Edible Balloons for Dessert

Have you ever wondered about balloons that can be eaten as dessert? Guess what, someone has made it already. Edible Balloons are already existent and it is now one of the bestseller desserts in a three Michelin star restaurant in USA.

Renowned Chef Grant Achatz of Alinea Restaurant in Chicago made the edible balloon from Green Apple Taffy. Filled with Helium using a clean transparent tube, similar to the ones you see in the hospitals, the Edible Balloon is then tied to a string made out of Dehydrated Apple. The best way to eat it is to suck out the Helium then eat the Taffy or the chewy candy of sugar or syrup boiled until thick and pulled until glossy. If you inhale the Helium your voice will instantly change unless you drink some liquid or wait for the Helium to evaporate.

A guy sucking the Helium from the Edible Balloon by @333key

Chicago, on Lake Michigan in Illinois, is among the largest cities in the U.S. Famed for its bold architecture, it has a skyline bristling with skyscrapers such as the iconic John Hancock Center, sleek, 1,451-ft. Willis Tower and neo-Gothic Tribune Tower. The city is also renowned for its museums, including the Art Institute and its expansive collections, including noted Impressionist works.

At Alinea Restaurant, Chef Grant Achatz draws foodies with New American tasting menus featuring highly creative plates. Founded in 2005 by Chef Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas the restaurant features a single, seasonally driven tasting menu of between 18 and 22 courses. The experience of dining at Alinea is not only delicious, but also fun, emotional, and provocative.

Alinea has been universally praised for its innovative approach to modernist cuisine. It has three times been named the Best Restaurant in America and is the only restaurant in Chicago, and one of only 12 in the U.S., to earn the coveted Michelin 3-Star rating. It has also won the James Beard Award for Best Service in the United States.

Only the chemical element Helium should be used on an Edible Balloon. Hydrogen, which is also used to make balloons fly, is not an option. Even though it is significantly cheaper compared to Helium, Hydrogen is flammable. In fact, Hydrogen is sometimes used in explosive devices. Check also our write-up on Helium vs Hydrogen so you will better understand the two Chemical Elements.

If you want to taste the Edible Balloons by Chef Grant, make sure you have enough money when you visit Alinea Restaurant in Illinois. Soon this will become available in most parts of the world & thanks to the pioneer of this idea, many will use it as reference to make other variants or flavors.

Lastly, a random FB user Christopher Ho advises to “bring a first date here. If she eats the balloon like a pro she’s a keeper.”