I want to make a dessert that simulates a salmon roe sushi (like this) using rice pudding and spherified melon juice with a chocolate "seaweed" wrapping. But I can't figure out how to make the seaweed convincing.
How do I do this?
Chocolate – How to make a chocolate cup that looks like the seaweed on a sushi roll
chocolatedessertspherificationsushi
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What you are looking for is spherification. You need to use a different hydrocoloid than gelatin. There are a couple of techniques you can use.
If you want solid spheres, you can mix your liquid with agar agar, which is readily available in the asain section of the grocery store, bring it to a simmer, and then use an eye dropper to drop the liquid in to a very cold olive oil bath (put it in the freezer). The dropping action will give you spheres.
You can also use a mixture of sodium alginate and calcium chloride, but those are harder to find and will need to be ordered online. The advantage is that you can make a sphere with a liquid center that "pops" just like real caviar. You mix the alginate in to your liquid and then mix the calcium in to a bath. You use the same eye dropper technique to get spheres. When the alginate and calcium touch, they instantly form a gel. This holds the sphere together. Leaving it for a couple seconds makes it thick enough to hold up.
All the info you need is available in this free recipe guide from Khymos.
I've actually done exactly this dessert before. You can see some of my lessons and issues in another question here. I did it a second time and opted to use a gelled peach (using agar agar) in the center for more of a maki presentation. Enjoy.
I have always made sure that I only defrost enough to meet the needs of the moment for sushi. If you cut the blocks into 4 to 8 rolls worth, they should defrost under running water in just fifteen to twenty minutes, just about the time it takes me to do a batch of sushi rice. That said, fish once defrosted will start to lose flavor immediately but will remain edible for 2 days. Once it starts to smell, get rid of it immediately, and I would play it very safe on that "starts to smell" the faintest whiff should be enough to send it to the bin.
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Best Answer
"Plastic chocolate" is a form of chocolate used for modeling and shaping decorative elements such as chocolate roses, ribbons and other elements for cakes and desserts.
Take about 1 lb. of bittersweet chocolate and melt over a double boiler. When chocolate is melted, stir in 2/3 cup of light corn syrup. Mix until evenly blended and then set aside to cool. When it firms up, wrap tightly in a heavy gauge plastic bag or wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Let sit for several hours or overnight. No need to refrigerate it, ambient temperature is fine.
Cut the plastic chocolate into smaller size chunks that will be easy to knead. Begin kneading to soften it. If it gets sticky, use a little cocoa powder but be careful not to dry it out. Knead until pliable and then roll out to desired thickness and cut as desired to shape your sushi rolls, decorative elements, etc. You can roll it through the roller of a pasta machine to help get it to an even thickness.
If you're wanting the rough look of nori then press some crumpled foil into it after rolling as previously suggested.