Fresh Fruit Centerpiece Food

FRESH FRUIT CENTERPIECE

Steps:

• Cut pineapple into 3/8-in. slices. Using small flower or star-shaped cookie cutters, cut out shapes from pineapple and watermelon slices. Thread assorted fruits onto wooden skewers., Place melon on a serving tray or platter. Insert skewers into base. Garnish with lemon and mint if desired.

CASCADING FRUIT CENTERPIECE

Steps:

• In a small mixing bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Stir in coconut. Chill until serving., Cut off pineapple top with a fourth of the pineapple attached; set aside. For dip bowl, cut a third from bottom of pineapple; remove fruit, leaving a 1/2-in. shell. Remove peel from center section of pineapple; core and cut pineapple into chunks., Cut the grapefruit, orange and lemon in half widthwise. Remove pulp from one half of each; set aside. (Save the remaining grapefruit, orange and lemon halves for another use.) , Stack two 10-in. Styrofoam rounds and two 6-in. rounds; cover each stack with heavy-duty foil. Repeat with remaining rounds. On a 19x15-in. platter, pile the stacks on top of each other, staggering them and anchoring with dowels. , Place pineapple top on the top circle; position lemon, orange and grapefruit cups on other circles. Place pineapple bowl on platter. , With greening pins, attach clusters of grapes onto circles. Randomly add strawberries, pineapple chunks and more grapes to cover the foil and platter. Decorate with silk flowers. Just before serving, fill pineapple bowl with pineapple ginger dip. Fill lemon, orange and grapefruit cups with yogurt.

FRUIT BOUQUET

Steps:

• You will also need a plant pot, round florists styrofoam ball to fit into the pot and garland. The recipe format would not allow me to put these in the ingredients needed.
• Cut the styrofoam so it fits into the plant pot, the top of the styro should be just even with the top of the plant pot.
• Wrap the garland around the pot, then cover the styro foam top with it.
• On med. low heat, melt the dipping chocolate in the microwave, stirring every min, being very careful that water or moisture does not get into the chocolate.
• When smooth, dip the top 1/3 of the strawberries into the melted chocolate, then place on skewers.
• Poke all the strawberry skewers into the styro, as this will store them upright until the chocolate is set.
• With a serrated knife, or a ridged hors d'ouvres tool, slice the melons into 1" wide by 3" long pieces.
• Insert the melon pieces onto the skewers, lengthwise,set aside.
• Place the pineapple chunks onto the skewers, set aside.
• Place the grapes onto the skewers long-wise; purple, then green, then purple, ending with another green.
• Remove the choc. dipped strawberry skewers from the plant pot, set aside.
• Start poking the fruited skewers into the styro filled pot.
• Fill the center first, then work towards the outside.
• I served this with White Chocolate Fruit Dip #137738.
• Note: I made this the night before our party,and of course it wouldn't fit in the fridge.
• I wrapped it loosely with saran wrap, placed it in a box not much larger than the plant pot, then set it in my car in a cool garage, it was still nice and fresh teh next day !
• BE CAREFUL when you move it, as it is top heavy !

HOLIDAY SPARKLING FRUIT CENTERPIECE

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Fill one mixing bowl with superfine sugar.
• Keep second one to catch excess sugar.
• Place jelly into microwave safe bowl, heat on high for 2 minutes.
• Stir and microwave another minute or until melted (watch carefully).
• Using the fork, pierce the fruit on the bottom securely.
• Using the pastry brush paint the jelly one at a time onto the fruit (reheat jelly as it cools). Hold the freshly painted fruit over the sugar filled bowl.
• Using the spoon sprinkle the sugar over the fruit until coated.
• Use the empty mixing bowl to shake off excess sugar and not soil the first bowl. Place sugared fruit on parchment to dry about 45 minutes.
• Lightly coat nuts with remaining jelly and roll in the second sugar shake off bowl adding more sugar if needed, remove with fork and dry with the fruit. Arrange fruit and nuts on cake stand or platter, building as high and creative as you wish. Place mint, parsley or your choice of greenery in and around the centerpiece. Lightly dust the tops of the fruit and some of the greenery (mint etc) with powdered sugar as if newly fallen snow.