Sherbet Punch! (And the secret of a root beer float)

Again for my friend's baby shower I found a fun punch to make that looks like a bubble bath! This punch works like a root beer float, and when you add the sherbet it foams and tasts fabulous.

1 Pkg Blue Typhoon Hawaiian Punch
2 L of Ginger Ale
62 oz of White Grape Juice
8 Scoops of Pineapple Sherbet
+
Garnish! I used rubber duckies, while not eatable, they were really cute.

1. Chill the Ginger Ale and Grape juice.
2. Softened Sherbet. I recommend NOT using a microwave 
3. Mix Hawaiian punch and grape juice
4. Add Ginger Ale
5. Float scoops of ice cream on the top of the punch!


The Chemistry!


This punch works with similar principles to a Root Beer Float! It may surprise you to find out that there is no "chemical" reaction in a root beet float. (Or in our case, a rubber ducky Sherbet punch). It is in fact a "physical reaction." Ginger ale, root beer, and other sodas have liquid carbon dioxide mixed with water. It is the CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) that makes them fizzy. The surface tension of the water "holds" the CO2 in liquid form by resisting the transition of liquid to gas.

This surface tension is one of the most unique features of the liquid water. Because water is such a prevalent liquid we don't get much of a chance to observe other liquids and the LACK of surface tension. The H2O molecule is one Oxygen bonded to two hydrogens. The bonds between the oxygen and hydrogen is very strong, and forms a 105 degree angle.

Because of this angle the overall molecule will form a polarity. Where the Oxygen is slightly negative and the hydrogens are slightly positive. The slightly negative oxygen will be attracted to the slightly positive hydrogen of another water molecule. Thus creating another "bond" between water molecules, often referred to as a "hydrogen bond." The hydrogen bond is not as strong as the molecular bond of water, but it can be very strong in chemical reactions. It is this bond between molecules that creates the effect of surface tension. One way to think of these inter-molecular bonds is as a very tight net.

To release the CO2 from the surface tension of the water, we need to interrupt the net. Think about your soda, if you shake it up what happens? The CO2 will escape rapidly and you can have a mildly explosive reaction on your hands. I don't recommended it. It isn't difficult to interrupt the surface tension of water, all it takes is a physical interruption. Think about why you want to point your toes when you are cliff diving, rather than land flat on your belly. It is easier to break a "net" with your feet that your belly. Your tongue does something similar to soda. The rough surface of your tongue interrupts the surface tension of the soda, releasing the CO2 and you are left with a fizzy sensation.

Ice cream will lower the surface tension of root beer in two different ways. #1- The rough surface of the ice cream provides, many areas for nucleation of the CO2 into gas. #2- Protein in ice cream lowers the surface tension of water. Thus releasing the gas in the punch and forming a foam that is easily the BEST part of a shertbet float!

And that is how it works!

Jelly Candies

I am throwing a baby shower on Friday. Naturally, I wanted to throw my friend the cutest mustache party of all time, but because the theme is a little over done, we decided to go with a rubber duckies.

I love it.
I have never had so much fun trying to find rubber duckies, which concidering it is spring and easter and everything, you would think it would be easy. Not so much! Luckliy I stumbled on a rubber ducky candy mold. Which means only one thing, an excuse to make candy!

Originally I thought I would start out easy, by making rubber ducky chocolates, when I stumbled on an easy recipe for Jelly Candies.

1 pkg of flavored Jello
3 pkg of Gelatin (they usually come 4 to a box)
1/3-1/2 cups COLD water



And so it begins:

Start out by adding the jello and gelatin SLOWLY into the water as you mix. Use a pyrex mixing cup, or another heat resistant bowl. Mix slowly and methodically to avoid trapping air bubbles in your candy. This will make your candies more transparent! To be honest with you, I didn't have patience for this, and ended up dumping the packets right in, and mixing the dickens out of it. I discovered later, that the time-consuming mix may not have been totally necessary!


Slowly mix geltin, jello, and water. Or if you are like me, just mix it fast.

With a small pan, boil water and put the bowl of candy mixture IN the water until the mixture melts!  Scooop the foam off the top, and pour into your mold.




Place the bowl and mixture in boiling water, allow the mixture to melt.




Scoop the foam off the top

Pour mixture into your mold

Here's the trick. If you want transparent candies, leave the mixture in the hot water for about 10-15 mins. It won't solidify and the bubbles will slowly rise out of the solution until you will be able to make pretty clear gems, or hearts, or Christmas tress, or whatever your mold is.

Freeze the mold for about 10 mins, peel the candies out, and wala! 

The Chemistry!

SO.... how does it work? I am sure you have all heard the rumors about Jello coming from cow hooves right? You are not totally wrong. The most common gelatin's such as Jello, are made from cow and pig bones by collecting a protein call collagen. Collagen is an little bit like DNA in that it is made up of long protein strands called amino acids that twist around each other, however collagen has three strands instead of two. Collagen is found in your bones and skin too.

As a powder, these long proteins are relatively "short." By boiling the gelatin, we break down the proteins even smaller, then as the mixture cools the proteins re-form into longer chains than before. They trap any water, flavoring, and food coloring in the gaps of the collagen.

Jello is so jiggly because there is a large amount of water trapped in the collagen, our jelly candies are more solid because we have a higher ratio of collagen to water.

Theoretically, we could increase the amount of gelatin in the recipe to "toughen" it up. The way the recipe is, the jellies have the consistency of gummy worms. If we added more gelatin we could achieve a gummy bear consistency.

These candies taste a lot like... well... Jello. Which isn't surprising, because it is the only flavoring we added. When I make these again I want to try it with real fruit juices and plain gelatin to see if I get better results!

Until next time!