Fruit and Vegetable Amazing Art

heart shaped jello

http://www.nilab.tv/eng/index.php?option=com_easyblog&view=entry&id=8044&Itemid=367

1 pack strawberry flavored gelatin
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup pomegranate juice (I love the heart-shaped packaging and logo of POM juice, too)
1 cup St-Germain

You can prepare the jello shots by following the instructions on your gelatin mix, just replacing the water with the pom juice and St-Germain. Or if you don’t trust the box, you can do this:

Combine the water and pomegranate in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Lower heat and sprinkle with gelatin, stirring frequently, until gelatin completely dissolves (about 5 minutes).  Remove from heat.  Stir in the St-Germain.  Pour into molds and refrigerate for at least four hours before serving.

This made more than the heart-shaped jello shots pictured above (I poured the rest in rounded silicone ice trays so they weren’t as cute or Valentine-y). You can also use shot glasses. Or even a baking pan, then just slice them into squares before serving.

Food Art

Fig Compote | Saladmaster Recipes

Ingredients



2 cups water

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup honey

1/2 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise, seeds scraped

1 8-ounce package dried figs, stemmed, halved lengthwise


Directions



In Puglia, fig trees are almost as prominent as the olive trees. The sweet fruit can be used in savory dishes (it’s often made into a glaze for roasted lamb) or in desserts, like this simple poached concoction.

Serves 6

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 3.5 hours (resting time included)

Bring water and sugar to a boil over medium heat, stirring continuously until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the honey. Add in the vanilla seeds and bean. Add the figs and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 25 minutes, or until figs are tender. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and chill, covered, for at least three hours but up to one day ahead. Discard vanilla bean and divide mixture into six bowls.

Coconut Tiramisu

 Coconut Tiramisu
Serves 8

1 4 oz pkg sugar free white chocolate instant pudding mix
1 15 oz can cream of coconut
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 c coconut milk (I used light since that's what I had)
8 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1 c toasted coconut, divided
8 oz fat free whipped topping, thawed
1 cup strong coffee
2 T kaluha
1/3 cup cocnut milk (optional)
6-8 oz angel food cake (about 1/2 of a tube cake or one loaf)
unsweetend cocoa

Combine the pudding mix, cream of coconut and water in a small bowl and combine thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm.

While pudding mixture is chilling, slice the angel food about 3/4 inch think and toast under a broiler until golden brown; flip over and repeat on the other side. You can toast the coconut under the broiler too if it's not already toasted. Set both aside.

Blend the softened cream cheese and 1/4 cup coconut milk into the pudding mixture, then stir in about 3/4 cup of the toasted coconut (I used my mixer, but you could do it my hand). Gently fold in whipped topping and set aside.

Combine coffee, kaluha and coconut milk then dip angel food slices into mixture and line bottom of serving dish with 1/2 -1/3 of the sliced (I used a bowl and 3 layers, but if you use a flatter dish 2 layers might be all you get). Top with 1/3 of the pudding mixture then sprinkle with cocoa. Repeat with 2 more layers, or whatever fits your serving dish, ending with the unsweetened cocoa. Garnish with remaining toasted coconut (I put a rim around the outer edge of the bowl). Cover and chill several hours or better, overnight.

Notes:
You could use vanilla pudding or coconut, but I couldn't find coconut at 2 stores.

I made a double espresso and added water to 1 cup, but you could use espresso powder and water, strong coffe, etc. I added the coconut milk since I had the can open, but I also had about 1/3 cup of the mixture left over, and I'm not sure how much the coconut milk added.


Here's the original recipe:

Cocomisu (Coconut Tiramisu)
from Boma, Animal Kingdom Lodge

Yield: 15 servings

Syrup
8 oz Sugar
16 oz Water
10 oz Coconut Puree
8 oz Kahlua Liquor

30 pieces Ladyfingers
3 lb Mascarpone Cheese
1 lb Powder Sugar
8 Egg Yolks
7 sheets Gelatin
10 oz Coconut Puree
 can Coco Lopez
1 qt Heavy Cream
1 cup Toasted Coconut

Make syrup by boiling water and sugar in a saucepot. Once it boils, remove from flame and transfer into another container. Mix with coconut puree and Kahlua.

Soak each ladyfinger while syrup is still warm and set aside on a sheet pan.

Soak gelatin leaves in cold water until soft. Remove excess water, then place gelatin in coconut puree in a small bowl. Place over a hot bath to dissolve the gelatin. Set aside.

In the mixer, whip mascarpone cheese with powder sugar. Add yolks, Coco Lopez and heavy cream. Whip until thick.

Temper some of this mixture in the gelatin and put it back with the rest of the filling.

Continue to whip until mixture has doubled. Be careful not to over whip and curdle the cheese.

Place soaked ladyfingers on the bottom of desired deep dish, about 4 inches deep. Ladle about an inch and a half of the filling.

Place another layer of ladyfingers, then ladle another layer of filling.

Smooth the top with a spatula, and then sprinkle the top with toasted coconut.

Ice cream decorated