I first saw the play on soap and bubbles as a dessert  by Andoni of Mugaritz. Inspired by this, for some time now I had been meaning to work on a rubber ducky and bubbles dessert. I finally got around to putting something together the other day. The resulting dish was nostalgic and playful — and it gave me the chance to try out a fun application of an aquarium air pump.

This mango ducky has a few elements: White chocolate glaze, lime and coconut mousse, mango pate de fruit, and mango white chocolate ganache. It is accompanied by coconut bubbles. The white chocolate glaze, mango pdf and ganache can be made in advance. The yield of these recipes may need to be adjusted; I used one recipe to produce 4 rubber ducks as well as an 8″ cake.

White Chocolate Glaze Recipe
125g water (1)
300g Sugar
300g glucose syrup
300g White Chocolate
200g condensed milk
40g water (2)
96g gelatin mass
2g yellow fat soluble powder
90g Neutral glaze

1. Combine water (1), glucose syrup and sugar in a sauce pot.
2. Bring mixture to a boil to 102°C/215°F and let it cool slightly.
3. At 60°C/140°F add gelatin mass.
5. Pour over white chocolate.
6. Add condensed milk, water (2), colour and neutral glaze.
7. Blend mixture using a hand blender.
8. Let it set overnight in the fridge.
9. Reheat and use at 35°C/95°F.

Mango ganache
200g White Chocolate
50g 35%
50g mango puree
20g butter (room temperature)

1. Heat white chocolate in microwave for 30 seconds.
2. In a sauce pot, heat 35% cream.
3. Pour cream mixture over white chocolate and stir in mango puree and butter.
4. Pour into moulds or cake frames and let it sit overnight.

Lime and White Chocolate Coconut Mousse
45g gelatin mass
300g White Chocolate
525g 35% (whipped)
25g lime juice
40g egg yolks (2)
10g sugar
100ml coconut milk
25g Coconut compound

1. Heat white chocolate in microwave for 30 seconds.
2. In a sauce pot, heat coconut milk and coconut compound.
3. In a stainless steel bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar and whisk.
4. Temper egg yolk mixture with heated coconut milk mixture.
5. Add gelatin mass to egg yolk mixture.
6. Pour mixture over white chocolate and fold in whipped cream.
7. Pour into moulds or cake frames.

Mango pate de fruit (see previous post for recipe)

Coconut Bubbles (adapted from Alinea Cookbook)
1000g Coconut water
50g sugar
5g salt
4g egg white powder
2.5g xantham gum

1. Combine all ingredients with an immersion blender until homogenized.
2. Insert the air outflow bit of an aquarium air pump (New and clean, people! Please do not borrow the one from your goldfish.) into the mixture. Turn on the pump and wait for the mixture to aerate, it will eventually achieve a nice bubbly consistency.