Pomme Bonbon Recipe

Prepare apples

Wash the Pink Lady apples thoroughly. Core and roughly chop them; peeling is optional but removing the cores and any bruised spots is recommended. Weigh out about 1.2 kg of prepared apple pieces.

Blend

Place the chopped apples in a blender. Add 150 ml distilled water to help the blades and 30 ml fresh lemon juice to inhibit oxidation. Pulse/blend on high until you have a smooth purée (about 60–90 seconds).

Initial strain

Pour the purée through a fine mesh strainer or chinois into a bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much juice as possible. Discard or reserve the pomace for another use. You should collect roughly 400–500 ml of raw apple juice.

Clarify with gelatin (cold clarification)

If you prefer a bright, clear juice, use gelatin clarification: Bloom 4 g gelatin in 30 ml cold water for 5 minutes. Warm the bloomed gelatin gently (either in a bowl set over warm water or 5–8 seconds in a microwave) until just liquefied—do not boil. Stir the liquefied gelatin into about 450 ml of the freshly pressed apple juice until fully dissolved. Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered until the gelatin sets (about 2–3 hours). Once set, the gelatin will trap solids.

Separate clear juice

When the gelatin is fully set, place the container in the refrigerator or on the counter and carefully pierce the gel with a ladle or run a knife along the edge to release the clear liquid (or invert carefully onto a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth). Gently ladle or strain the clear apple juice into a clean container, leaving the cloudy gel behind. This yields a bright, clarified Pink Lady apple juice (~350–420 ml).

Adjust flavor

Taste the clarified juice. Stir in 30 ml chilled simple syrup to add balance and 1 pinch of fine sea salt to enhance fruitiness. Chill the clarified juice thoroughly (at least 30 minutes) before carbonating.

Chill your glassware and equipment

Chill the serving glass(es) and, if using a siphon or soda maker, ensure the juice and water are very cold (near 0–4°C) to maximize carbonation retention.

Carbonate

Option A — Soda siphon/ISi: Combine the chilled clarified apple juice (about 200–250 ml) with 200 ml chilled sparkling water in the siphon (or carbonate the clarified juice directly following manufacturer instructions). Charge and shake as directed, then refrigerate for 10–15 minutes before dispensing. Option B — Soda maker: Pour the chilled clarified apple juice into the soda maker bottle up to the recommended fill line and carbonate in short bursts until lightly to moderately effervescent. Option C — Gently top with pre-chilled sparkling water: If you prefer manual mixing, pour 150–200 ml chilled sparkling water slowly into 150–200 ml clarified juice at a 1:1 ratio to achieve gentle carbonation.

Assemble drink

Pour the gently carbonated clarified Pink Lady juice into a chilled flute or coupe, leaving minimal headspace to preserve fizz. If you used a siphon, dispense slowly to avoid over-foaming.

Garnish and serve

Express a little lemon zest over the surface to release essential oils (hold zest skin-side down and give a quick twist). Add a thin apple slice to the rim or float it on top. Serve immediately to showcase clarity and fine carbonation.

Notes and yield

This recipe yields about 2 to 3 servings (125–175 ml each, depending on how much is carbonated). If you do not want to use gelatin, you can cold-settle the juice overnight and decant the clear juice, or use a centrifuge/fine filtration if available.