Science Meets the Kitchen: Year 9 Students Create Fruit Caviar!

During this term, students in Year 9 Foods dove into the delicious world of molecular gastronomy – a culinary technique that blends science and cooking. The result? Fruit caviar!

Fruit caviar involves using chemistry to transform fruit juice into tiny, jewel-like spheres that burst with flavour. The process involves a technique called spherification, where fruit juice is mixed with a setting powder called agar agar and then dropped into cold oil. The result? A thin gel-like skin forms around each droplet, creating a texture similar to real caviar, but fruity and sweet! You might have tried it in a bubble tea?

Students worked in groups with their given fruit (lemon, orange, berries), where they followed step-by-step instructions to create their caviar. The activity not only taught students about food chemistry but also encouraged creativity, teamwork, and precision. Plus, it was a great way to see how science can be applied in the kitchen!