Edible Creations

Adorable Edible Creations

2009-02-11T12:39:00.001-08:00

This video shows lots of adorable edible creations that you can make from fruits and vegetables.

Edible Creations: How to Make a Fruit Bouquet

2008-05-12T11:16:00.000-07:00

Fruit Bouquets can be one of the easiest edible creations to make. The trick is to avoid the fancy cutting required by some edible creations design instructions.

This article shows you how to make an attractive Fruit Bouquet using small fruit (plums and strawberries) wrapped in cellophane and wired to look like flowers on stems. Although the instructions use plums and strawberries, you can also use any similar sized fruit. I have found that for edible creations using whole fruit, small firm fruit such as apricots, kiwi, crabapples or key limes work well.

You will need:

* 7 Large Plums

* 11 Strawberries

* 15 Large Leaves

* 5 Small Rosebud Heads (real or artificial)

* Cellophane

* 4 Feet of Ribbon

* Thick, semi-thick, and thin gauge wire

* Stem tape

The cellophane, ribbon, wire and stem tape can be purchased at a craft store or florist. You may even find these supplies at a home center or hardware store.

Step 1- Prepare the fruit

Remove any stems or stickers from the fruit, and clean if needed.

Step 2- Prepare the cellophane

Cut squares out of the cellophane to wrap the plums in. The squares don't have to be huge, just big enough to encase the plum entirely. Twist the cellophane around the plum.

Step 3- Wire the plums

Wire the plums, using thick gauge wire.

Step 4- Tape the wire

Tape the wire. The plums should now look a little like a toffee apple on a white stick.

Step 5- Prepare the strawberries

Remove the leaves from the top of the strawberries, and then prepare them the same as the plums. Use the same size squares of cellophane as before.

Once the cellophane is twisted around the strawberries, cut the cellophane so only an inch or so is left.

Step 6- Wire the strawberries

Wire the strawberries, using semi-thick gauge wire. The wire needs to be near the larger end of the strawberry, so the pointy end of the strawberry will be seen in the bouquet.

Make sure you are gentle with the strawberries, as they are quite squishy!

Step 7- Prepare the leaves

Wire and tape the leaves using thin gauge wire.

Step 8- Shape the fruit bouquet

Assemble your edible creations into a posy shape. Do this by...

* Holding the plums in a bunch, using 2 hands.

* Fan everything out slightly.

* Insert leaves between the plums.

* Add the strawberries and the roses.

If you have any unfilled gaps, then fill them in then fill them in with two ribbon bows. Cut off the excess ribbon, so that you only have loops.

That's it! Your edible creations - fruit bouquet is complete. A quick warning though... if you used real fruit to make this edible creation, make sure you put the fruit bouquet in the fridge, otherwise it will start to go off in a few days.

About the author: Peta D'Silva has been making bouquets for over 14 years. Her website has lots of free information on making edible creations, including the valuable illustrated step-by-step guide “How to make beautiful candy bouquets for fun and profit”.

Sweet Edible Creations: Candy Arrangement in Sundae Glass

2008-05-03T12:59:00.000-07:00

This article gives step-by-step instructions on how to make some very sweet edible creations: a Candy Arrangement in a Sundae Glass.

To make this fun edible creation you will need:

a sundae glass

a piece of stick candy

Hershey’s chocolate kisses of one flavor or several

Life Savers

curling ribbons

pipe cleaners or thin stem wire

scissors

wire cutters

1. Find a Sundae glass you would like to use in your candy arrangement.

2. Fill the Sundae glass with the Hershey’s chocolate kisses.

3. Put the stick candy of the matching color into the glass.

4. (Optional). You can put Life Savers candy on the top of the Sundae (they will represent whipped cream) securing them in place with glue dots or double-sided tape as necessary.

5. Prepare curling ribbons of colors that correspond with the kisses wrappers. You can also buy ready-made curl swirls.

6. Take a piece of pipe cleaner or thin stem wire and tightly wrap it around the middle of the curling ribbons from the previous step. Curl the ribbons by pulling them over the edge of the scissors.

7. Insert the curling ribbons in the glass, and you're done!

Your beautiful and tasty Candy Sundae edible creation is ready!

If you want to quickly and easily learn how to make candy bouquets either to start your own business or just to be able to make amazing memorable gifts for any occasion, check out this valuable illustrated step-by-step guide “How to make beautiful candy bouquets for fun and profit”.

Edible Creations: How to Make a Strawberry Fan

2008-02-20T22:32:00.000-08:00

I was watching a TV show today and the host showed how to make a strawberry fan. It has to be one of the easiest edible creations going!

All you do is make a series of knife cuts from just below the top stem to the bottom. Then you put a bit of pressure on the strawberry to gently spread the strawberry apart.

And remember, have your food item at room temperature when you carve. The cuts will be easier to make when the fruit is not cold. You can always chill your edible creations in the refrigerator after cutting and before serving.

Photo courtesy of RecipeTips.com

Fruit and Vegetable Edible Creations (Video)

2007-09-05T16:43:00.000-07:00

Looking for ideas for your edible creations? Here are some really cute and funny things you can make with fruits and vegetables. Enjoy!

Carving Tips for Edible Creations

2007-09-04T16:55:00.000-07:00

I've been having fun making my edible creations from seasonal fruits and vegetables this week. I made the watermelon heart edible fruit basket for my parents' wedding anniversary party on Sunday, and today I tried making the little tomato rose garnishes pictured here to dress up our lunch plates.

It's surprising how little effort it really takes to make some of these beauties. Believe it or not, the tomato rose garnishes only involve three steps.

