Put away that glass and straw and let's celebrate happy hour with a lesson in spherification and a few Molecular Mojito Spheres.
I may not have the skills of that New York bartender who took a job in Jamaica and fell in love, but I can still wow my friends with a few cocktails. No fancy bottle-slinging needed for these Molecular Mojito Spheres, just a few standard bar ingredients and your grade nine chemistry kit.
I've been both fascinated and intimidated by all things molecular gastronomy for the longest time. Back in the early days of my blog, I received a Molecular Mixology Kit from Molecule-R, a really cool company out of Montreal. I was so excited to try it, but I kept putting it off. It wasn't until we tackled Modernist Desserts as part of my Chocolatier certification, that I finally revisited the kit.
The kit comes complete with Sodium Alginate, Calcium Lactate, Soy Lecithin, a slotted spoon, two pipettes, one small spheres silicone mold and three recipes to get you started. The first two items aren't typically found in the everyday kitchen, but can easily be bought. So this is certainly not out of reach for anyone interested in giving these a try. They are quite easy to make and such fun at a party!
Here's a little video I made to walk you through the process:
The technique used to make these Molecular Mojito Spheres is called Spherification - Frozen Reverse Spherification to be exact. It involves freezing the main ingredient in molds, which for a beginner, provides more consistency in shape and reduces the time it takes to prepare or perfect the process.
Simply put, calcium is added to the main ingredient and frozen, then submerged in a mixture of water and sodium alginate (bath). The interaction of the calcium and the sodium causes a chemical reaction resulting in the formation of a thin gel-like membrane/skin that contains the main ingredient.
The end result is a fun way to serve up some cocktails at your next gathering - sans glasses or straws. Just pop the sphere in your mouth and BOOM, flavour explosion!
I've only scratched the surface, but I am already smitten. Apart from these Molecular Mojito Spheres, I've also experimented with gelification and emulsification to produce foams, caviar and more recently, air. I'll be sharing some these in future posts.
If you are like me and love experimenting in the kitchen, you'll most certainly enjoy molecular gastronomy and mixology. What better place to start than a few cocktails?!?
Have you ever heard of of tried molecular gastronomy? Does it interest you? Would love to hear your thoughts below.
Ingredients
Mojito:
- 4 wedges of lime
- 4 grams sugar 1 teaspoon
- 30 grams white rum 2 tablespoons
- 60 grams club soda ¼ cup, or ginger ale
- 24 fresh mint leaves
- 1 gram calcium lactate ¼ teaspoon
- 12 small mint leaves for mold
Sperification bath:
- 500 grams water 2 cups
- 2 grams sodium alginate ½ teaspoon
- bowl of water for rinsing
Instructions
To make the mojito:
- Add the calcium lactate, lime wedges and sugar to a glass and use a muddler to smash a few times.
- Add the rum and club soda or ginger ale and stir to dissolve the calcium lactate. Strain.
- Place the silicone mold on a small, flat tray.
- Add the small mint leaves in each of the 12 wells of the silicone mold, smooth side down and fill each mold with the mojito mixture. Freeze.
To make the bath:
- Add the water and sodium alginate to a tall container (or a bowl) and blend with a hand blender until dissolved. Set aside for 15 minutes.
- Remove the frozen mojitos from the freezer and add to the sodium alginate bath (I added mine three at a time to avoid them sticking together). Allow to set for 3 minutes, while gently stirring.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the formed sphere from the alginate bath to a bowl of water. Rinse briefly then remove from water and serve.
- Best enjoyed immediately!
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April says
Omg these are just adorable. I've never seen anything like this. Love them!
I Sugar Coat It! says
They're so fun!!
Ksenia @ At the Immigrant's Table says
These mojito spheres look so cute and artsy, I am just dying to pop one (or seven) in my mouth! Brilliant work.
I Sugar Coat It! says
Yes, let's pop seven! 😉
Marsha | Marsha's Baking Addiction says
These look so interesting and so delicious! What a brilliant idea!
I Sugar Coat It! says
They were the talk of the party!
Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry says
Such an excellent idea, love this molecular cookery, it's very Michelin star
I Sugar Coat It! says
It's so cool - I am completely smitten!
Igor @ Cooking The Globe says
Wow, that's something new and never seen before. Awesome idea. I must try these!
I Sugar Coat It! says
You are in for a such a fun adventure! Hope to see yours!
Scott says
When you make them, can you refrigerate them after or leave them at room temperature?
I Sugar Coat It! says
Yes, the recipe book that came with the kit indicated that they can be stored in a liquid bath made of their original liquid, in the fridge.
Sel says
Do they thaw quickly after the gelling process? Or do you let them thaw in the original mix bath?
jacquee | i sugar coat it! says
Hi - i am not sure I understand your question. Once you remove the mojito sphere the freezer, they are placed directly into the alginate bath, which creates a that thin layer that holds the mojito contents. After they have set, dip them in the bowl of clean water. Hope that is clear.
Amanda says
This is such a unique idea and definitely a conversation starter!
I Sugar Coat It! says
They were!!
Kimberly says
Such an awesome idea. I'm wondering can the sphers be dipped in chocolate to make bonbons.
jacquee | i sugar coat it! says
You will likely run into a few issues - breakage and ceasing, but my motto is TRY!
Dana says
These are adorable! I've always been in awe of any type of molecular gastronomy but I've never seen anyone in our blogging community do it. This is super exciting.
I Sugar Coat It! says
I don't know why waited so long - I've had the kit for about three years! So easy and sooo FUN!!
Amanda says
Mojitos = My Weakness. Honestly. I drank a few too many just last night. These are so fun and would have a great 'wow' factor at a cocktail party. What an inventive approach!
I Sugar Coat It! says
Not my 'invention', but they certainly wowed! I love me some mojitos - so easy to have one too many when enjoyed this way. 😉
Karen Ahmed says
Just incredible!
I Sugar Coat It! says
thx!
Shareba says
These are so cute!! What a fun way to enjoy those flavours!
I Sugar Coat It! says
Sooo FUN!! thx
Mardi (eat. live. travel. write.) says
I've dabbled a little bit in molecular and love it - these are so pretty!
I Sugar Coat It! says
Thanks, Mardi. I know, right!! I am hooked!!
Teresa says
These are adorable! I love that the emphasis is on flavour, unlike the drinks poured by the fancy bottle-twirling bartender. 🙂
I Sugar Coat It! says
RIGHT!!! Hahahaaaa....
Melissa says
How far in advance can you make the spheres? Do they keep long in the fridge or do they have to be consumed immediately?
jacquee | i sugar coat it! says
They are best consumed same day, but I've also had a few a day later and they were fine. You'll need to keep them in a liquid of the same, in the refrigerator.
Daniel Engström says
My membrane became so thick, did I leave them in the alginate bath for to long?
jacquee | i sugar coat it! says
Sorry for the late response - life's been hectic. Yes, you likely left it in too long. Also, be sure use a slotted spoon and clean it after each, so that you don't create build-up on the sphere. It takes some practice, so hopefully you have better results next time!
Kitty B says
It was fun making, and the instructions are superb! I got them looking at tasting good on the first try!