Method for a different type of sphere

This isn't really about the course per se but while taking the course, it reminded me that I am trying to figure out how a different type of sphere is made, and wondered if someone might know / have some ideas.

We love the restaurant Julian Serrano at the Aria in Vegas. They make a gazpacho that includes a tomato sphere. It has a set exterior that, when you bite down on it, tomato liquid flows out. The exterior doesn't dissolve - you still have to chew the exterior.

The best way I can describe it is it is like the Lindt truffles, with a firm chocolate shell that you bite into to get to the creamy interior - except in this case, it is all tomato and the interior is a liquid rather than a creamy ganache texture.

There is no waxy taste or texture - the whole thing is essence of tomato.

Any ideas? I'd love to try this at home, as we only get to Vegas once a year, for Christmas.

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Comments

Daniel_Levy_59584

Different than what? What you describe sounds like a basic regular/reverse alginate spherification.

Lynda_Vaughn_72120

Maybe I am making an incorrect assumption not having actually tried spherification myself, but based on the appearance of the spheres in the class, the exterior appears softer and more "gel-like" whereas as the exterior of the tomato sphere is more firm like chocolate.

Is my assumption incorrect? Will reverse spherication create a firm "bite" exterior?

ren_74229

cocoa butter....mycryo.

Freeze the liquid using molds, stab with a pick, dip into molten cocoa butter. Shell sets, inside thaws to liquid.

lfmichaud

Reverse spherification is quite heat stable. It could probably be dipped in something like chocolate to give it a solid shell. I don'k know how the different elements tasted so let's say cocoa butter with tomato essential oils... ;-)

Lynda_Vaughn_72120

@ren and @Louis-Frederic‌. Thanks so much for the suggestions. I'll give it cocoa butter a try.