Candy Cornucopia Bowl Recipes

SWIRLED EDIBLE BOWLS

Steps:

• Inflate 8 small balloons; gently wash the tops and pat dry. Melt 1 1/2 cups white candy melts and 1/2 cup each red and blue candy melts in separate bowls; let cool slightly. Spread 8 small circles of the white candy onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (these will be the bases of the bowls).
• Spoon the red and blue candy into the remaining white candy, then use a skewer to gently swirl (don't over mix). Dip the top quarter of each balloon in the candy; twist the balloon slightly to create a swirled look, then lift out and let the excess drip off. Place the balloon candy-side down on a circle of white candy melts. Refrigerate until set, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Carefully make a small cut near the knot on each balloon to slowly deflate it, then gently peel the balloon away from the bowl. Refrigerate or freeze the bowls until ready to serve. Fill with ice cream or berries and whipped cream.

CORN AND MUSHROOM RAMEN BOWLS

Steps:

• Bring the stock and miso paste to a simmer in a medium pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the paste. Add the noodles, corn and mushrooms. Stir in the soy sauce and juice from half the lime. Simmer until the noodles are al dente, about 4 minutes.
• Ladle the soup between 2 big bowls and garnish with the scallions. Finish with more lime juice if desired.

FRIENDSGIVING CORNUCOPIA BOARD

Steps:

• For the roasted sweet potato rounds: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Put the sweet potato rounds on a baking sheet and generously drizzle with olive oil on both sides. Season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Roast, flipping halfway through, until tender and browned on both sides, 20 to 25 minutes. Place the sweet potatoes on a rack to cool.
• For the friendsgiving board: In a small serving bowl, combine the apricot jam and Dijon mustard. Add some plain Dijon mustard to a second small bowl for serving.
• Place a cornucopia basket on the corner of a large rectangular cutting board. Put the baguette slices, Cheddar, turkey, Camembert, salami, blue cheese and crackers in and around the cornucopia, allowing them to elegantly drape over the edge onto the board. On one corner of the board, lay the apple slices, sweet potato rounds and plain Dijon mustard with a spreading knife. On the opposite corner of the board, dollop the cranberry sauce. Arrange the walnuts next to the bowl of mustard-infused apricot jam, along with a knife for spreading. Place mini pumpkins and gourds in the empty spaces of the board to fill it with fun and festive flare.

CHOCOLATE CORNUCOPIA

Steps:

• Make the chocolate fruits: Use a ladle to fill a fruit mold with white chocolate. When it is full, empty it into the bowl of chocolate. The inside of the mold should be evenly coated with chocolate. Wipe the edge of the mold clean on the side of the bowl and place it upside down on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet. Once the chocolate starts to harden, about 5 minutes, scrape the edge clean with a paring knife. Repeat to make as many fruits as you will need for your centerpiece. For my centerpiece, I used lemons, pears, oranges, bananas, pineapples and apples. When the chocolate has set, remove the fruits from the molds.
• Make the leaves: Use a pastry brush dipped in white chocolate to coat one side of the plastic leaf. Allow the chocolate to set and then peel off the plastic leaf. Repeat to make as many leaves as you would like. Use the same technique to make smaller leaves for the pineapple stem.
• Assemble the pineapple stem. I used a plastic dome mold to give my pineapple stem its final shape. You could also use a small glass bowl. Place a small dollop of white chocolate in the bottom of the mold. Add leaves resting the ends in the chocolate and the tops along the side of the bowl. Add another layer. Continue this process to make as big of a stem as you like. When the chocolate has set, pop the stem out of the mold.
• Paint the fruit and the leaves: If you use an airbrush, simply place a few drops of color in the receptacle of the airbrush and decorate as you are inspired. Use an airbrush to paint the pineapple stem and the leaves green. Use tempered chocolate to adhere the stem to the top of the pineapple. Paint each of the fruit, as you are inspired to do so.
• Make a base: Place metal rulers on a parchment paper lined surface so they form an open space that measures about 24½ by 16 inches. If you don¿t have metal rulers, you could also use modeling clay or wood rulers. Place a very large cake ring or a round of aluminum flashing that is 13½ inches in diameter inside the space. Pour tempered dark chocolate inside the ring and open space to form a 1/2-inch-thick layer. When the chocolate has set, remove the ring and the rulers and peel off the parchment paper. The ring is inside but separate from the rest of the base so you can move the finished cornucopia to any position.
• Make the base supports: Place metal rulers on a parchment paper lined surface so they form an open square that measures about 8 inches. Pour tempered chocolate inside the space to form a 1/2-inch-thick layer. When the chocolate begins to set but is not yet hard, use a knife to cut a line that resembles 3 half circles end to end. The curves in this piece match the curves in the mold of the cornucopia. When we are ready to set the cornucopia in place, it will rest on these triangles. When the chocolate has set, remove the rulers and peel off the parchment paper.
• Make the chocolate cornucopia: The mold I used was about 12 inches wide and 30 inches long. Use a ladle to pour some chocolate into 1 half of the mold. Use a pastry brush to distribute the chocolate over the entire mold. You may want to repeat this step so the finished piece is about 3/8-inch thick. Repeat with the other half of the mold. Clip the 2 halves of the mold together. Place the mold inside a box and pour chocolate inside of it. Rotate the mold so the chocolate evenly coats the inside. Pour the excess chocolate back into the mold and place the mold upside down on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet. When the chocolate is set, remove the mold.
• Stand the cornucopia on its open end. Use tempered chocolate to adhere the triangular base pieces to the cornucopia. Position them so they will support the cornucopia when it is standing in its final position.
• Prepare the paint sprayer: Place equal amounts of dark chocolate and cocoa butter over a double boiler and melt until smooth with no lumps. Place the cornucopia in the freezer for about 20 minutes. The surface of the chocolate must be chilled so the chocolate coating will harden upon contact, giving it the desired texture.
• Remove the cornucopia from the freezer and place on a flat surface. Place the chocolate mixture in a clean paint sprayer and use it to spray the dessert with the chocolate. Tip: Cleanup will be easier if you use a cardboard box as a backdrop to the mold when you spray it. Spray the chocolate with the sprayer to give it a chocolate velvet texture.
• Fill the fruits: Use a piping bag or offset spatula or spoon to fill each fruit mold with the appropriate sorbet flavor. Fill completely and place into the molded chocolate fruit back in the freezer until ready to use. You can also use tempered chocolate to close some of the fruit molds Tip: This process can be done 1 to 2 days in advance.
• Assembly: Tip: Anything that touches the cornucopia after it has been sprayed will leave a mark. If you have to move it, place your hand well inside the mold and move it by touching only the inside. Transfer the sprayed cornucopia onto the circle of the base. You can touch the base to rotate the presentation into any position.
• Arrange the frozen chocolate fruits and leaves within the cornucopia.
• SOURCES
• Cornucopia mold: Tomric Plastics
• Fruit molds: Tomric Plastics
• Plastic fruit: Industrial Plastics
• Plastic leaves: floral supply store
• R

