Balsamic Vinegar Pearls

These are so easy and delicious, not to mention impressive!

75 ml balsamic vinegar

1 sachet powdered gelatine

olive oil (enough to fill a tall glass tumbler)

a syringe (I used a plastic one from the chemist)

1.  Pour enough olive oil to fill a tall glass tumbler and put in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

2.  Dissolve the gelatine in the vinegar over a medium heat, stirring. Bring just to the boil, then remove from heat. Allow to cool for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

3.  Fill the syringe with the balsamic and gelatine mixture. 

4.  When the oil is well chilled (you can stand it in a jug of iced water to keep it cool), drip the balsamic mixture into it, drop by drop. The drops should slowly sink to the bottom and the cold oil will set the gelatine.  

5.  Once all the balsamic mixture has been dripped in, slowly pour the pearls out into a strainer. Keep the olive oil to use in cooking (pass it through a coffee filter paper in a funnel if it has small bits of jelly in it).

6.  Store the balsamic vinegar pearls in a sterilised jam jar in the fridge.

Use to decorate salads, cold tapas, etc. (The gelatine in the pearls will melt if you put them on hot food)