Molecular Gastronomy: Mojito Spheres Recipe
Ingredients:
-
Molecular Gastronomy: Mojito Spheres Recipe 12 mint leaves
- 170 g (6 oz) white rum
- 170 g (6 oz) lime juice
- 128 g (4 ½ oz) water
- 6 tablespoons white sugar
- Zest of a lime
- Mint leaves for garnish
- 4.7 g Calcium Lactate Gluconate (for detailed information, refer to our article on Calcium Lactate Gluconate)
- Alginate Bath:
- 1000 g (35 oz) filtered or low-calcium water
- 5 g sodium alginate
Alginate Bath:
- Start by preparing the alginate bath. Using an immersion blender, mix sodium alginate in water until completely dissolved. Note that this may take longer than expected, especially for first-timers.
- Let it rest in the refrigerator for 24 hours to allow air bubbles to dissipate and sodium alginate to fully rehydrate with water.
Mojito Mix:
- Place mint leaves and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Crush mint and lime with a muddler to release mint oils.
- Add sugar, rum, and water, then shake vigorously until all sugar dissolves. Adjust sweetness to taste by starting with less sugar.
- Strain the mojito mix through a fine sieve.
- Mix 180 g (6.4 oz) of mojito with Calcium Lactate Gluconate until fully dissolved. Leave the remaining mojito in the fridge for carbonation.
- Finally, add Xanthan and let it hydrate for 1 minute. Blend using an immersion blender to eliminate air bubbles and leave it in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Making Mojito Spheres:
- Now you’re ready to start the spherification process! Take the alginate bath and the mojito mix with Calcium Lactate out of the refrigerator.
- Use a 5 ml measuring spoon to take half-sphere mojito mix and carefully pour it into the alginate bath. Avoid touching the mojito spheres to prevent them from sticking to each other.
- Leave the spheres in the alginate bath for approximately 2 minutes for “cooking.”
- Gently remove the mojito spheres using a slotted spoon.
- Rinse them lightly with water and carefully squeeze excess liquid. While making more spheres, place them in a bowl with water or mojito.
- To carbonate the spheres, pour the separated mojito (without Calcium Lactate) into an ISI Whip container and carefully place the mojito spheres inside.
- Charge the ISI Whip with a CO2 cartridge (not N2O, or it won’t carbonate!).
- Store in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
- Hold the tube upright and discharge it, releasing pressure by squeezing the trigger. Do not open the canister completely before emptying.
- Unscrew the top and remove the spheres.
- Serve immediately on appetizer spoons, sprinkle with lime zest, and garnish with small mint leaves.