Of course, only people who are crafty or artsy are likely to go to the trouble of making edible creations. I can just see some of my friends groaning at the thought of rolling up little tomato roses!

I came across a great list of carving tips at watermelon.org I've modified the list here so that it applies to a range of fruits and vegetables. Following these tips will make carving fruits and vegetables easier and safer (not to mention giving you more professional-looking results).

Have the food item at room temperature when you carve. The cuts will be easier to make when the fruit or vegetable is not cold. You can always chill your edible creations in the refrigerator after cutting and before serving.
Whenever possible, start by cutting a small, thin, flat piece from the bottom of the fruit or vegetable before carving. This will make a fl at base, making the item more stable when carving.
Draw the design on the outside of the fruit or vegetable with a pen or pencil before you cut.
After you’ve drawn the design, insert toothpicks in key places to use as guides for your cuts.
Use a sharp knife with a pointed tip – the sharper the knife, the easier and cleaner the cuts will be. Be careful!
For better grip and to help protect your hands, use a fresh, new thick pair of gardening gloves with gripper palms.
Choose a flat working surface on a solid base. Be careful of cutting boards that might slip.
For more detailed designs, draw a template first on a sheet of white paper with a marker or pencil. When finished, transfer the image to the fruit or vegetable surface by taping the paper to the food item and tracing firmly along the design’s lines with a pencil. This will impress the design right on the item's surface.
When attaching cut pieces to your design, use round toothpicks or skewers. Flat toothpicks will often break due to weight of the piece or the thickness of the rind.
Be ready for ohhs and ahhs when you serve your edible creations!

Edible Rose photo courtesy of www.recipetips.com

Edible Creations: Watermelon Edible Fruit Basket Directions

2007-08-30T18:05:00.000-07:00

Looking for edible creations that even a beginner could make? This simple Heart Watermelon Edible Fruit Basket is a great starter project for someone new to making edible creations.

Directions:

To start, choose your watermelon. Almost any shape watermelon will work for this edible creation.
Cut a thin slice from the bottom to provide a stable base for your edible fruit basket.
Draw the outlines for the Heart Basket as shown in the pattern image.
Use a knife or decorating tool to cut out the edges (be careful not to cut through the handle).
When cutting is complete, carefully remove the top quarter sections. Trim the flesh from the inside of the handle.
You can cut out hearts or other designs from the rind you removed to decorate the outside of the basket; attach with toothpicks.
Fill with approx. 8-12 cups of fruit salad.

Besides being beautiful to look at, your watermelon edible fruit basket is also really healthy. Some people call watermelon a multivitamin unto itself. Look at these watermelon nutrition facts:

A 2-cup serving of watermelon is an excellent source of Vitamins A, B6 and C, and a good source of potassium.
Vitamin A found in watermelon is important for optimal eye health.
Vitamin B6 found in watermelon is used by the body to manufacture brain chemicals (neurotransmitters), such as serotonin, melatonin and dopamine, which preliminary research shows may help the body cope with anxiety and panic.
Vitamin C in watermelons can help to bolster your immune system's defenses against infections and viruses and is known to stimulate the immune system and protect against free radical damage.
And all this for only 80 calories per 2 cup serving!

See how easy it can be to make beautiful and healthy watermelon edible creations?

Photo and recipe directions courtesy of Watermelon.org

How to Make Fruit and Vegetable Edible Creations

2007-08-29T21:12:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for detailed instructions for making edible creations, a good place to start is on websites devoted to Asian cuisine.

For example, Simply-Thai.com has photos and step-by-step instructions for how to make fruit and vegetable edible creations such as a daisy flower from a carrot slice, a leaf from a cucumber and a rose from a tomato.

They tell you about the carving tools you'll need to make these edible creations (although many of them can be made simply with one sharp pointed knife), selecting your fruits and vegetables for carving, specific preparations and treatments, and storing your edible creations until serving time.

It's not surprising that some of the best edible creations come from Asian cuisine. The art of food carving is a highly regarded art in many Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, and China. Thailand, in particular, is recognized as a leader in the art of edible creations.

Thai cuisine is known for its intricate edible creations such as the lotus flower papaya shown in the photo here. (The photo is from Spice Cuisine and if you go to their website you can see more gorgeous photos of award-winning edible creations.)

The art of fruit and vegetable carving has gained increasing popularity in recent years. Many cooking schools and even five-star hotels now hold Thai cooking classes that highlight fruit and vegetable carving.

According to an article in the online magainze Benjarong , fruit carving in Thailand has been around for centuries and was originally exclusive to meals prepared for the royal family. This emphasis on meals needing to be attractive as well as highly palatable continues in modern Thai cuisine. The writer explains:

"Thais are very proud of their cuisine and often even simple roadside stalls will invest time into the presentation of their meals. Fruit and vegetable carving is at home and is even included in the national school curriculum to preserve Thai cultural arts. I once watched a sixteen year old boy carve a watermelon into dozens of rosettes within half an hour. When I asked him where he had learned this skill, he gave me a teenage shrug and said he started learning in primary school with potato stencils. I remembered with slight humiliation, my childhood potato stencils consisting of unsymmetrical circles and squares, not garlands of flowers."

Note: This article was selected for the Carnival of Recipes.

Edible Creations Include Baby?

2007-08-29T19:49:00.000-07:00

You've got to check out this amazing edible creations video that shows an artist making an incredibly life-like baby cake. Of all the sculptural edible creations that I've seen, I've got to say this one is the spookiest in its resemblance to the real thing.

My question for you: could you eat this baby?

This video won't teach you how to make the baby cake (it goes by too quickly for that) but it is an amazing display of edible creations talent at work.