DEMO: Reverse Spherification of Yogurt





1 kilo Greek yogurt
2 liters Water
10 grams Sodium alginate

Smooth yogurt with a spatula and fill pastry bag with small round tip. Prepare alginate bath by mixing 500ml of cool water with sodium alginate in a blender. Add additional water, making sure to mix well, and strain. Allow to rest cold for 2 to 4 hours. Using a small paring knife to control the size, hold the pastry bag over the bath, and pipe small even shapes into the bath. Allow the yogurt to rest in the bath for 2 minutes, before rinsing in cold water, draining, and either serving immediately, or reserving for service.

You cannot be serious

The finished sphere, membrane dangling, reconstructed heroes in the moonlit night

So you put the whole container in water, and then go

Here is alginate clumping on the surface of water

I use my mixer on low for best results

Vroom vroom

The water will become increasingly viscous as you mix in the alginate

I check the wand of the mixer to make sure that no alginate is attached

There she goes

And now my wand is clean

I pour the mix through a fine mesh sieve into a non reactive bowl

I simultaneously prepare a cool water bath to gently rinse my spheres

You can either let your bath rest over night, or use the vacuum sealer to eliminate those pesky bubbles

I use a well hung greek yogurt with great "pipeability"

You can cut the tension with a knife

I use a small paring knife to "chop" off "gnocchis" into the bath

That's right boys and girls: spherification

You can also smooth out your yogurt to make other shapes

For example, a lovely little parisienne

Here come my baby bocconcini of greek yogurt

I use a perforated spoon to life the little guys out of the rinse

And then I pat them dry

If you want to check the thickness of the membrane, please cut en deux

Ecco, gnocco!

Just like little campfire marshmallows

I like to keep them in oil for easy access

Here is a big juicy yogurt oyster

Can you feel it?

Look how the shape holds beautifully with just a thin sheath

Really, look

A gentle pressure is enough to release the beast

You can also broil them

Caution, flammable

The same creamy result

Just like so

Back to the drawing board