BUCKEYES

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment. Beat the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt with an electric mixer in a medium bowl until well combined. Scoop 2-teaspoonful mounds, and roll into balls; arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Microwave the chocolate and shortening in a microwave-safe medium bowl in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until the mixture is completely melted and smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Stick a toothpick or skewer into the top center of a peanut butter ball. Dip the ball into the melted chocolate, leaving a circle of peanut butter visible on top. Let the excess chocolate drip off, then return the buckeye to the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining peanut butter balls and chocolate.
• Chill the buckeyes until firm, about 30 minutes. Smooth out the hole left by the toothpick with an offset spatula. Serve at room temperature or well chilled. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

BLOODSHOT BUCKEYES

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl, cream the peanut butter, butter and salt to combine. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and combine until smooth.
• Use a small ice cream scoop or spoon to make thirty-five 1 1/2-inch portions, then use your hands to roll into balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, 10 to 15 minutes.
• In a heat-proof bowl set over but not touching simmering water, melt the white melting wafers over medium heat. Once the peanut butter balls are firm, dunk them in the melted wafers to coat completely. Use a fork to lift from the bottom, let the excess coating drip off and set back on the prepared baking sheet. Place an eyeball in the center of the ball and repeat the process with the remaining balls.
• Let sit until the white coating is set, about 15 minutes.

GIANT PEANUT BUTTER DARK CHOCOLATE SEA SALT BUCKEYES

Steps:

• Melt the white chocolate chips in a medium glass heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water on medium-low heat. Stir until melted. Remove from the heat but keep the bowl over the warm water. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the peanut butter, butter and vanilla extract. Mix together until smooth. Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until incorporated. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the melted white chocolate and beat on medium until smooth, about a minute. Place the bowl in the freezer until the mixture is firm enough to form a ball, about 30 minutes.
• Using a small scoop or spoon, roll the peanut butter mixture into about the size of a golf ball. Set on a parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining mixture. Freeze until firm, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the freezer and roll the scoops into smooth balls. Plunge lollipop sticks or short, thick skewers into the centers of the balls. Freeze for another 15 to 20 minutes.
• Melt the dark chocolate in a medium glass heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water on medium-low heat. Stir until melted. Sprinkle in the espresso powder and stir. Taste the chocolate; if you want more coffee flavor, add more espresso powder 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Keep the bowl over the pot of hot water to keep it hot while dipping.
• Holding the balls by the skewers, dip the balls only three-quarters of the way into the melted dark chocolate, leaving a quarter inch of exposed peanut butter at the top (this way, it looks like a real buckeye). Let the excess chocolate drip off, then quickly sprinkle a pinch of flaky salt or pink salt right on top. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 1 hour. Remove the skewers from the buckeyes. Keep in the freezer until ready to serve.

CORNUCOPIA CHEX MIX

Steps:

• In large microwavable bowl, mix cereal, snacks, popcorn and corn kernel nuts.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave butter uncovered on High about 30 seconds or until melted. Pour over cereal mixture; stir until evenly coated. Stir in cheese and pepper blend until evenly coated.
• Microwave uncovered on High 4 minutes, stirring every minute. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool. Store in airtight container.