cheese caviar - sodium alginate

[gfron1]

I found a recipe on the web which I have since lost. My notes say:

175 g Gruyere

45 g Maytag Blue

200 g Water

5 g Milk Powder

Blend ingredients. Drop into bath of

1000 g Water

5 g Sodium alginate

When I went to make them I wondered where the calcium chloride/lactate was in the recipe? But I did a test run anyway and got white slime in my bath.

Has anyone made this before that can correct my recipe?

[isomer]

That's been on my "to try" list for a while now. You've got the recipe right. Here's the link: Flatbottomed Pearls.

I'll try to give it a whirl and let you know if it works for me.

Just a thought.... maybe try it again with the calcium gluconate. Maybe your milk powder doesn't have enough free calcium to drive the reaction forward?

Edited February 14, 2009 by isomer (log)

[gfron1]

thanks for finding that link for me again. I did sub (morbier & gorganzola) my cheeses, but have both from the original recipe, so I'll give it another go as well.

Edited February 14, 2009 by gfron1 (log)

[Tri2Cook]

Rob, there's no reason you can't supplement the calcium in the base if necessary. I know the recipe doesn't call for it but it won't hurt anything. I don't advise using calcium chloride as the supplement but boosting the calcium with something that doesn't alter the taste should be fine.

Edit: I wonder if replacing the water with milk, maybe even one of the calcium supplemented milks available, would work?

Edited February 14, 2009 by Tri2Cook (log)