Popcornucopia Recipes

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

PASTRY CORNUCOPIA

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt thoroughly in large bowl. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives. Beat 2 eggs and 1/3 cup cold water; add to flour mixture. Mix with fork until flour is moistened (1 to 2 tablespoons water can be added if necessary). Gather pastry into a ball; divide into fourths. Keep pastry wrapped until ready to use.
• To make mold for cornucopia, loosely crumple squares of aluminum foil into balls. Stack balls in center of 20-inch sheet of foil; bring ends up, wrapping tightly. Press into shape of cornucopia, about 10 inches long and 5 inches high at opening. Spray mold generously with cooking spray.
• To make base of cornucopia, roll one-fourth of pastry on floured cloth-covered surface with floured rolling pin into triangle shape about 1 inch larger than base of foil mold. Transfer to ungreased cookie sheet. Place foil mold on pastry base.
• To make cornucopia, roll one-fourth of pastry into an oval, about 15x10 inches. Cut pastry oval lengthwise into 1-inch strips, using scalloped pastry cutter. Mix 1 egg and 2 teaspoons cold water. Brush 1 short strip with egg mixture; place strip, egg mixture side out, around tip of mold, forming a point. Starting with shorter strips, brush one at a time with egg mixture and carefully drape over mold, egg mixture side out, overlapping preceding strip 1/4 inch and allowing excess pastry to lie on base. Roll and cut additional one-fourth of pastry into oval, 15x10 inches. Using longer strips, continue until mold is completely covered (do not trim any excess pastry at this point). Do not cover opening with pastry. Be sure all strips are pressed securely onto preceding strips and that there are no gaps.
• Divide remaining one-fourth pastry into 3 parts. Divide 1 part in half; roll 1 half into rope, about 24 inches long and 1/4 inch thick. Flatten rope with rolling pin to about 1/2-inch-wide strip. Cut strip lengthwise in half, using sharp knife. Twist halves together gently and loosely into braid. Brush outer edge of opening of cornucopia with egg mixture. Place braid around opening; pinch ends to secure. Brush braid with egg mixture. Make additional braid with remaining half of 1 part dough. Brush egg mixture around base of cornucopia over the overhanging strips. Place braid around base, pinching ends to secure. Trim any excess pastry showing under braid; discard trimmings. Brush braid with egg mixture.
• To decorate cornucopia, shape 1 part of remaining pastry into vines and grapes; roll and cut remaining 1 part pastry into leaves. Attach to cornucopia, using egg mixture. Brush entire cornucopia with egg mixture. Cornucopia can be covered and refrigerated at this point up to 24 hours, or wrapped carefully and tightly and frozen up to 1 month.
• Heat oven to 425°F. Bake about 10 minutes or until set; remove from oven. Brush with milk; sprinkle generously with sugar. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until golden brown. (If necessary, cover tip and front edge with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning.) Cool on cookie sheet 5 minutes; loosen with large metal spatula and carefully slide onto wire rack. Cool at least 40 minutes. Carefully remove foil from cornucopia. Cover loosely and store in cool, dry place (do not refrigerate).

CORNUCOPIA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly spray a 17x14 inch (or lager) cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
• Tear off a 30x18 inch sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil. Fold it in half to 18x15 inch. Roll diagonally to form a hollow cone, about 18 inches long with a diameter of 5 inches at the widest end (Cornucopia opening). Fasten end with clear tape. Stuff cone with crumpled regular foil until form is rigid. Bend tail of cone up then down at end. Spray outside of cone with non-stick cooking spray. Place on cookie sheet.
• Beat the egg with the water to make a glaze. Open and unroll the first can of breadstick dough on work surface. Separate breadsticks. Begin by wrapping one breadstick around tip of cone. Brush end of next breadstick with Glaze and press to attach to end of first breadstick. Continue spiral-wrapping cone, slightly overlapping dough until there are 3 breadsticks left.
• Pinch one end of the 3 breadsticks together, then braid. Brush bread around opening of cornucopia with glaze. Gently press on braid. Brush entire cornucopia with glaze.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes or until bread is a rich brown. (If parts start to darken too much, cover them with pieces of foil.)
• Remove from oven and let cool completely on cookie sheet on a wire rack. Carefully remove foil when cool. (If freezing, leave foil in bread for support. Remove when thawed.)