How to Make Edible Air Foam Dessert
Create ultra-light edible air foam using gelatin, water, and sugar whipped at high speed into a voluminous, cloud-like molecular dessert.
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🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Electric hand mixer with whisk beaters
- ✓ Large metal mixing bowl
- ✓ Small saucepan
- ✓ Silicone spatula
- ✓ Ice bath bowl
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ Powdered unflavored gelatin (10g)
- ✓ Granulated sugar (50g)
- ✓ Cold water (150ml)
- ✓ Vanilla extract (1 tsp)
- ✓ Ice cubes
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Handle hot sugar liquid carefully to prevent steam and contact burns.
- • Ensure electric mixer beaters are fully submerged before turning on high speed to prevent hot liquid splatter.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Bloom the gelatin powder
Pour 50ml of cold water into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin powder evenly over the surface. Allow it to sit undisturbed for 5 minutes until fully hydrated. The gelatin should absorb all liquid and turn into a firm, translucent gel.
- • Gelatin granules are fully swollen with no dry powder visible.
- • Surface appears wrinkled and firm to a light touch.
- • Dumping gelatin in a single clump rather than sprinkling evenly.
Dissolve sugar and syrup base
Combine the remaining 100ml water and sugar in the small saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until the sugar crystals completely dissolve and the liquid turns crystal clear. Remove from heat just as gentle bubbles begin to form around the pan edges.
- • Liquid is completely clear with zero visible sugar granules at the bottom.
- • Small bubbles actively line the perimeter of the pan.
- • Boiling too vigorously and evaporating off excess water volume.
Melt gelatin into hot syrup
Scrape the bloomed gelatin mass directly into the hot syrup pan. Whisk gently with the spatula until the gelatin melts completely and incorporates with no residual solids. Transfer the warm mixture into the large metal mixing bowl.
- • Homogeneous, clear liquid with no jelly lumps remaining.
- • Entire mixture transferred cleanly into the metal mixing bowl.
- • Adding gelatin while the pan is still actively boiling on the burner.
Cool over an ice bath
Nest the metal mixing bowl inside a larger bowl filled with ice and water. Stir the liquid constantly with a spatula for 2 to 3 minutes until cool to the touch and slightly thickened. Remove the bowl from the ice bath before it sets into a solid gel.
- • Liquid thickens to the consistency of raw egg whites.
- • Bowl sides feel cool to the touch.
- • Leaving the bowl in ice without stirring, causing the bottom layer to solidify prematurely.
Whip into dense white foam
Add vanilla extract and insert the electric mixer beaters into the mixture. Start on medium speed for 1 minute until frothy, then increase to high speed for 5 to 7 minutes. Whip continuously until the mixture expands by 500% into an opaque, glossy white cloud with soft peaks.
- • Bowl is filled to the brim with bright white, marshmallow-like foam.
- • Lifting the beaters leaves soft, pillowy peaks that hold their shape.
- • Stopping the mixer too early while the mixture is still translucent or runny.
Portion and serve the cloud foam
Gently scoop the aerated foam into serving glasses or dessert bowls using a large spoon. Work quickly and delicately to maintain the trapped air volume. Serve immediately as a melt-in-the-mouth edible cloud dessert.
- • Billowy mounds of white foam sitting high in serving dishes.
- • No liquid pooling at the bottom of the glassware.
- • Pressing down or packing the foam, which knocks out the trapped air.
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by Guma Cook — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Electric hand mixer? Stand mixer with wire balloon whisk attachment
- No Powdered gelatin? Gelatin sheets (4 bloom sheets soaked in cold water)