Ice Ring Wreath Food

ICE RING WREATH

Steps:

• Pour 1 cup of distilled water into a 4-1/2-cup ring mold lightly coated with cooking spray. Peel limes, keeping peel in large pieces. Using miniature tree cookies cutters, cut trees from the peel. Place shapes upside down in top of right mold. Save lime pulp for another use. Place cranberries between tree shapes. Rearrange if necessary before freezing. Freeze until solid., Gently add remaining water; freeze. To use, wrap bottom of solidly frozen mold in warm towel until loosened or dip mold in pan of warm water. Float ice ring, fruit side up, in cold punch.

CRANBERRY-ORANGE HOLIDAY PUNCH

Steps:

• For the Bundt ice ring: Pour 1 inch of water into the bottom of a 12-cup Bundt pan. Add a quarter of the cranberries, 5 thyme sprigs and 2 bay leaves and evenly spread the ingredients around the Bundt pan--this will be the top of the ice cube. Place in the freezer to set for at least 4 hours.
• For the next layer, add enough water to fill halfway up the Bundt pan, then add the same quantity of ingredients as the first layer. Place in freezer for at least 4 more hours. Continue to make 2 more layers and freeze in the same manner, freezing each layer at least 4 hours before adding on the next. The final layer should freeze 8 hours or up to overnight before being used.
• Turn the Bundt pan onto a baking sheet and hold under running hot water until the Bundt ice ring releases onto the baking sheet, 5 to 10 seconds. Add to a punch bowl when ready to serve.
• For the spiced-thyme simple syrup: Combine the sugar with 2 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the allspice, cloves, thyme and cinnamon sticks. Let steep while it comes to room temperature, 1 hour. Strain and refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the punch: Stir together the cranberry juice, vodka and 2 cups spiced-thyme simple syrup (save the remainder for another use). Pour over the Bundt ice ring in the punch bowl and top with prosecco and cranberries for garnish. Serve immediately.

FRUITY ICE WREATH

Steps:

• Overlap oranges, lemons, cranberries, and rosemary sprigs in a 10-inch Bundt pan; add 3 cups water and cranberry-juice cocktail. Freeze overnight. To unmold wreath, dip pan in a bowl of hot water until edges just start to melt. (Don't let the water come up over the top.) Remove and turn out onto a plate.

DELLA ROBBIA ICE RING

Steps:

• In 1-qt measure or pitcher, combine ginger ale and lemon juice.
• Pour 2 C of the mixture into 1-qt ring mold; freeze.
• Arrange fruits, peel, and mint leaves in decorative pattern on top of frozen ring.
• Carefully pour remaining liquid over patterns and freeze.

HOW TO MAKE AN ICE RING

Steps:

• Layer one of the fruits and some of the punch (1" at a time) in a ring mold.
• Freeze each layer before adding the next layer.
• Layer with as many fruits as you want in your mold.
• When the ring mold is frozen solid, and ready to put in the punch bowl, sit mold in hot water for 1 minute. This will help to make it come out of the mold easily.