warm 3 oz. liquid on the stove-top or in a microwave until very hot but not boiling. Pour liquid over set gelatin mixture and stir until gelatin is melted. This may take a few minutes and you can break up the gelatin with a spoon for quicker dissolve.
- When gelatin is completely melted transfer liquid to a squeeze bottle. You can also leave the mixture in the bowl and use a medicine dropper or syringe to draw the liquid for dropping.
- Let the mixture stand for a few minutes, if it’s too hot the gelatin will not set properly and the “caviar” will be misshapen. It should be just barely warm – almost room temperature.
- While you wait for your mixture to cool, prepare the oil for the ice bath. Transfer chilled oil to a 1 quart container (preferably metal because it will aid cooling, but glass will work too). Prepare the ice bath. Make sure the bowl you are using for the ice bath is larger than the container holding the oil. Fill bowl with ice and then add water until the bowl is two-thirds filled. Add 1/4 cup salt and stir until mixed. Rest the container of oil inside the water bath.
- Begin dropping gelatin mixture into the cold oil, 1-3 drips at a time. The amount of drips will vary according to the viscosity of the oil and type of dropper you use. As you can see in the video it took three drops for one caviar pearl to form. You’ll know the correct amount when the mixture forms a ball that rests on the surface for a moment then sinks to the bottom.
- When half the mixture has been used, wait for 3-5 minutes then scoop the caviar into a mesh sieve to drain. Place caviar in an air-tight container or a canning jar with a screw-tight lid. Resume dropping the gelatin mixture into the cold oil until all of the mixture is used.
- Personal note: I was too slow, so a little of my mixture solidified before I could pipe it all. Try to be quick but don’t stress. I still had plenty of caviar at the end.
- When finished, place caviar in a canning jar or in an air-tight container with a little of the oil poured over top. This may sound weird or gross, but it keeps the caviar moist for up to a week. Plus, if you don’t like the idea of oil being on the caviar you can rinse it in a sieve under cold water before placing on the dessert.
- When stored with a little oil poured over and placed in an air-tight container the caviar will keep for up to 10 days.
Cappuccino Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup skim milk divided
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup hot coffee
- 1 tsp. instant coffee granules or espresso powder
- 1 -14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 egg
- Whipped cream for topping *optional
- Cinnamon for garnish
Instructions
- Stir 1/4 cup of the skim milk, the cornstarch and salt together in a 2 quart saucepan until completely dissolved and smooth. Add remaining milk, coffee, instant coffee granules, and sweetened condensed milk. Cook over medium-high heat whisking constantly. The mixture will begin to gain volume and thicken slightly. When this happens, remove it from the heat source.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg and gently temper two tablespoons of the hot mixture into the egg. Return the saucepan to the heat source and gradually stir in the tempered egg mixture, whisking constantly. The addition of the egg will make the mixture lose much of it’s foaminess. Continue to heat the mixture until a few bubbles burble to the top. Cook for 2 minutes longer after this happens, again whisking constantly.
- Pour into 5 dessert glasses; cover and refrigerate. Top with whipped cream if desired. Sprinkle with cinnamon just before serving.
Heather, these look glorious! Not so much into the molecular stuff but have loved experimenting with spheres, caviar and such!
This is such a cute idea!!! I will be using something of the like for a new year's dessert… can we say, champagne and caviar??
That is so incredibly awesome! I never thought there would be a way to make caviar like that without using the molecular techniques. Such a gorgeous dessert!
Heather, amazing! What a wonderful methodology for the home baker who wants to experiment with molecular gastronomy. The video is incredibly helpful, I can't wait to try this out!
This looks so yummy! You are very talented.
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You have really introduced me to something completely new! I have never heard or seen this done. They are so cute on top of the dessert. I don't see the video but I'll try to 'reload' and perhaps it will pop up. Wonderful as always Heather!
What a fun trick to have in my back pocket for when I really want to impress my guests. Thanks for sharing!
I followed another blog's way to do these balls but the instructions were not as explicit as yours. Now I can't wait to try it again! Thank you very much!
OMG…this is FABULOUS! Thanks for sharing!
Fabulous….You are an inspiration!
wow, what a great post – I've often wondered what the books are like and have wondered maybe one day if I should buy one, or a set? they'd keep be busy for a lifetime!
First of all, I would just like to say that the music you chose to set video with is simply wonderful, what is it? I particularly like the way you have arrange for the climax in the music to match the moment you piped that first drop of coffee gelatin. 🙂 I do have a question though, is it possible to dissolve the powder with just the hot coffee or do you have to dissolve with cold water first? I have never worked with gelatin (in any way) before so this may be a silly question. Thank you so much… Read more »
This is ingenious! I can't wait to try it! Thanks, and especially for the video…..that helped a LOT!
