April Fools Crab Cakes Fried Ice Cream Food

APRIL FOOLS' LASAGNA: BANANA-PUDDING CAKE

Steps:

• Looks like: Lasagna
• Make a box of instant vanilla pudding. Cut a loaf of pound cake into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange half of the slices in a 7-by-11-inch baking dish, then press 20 vanilla wafers into the cake. Make fake tomato sauce: Mix 3/4 cup strawberry jam with 5 crushed Oreo cookies and dollop half of the mixture over the wafers. Sweeten 3/4 cup ricotta cheese with 2 teaspoons sugar; dollop half over the jam. Top with 1 sliced banana and half of the pudding. Repeat with the remaining cake, 20 more wafers, the remaining jam and ricotta mixtures, another sliced banana and the remaining pudding. Top with shaved white chocolate, crushed vanilla wafers and mint; chill.

APRIL FOOLS' CRAB CAKES: FRIED ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Looks like: Crab Cakes
• Cut two individual-size 4-ounce cartons of vanilla ice cream in half crosswise to make 4 disks; freeze 30 minutes. Pulse 2 cups white bread cubes and 2 cups shredded coconut in a food processor, then spread on a plate. Remove the cartons and press the ice cream into the crumb mixture, covering all sides (reserve the remaining crumbs). Freeze until hard, 1 hour. Meanwhile, make the "tartar sauce" (below). Dip the disks in 3 beaten eggs, then press in the reserved crumbs and freeze at least 1 more hour. Heat 3 inches of vegetable oil to 350 degrees F in a deep skillet and fry the ice cream until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then eat immediately.
• For the April Fool's Tartar Sauce: Pistachio-White Chocolate Sauce:
• Looks like: Tartar Sauce
• Microwave 1/4 cup heavy cream, 4 ounces chopped white chocolate, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons rum, the grated zest of 1/2 lime and 1/2 orange, and 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios at 50 percent power, 1 minute. Whisk until creamy, then let cool.

APRIL FOOLS' FRIES: CINNAMON-SUGAR STICKS

Steps:

• Looks like: French Fries
• Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil to 365 degrees F in a deep skillet. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons cinnamon on a plate. Cut stale white bread into sticks and fry until golden, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar while still hot. Serve with strawberry jelly as ketchup.

DEEP FRIED ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Halve sponge cakes and scoop out center. Fill cavities with a half scoop ice cream. Close up cake, completely enclosing ice cream. Place in freezer.
• Melt jam in saucepan on medium heat. Season with cardamom and rum. Stir butter into apricot mixture. Keep warm to serve.
• Heat oil in deep fryer to 375 degrees F. Remove cakes from freezer and dip into coating batter. Fry for 10 seconds or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve on a heated platter, covered with apricot sauce.