Dinner Parties

Whether it's for a chocolate mousse or baked lemon tart search here for some decorative inspiration

Quick After Dinner Petit Fours

Marzipan Shapes:

1. Stamp out small shapes from SuperCook Natural Marzipan.
2. Half dip in SuperCook Plain Belgian Chocolate.
3. Stud with SuperCook Silver Balls and allow to set.

Decorated Kumquats:

1. Half wrap kumquats in SuperCook Ready to Roll RegalIce Icing, or half dip in SuperCook Plain Belgian Chocolate and place in SuperCook Petit Four Cases to serve.

Citrus Decorations

Citrus Shapes:

1. Using a vegetable peeler, pare off strips of lemon, orange and lime zest.
2. Stamp out star or heart shapes using aspic cutters or mini cookie cutters to decorate citrus desserts and dishes.
3. You can also decorate plate and bowl edges by alternating a citrus shape with sprigs of herb.

Flowered Citrus Slices:

1. Make flower shaped citrus slices by using a cannelling knife to remove strips of rind from lemons and oranges.
2. Starting from the stem end of the fruit, make strips evenly down the length of the fruit.
3. Finally slice the fruit to achieve individual flowered slices.

Citrus Rind:

1. Blanch thin strips of citrus rind for a few seconds in boiling water to soften.
2. Drain and cool the rind in running water.
3. Either pat dry and use fresh, or toss in caster sugar.

Dessert Cups

Chocolate Cases

1. Melt SuperCook Belgian Chocolate and using a small brush, paint the chocolate on the inside of foil cake cases, making sure the top edge is thick.
2. Leave in a cool place to set, and then carefully peel away the foil cases, using a skewer to separate the chocolate from the foil.
3. 
   
4. Fill the cases with cream, mousse, custard or fruit.

Decorative Caramel

How to make Caramel

Ingredients:

225g (8oz) granulated sugar
150ml (1/4 pint) water

Method:

1. Dissolve 225g (8oz) granulated sugar in 150ml (1/4 pint) water, stirring, in a heavy-based saucepan.
2. Raise the heat and boil rapidly, without stirring, until the syrup turns golden brown or reaches the 'small crack' stage: 138-152⁰C (280-305⁰F) on a sugar thermometer.
3. Remove from the heat and dip the base of the saucepan briefly in cold water to prevent it from cooking further.
4. Working quickly, use the caramel in the following ways to create some beautiful decorations.

Caramel Rounds & Baskets/Cages

1. Using a small spoon, place small amounts of caramel in rounds on an oiled baking tray and allow to cool.
2. It is important to oil the baking trays first so that the caramel shapes can be easily removed.
3. Alternatively, drizzle caramel in a criss-cross shape over the top of an oiled ladle to create a caramel basket.
4. Use the basket to display fruits and ice cream. Create a caramel cage by making another basket and placing on top.

Crushed Caramel

1. Pour prepared caramel on to an oiled baking sheet and allow to cool.
2. When cold, crush with a rolling pin and use to scatter over the top of desserts such as trifle or cream topped pies.
3. For nutty caramel, scatter a few chopped nuts such as peanuts, hazelnuts or flaked almonds, over the tray before pouring over the caramel to coat them.
4. Cool and crush as above.

Dipped Fruits

1. Hold small fruits such as strawberries, kumquats and cherries on a skewer or fork and dip into the caramel.
2. Leave to set on baking parchment at room temperature. Do not prepare too far in advance of serving as the caramel will soften and lose its shine.
3. If you need to make the dipped fruits in advance, store them in the refrigerator before serving.

Decorative Plates

Plate Dusting:

1. Dust your plate or bowl edges lightly with a spice relevant to your dish, such as paprika, curry powder, nutmeg, cinnamon or cocoa powder.