| Level: | Advanced |
| Total: | 45 min |
| Active: | 40 min |
| Yield: | 2 to 4 servings |
Ingredients
- Caviar spherification tool kit (see Cook’s Note)
- Favorite juice, such as cranberry, cherry or coconut (nothing too acidic), optional
- Gel, liquid or paste food coloring of choice
- Liquid flavoring (extract) of choice
- 2 cups clear, precooked isomalt (see Cook’s Note)
- Edible food lacquer (see Cook’s Note)
- Grenadine syrup, as needed
- Mineral water, as needed
Instructions
- For the caviar spherification: In a medium bowl and using an accurate gram scale, measure 5 grams of calcium chloride and dissolve it in 500 milliliters of water. In another bowl, gradually sprinkle 5 grams of sodium alginate into 500 milliliters of water or juice. Let the alginate hydrate for 2 minutes. Add 1.5 grams of sodium citrate. Blend thoroughly with an immersion blender and strain if needed. This is your “batter.”
- Tint the batter your desired color and flavor with your desired flavoring. Squirt the batter into the calcium chloride firming solution using a syringe, dragging to create “intestines” and dropping drips to create “platelets.” Lift out the pieces of batter with a strainer and rinse carefully with clean water. Set the pieces aside.
- For the edible glassware (if making): Preheat the oven or a toaster oven to 275 degrees F.
- Melt the isomalt in a 4-cup heatsafe glass liquid measuring cup in the microwave on high for 3 minutes. Stir, then melt in 1-minute increments until the isomalt is completely liquid. Hold in the heated oven or toaster oven for 10 minutes to release all the bubbles.
- Pour the isomalt into a food grade silicone glassware mold, then pour out any excess into the measuring cup. Let the mold cool completely. Unmold the glassware, then spray the inside with the food lacquer until completely covered. Drain upside-down on a cooling rack (to let any excess food lacquer drip out) until completely dry. Repeat for as many edible glasses as you need to make.
- For the zombie drink: Put some “intestines” and “platelets” into each edible glass or regular glass. Pour 1 tablespoon grenadine syrup into each glass, then add enough mineral water to fill. If serving in the isomalt glasses, serve immediately, as the drink will slowly dissolve the glasses; they won’t last more than 20 minutes.