Experiment No. 23 — Saturday Morning Slime Tarts
Scope
Reconstruct the architecture of a toaster pastry—laminated crust, gooey core, and crystalline icing—through precise starch gelation and sugar-film crystallization. This experiment maps how controlled texture and color chemistry recreate the sensory nostalgia of Saturday mornings.
Objective
Engineer a tart that balances elastic filling and brittle icing while exploring how starch gelatinization, acid concentration, and natural colorants shift both hue and mouthfeel.
Yield & Time
Prep: 40–50 min
Bake: 25–30 min
Rest: 15 min
Yield: 6–8 tarts
Formula – Weight, Volume, Ratio %
Weight = accuracy
Volume = accessibility
Ratio % = textural distribution between dough, gel, and icing
Base Dough Options
Option 1 – Store-Bought Control: pre-rolled pastry sheets for a neutral baseline.
Option 2 – Classic Short Pastry: 250 g flour, 170 g butter, 1 tsp salt, 30–45 g cold water → pulse, chill 30 min.
Option 3 – Vegan Variant: 250 g flour, 170 g vegan butter, 30 g plant milk, pinch baking powder → chill 20 min.
Filling Formula (Green Goo Matrix)
Sugar: 50 g, ¼ cup, 25%
Cornstarch: 15 g, 2 Tbsp, 7%
Water: 120 g, ½ cup, 60%
Lime juice (or other acid): 60 g, ¼ cup, 30%
Butter or coconut oil: 5 g, 1 tsp, 3%
Colorants: ¼ tsp chlorophyll or spirulina (natural hue)
Optional Gel Binders: 1 tsp gelatin → elastic set, or 1 tsp agar → firm vegan set.
Procedure
Whisk sugar and cornstarch until smooth; add water and juice gradually.
Heat over medium until translucent and thickened. Stir in fat and chosen colorant.
For gelatin: bloom in cold water, then stir into warm filling and cool.
For agar: dissolve in liquid, bring to a brief boil, then fold into filling.Cool completely before use.
Assembly
Roll chilled dough to ⅛ in. thickness.
Spoon cooled filling, leaving ½ in. border.
Top and seal edges with fork.
Chill assembled tarts 15–20 min.
Bake at 375 °F (190 °C) for 20–25 min or until golden.
Cool completely before icing.
Icing & Drizzle
Cereal Milk Icing: 120 g powdered sugar + 30 g cereal milk (or milk + vanilla).
Orange Soda Drizzle: 60 g powdered sugar + 30 g orange soda + pinch salt.
Spread cereal milk icing first, dry 10 min, then drizzle soda icing for a layered finish.
Observations & Notes
Chilled dough maintains lamination, yielding crisp layers.
Cornstarch gelatinization activates around 175 °F, forming a translucent gel.
Acidic liquids intensify green pigments but can reduce gel strength.
Icing crystallizes as surface moisture evaporates, forming the nostalgic toaster pastry “snap.”
Gelatin = oozy, elastic center; Agar = clean-cut, firm slice.
Flavor & Texture Theory
Elastic core + brittle icing create multisensory “bite resistance.”
Color psychology links bright green and citrus tang to perceived nostalgia.
Layered icing acts as both a visual cue and hydrostatic moisture barrier.