Hi Jessica!
The gelatin needs to be dissolved in the water first. This is usually called "blooming" or "softening" the gelatin. It helps ensure the mixture will be smooth (no lumps) and helps it to dissolve more evenly.
The music is called Marseilles from the group Hey Marseilles. 🙂 Here's a link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0hlpTFSDaA
xo
H
Oh my gosh! This looks so cool. I don't think I'veever seen dessert (or whatever liquid) caviar before!
That's such a beautiful post! Loved the coffee caviars! Hope to make some soon!
This is why I subscribe to your blog, so that I never miss a post. This is so unique, and I LOVE the video. It makes me confident that I can do this. Love this, and I can already imagine how it tastes. I can do this!
OMG you are a GENIUS.
No, seriously, I've been working with gummy/gelatin for some time now, to the point that I teach classes and have an ebook about some techniques, but one thing I couldn't work out was how to use fluid-dropping to make ropes or drops like this. I've tried chilled water and it doesn't work (see http://www.eat-the-evidence.com/2012/01/31/gummy-water-drop-test/ ). But I never thought of oil.
GENIUS!
And I can't wait to play…
THANK YOU! I'm about to spread your post all over teh interwebz. 😀
I'm always tempted to try the molecular gastronomy but just like you, I don't think I want to keep those chemicals in my pantry. Plus, those are quite expensive. This is certainly fun and a great alternative to molecular gastronomy. I can't wait to give this a try.
Wow, an amazing baker and a scientist..so talented 🙂
Delightful! This is one wonderful dessert. Refined tasting and pretty. That "caviar" looks cool.
Cheers,
Rosa
This is amazing! I have to try this asap! Thanks for inspiration 🙂
This looks amazing! I am always in awe of the stuff you create!
Oh my goodness !!! This is incredible. Just a simple way to look like gastronomy professor! 🙂
Amaaaazing!! I am going to try it now :),,
Thanks for sharing such easy and amazing tips
I love that you wanted to try an alternative to MG – something very attainable for a home cook/baker. You've done it again – you've made something so fancy look so approachable! Yay!
Those are insanely cute! I want to get all sciencey and try that now!
Wow, this is truly amazing! I'm so impressed. And had no idea it could be done so easily!! Yay, now I want to try it myself!
This is totally amazing! I actually think I'd be capable of doing this myself! I can't wait to see some other flavor combinations.
Perfect! It looks beautiful and delicious.
Oh wow! The gelatin caviar looks simply divine! Think I'm going to have to attempt to make some!
Although I admire it, I have never gone gone the molecular path. This is just gorgeous with the same results.
Love, love, LOVE this! Like bubble tea but WAY better! Thanks for the tutorial on gelatin spheres, Heather – I can't wait to give this a try!!
So cool!
I'm a texture girl and I think I could really get behind something like this.
You mentioned "pomegranate" juice….how pretty those would be. What would you suggest serving them over? Such a Christmas-y idea to keep in the back of my head. Thanks and congrats on such an innovative idea.
Adorable! If you are interested in making the fluid filled variety, you can get agar agar for pretty cheap at Asian grocery stores 🙂
I must try this!It is such a beautiful idea!
This is just wonderful and the possiblities are endless…balsamic drops for a salad, olive juice drops in a martini, maraschino cherry juice drops on ice cream. Your blog is just beautiful…love it!
incredible. I have to try this.
coffee caviar!
insanely creative.
such a beautiful post Heather!
<3
Wicked cool!
Cute presentation! I love the look of your coffee caviar. They look like little gems on a smooth coffee pudding. I am definitely bookmarking the page. May be a little complicated but, I am all for making pretty and delicious stuff. Anyhoo, we have just recently launched a food photo submission site, http://www.yumgoggle.com/gallery/ that allows you to showcase all your great work and share it with all of our visitors. Your phenomenal photos have caught our attention. We’d be proud to have your work as part of our growing collection to continue to have a larger reach and further inspire… Read more »
wow…. can't wait to try it 🙂 thank you for sharing
I have wanted to try making "caviar" for a while now, but didn't know how to do it with common household items! Thanks for the video, it was so helpful!! Do you know how long the caviar is good?
Thank you for sharing with us the video. Good job.
Andreja
It looks amazing! If I want to use berries, would you recommend buying juice or using fresh berries and grinding it? Do you have any other flavor ideas, except the ones mentioned? thanks
wow! i can't wait to try this out, i would feel like Heston Blumental hahaa
http://www.cookiebakingblog.com
can i just ask what music you used for the video? it sounds lovely!
Thanks so much Heather! I just made the coffee caviar and it turned out perfect! It is so simple and delicious! Do I keep my caviar stored at room temperature for up to 10 days? Or do I need to store it in the refrigerator? Thanks so much again!