Students tried their hand at recreating a dish devised by experimental chef Heston Blumenthal.

Pupils at Roding Valley High School in Alderton Hill, Loughton, mixed fruit juice with sodium alginate and calcium chloride.

The process is called ‘spherification’ and it creates small balls which can be used as cookery decorations.

Technology technician Heidi Collings said: "It was a really great afternoon.

"It was something very different from what is usually done here in Food Technology and we all had a great time experimenting."