Sweet Tooth

A great way to add a different element to any dessert is the use of airs or foams. My definition of foam is a liquid with the addition of lecithin and foamed by a hand blender. And when I refer to airs I'm talking about the use of gelatine to set a liquid in a siphon. Here are a few views and ideas to get you started.

1. The best tasting and most flavoursome foams and airs are created by using a natural juice and concentrating it by reduction or purees.
2. The general rule of thumb is that the liquid be light the more viscous the liquid you’re using the harder it is to foam. With airs it is a different story though, if using the Siphon the viscosity of the liquid is less relevant.
3. Foams created using lecithin work better at room temperature.
4. The amount of lecithin used in a foam is important, not enough and the foam will not hold, too much and you end up with lecithin tasting foam with a soapy feel on the palate.

Recipes
Air
350ml Liquid (Fruit puree such as raspberry reduced to a light sauce consistency as a rough guide)
1 Sheet Gelatine Titanium Grade
Siphon + 2 Cream Bulbs

1. Bloom gelatine and warm small amount of liquid and dissolve in liquid. Incorporate into remaining liquid and fill siphon.
2. Refrigerate siphon until liquid has set, then charge siphon and shoot.

Note: It is important to allow the liquid to set before use; it simply won't work straight away.

Foam
500ml Liquid (Natural Fruit juices work best)
5g Lecithin
Stick Blender

1. Combine liquid and lecithin using the stick blender and make sure all traces of lecithin have dissolved. Foam liquid using the aeration attachment on the blender; allow the foam to set for 1min before using.

Note: Use water consistency liquids.