Agar agar and edible architecture: shapes, films and geometry

A transparent film, a cube of broth or a sheet of fruit can change how a flavour is presented. Agar agar gives a water-based preparation a defined, repeatable shape, with a purpose beyond decoration.

Start with the texture

An agar agar gel breaks cleanly: it is less elastic than animal gelatin and does not melt at mouth temperature. This makes it useful for precise shapes and thin slices. Too much agar, however, can make a gel hard and overwhelm the dish.

Choose the flavour before the mould. Make a small sample of the base, let it cool and taste it at serving temperature. Consider thickness, fragility and portion size together.

Three ideas to develop

• A citrus film to accompany a dessert or savoury dish: start with the citrus film recipe.
• Cubes of a strained infusion, cut to the same size for consistent portions.
• A thin sheet cut after setting, on a flat surface.

Organise the preparation

Disperse the powder in the water-based liquid, heat it sufficiently to dissolve it and pour before the gel starts to set. Have moulds and trays ready: once cooled, the preparation no longer flows like a liquid.

A truly crisp sheet requires drying and a suitable formulation: a gelled film and edible fruit glass are different results. Read more in the guide to edible fruit glass.