Fruit In A Chocolate Cloud Recipes

FRUIT IN A CLOUD

Steps:

• Spoon whipped topping evenly into 8 dessert dishes. Using back of spoon, spread whipped topping onto bottom and up side of each dish.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Spoon fruit into center of whipped topping just before serving.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED FRUIT

Steps:

• Finely chop a 4-ounce bar of dark chocolate; microwave on 50% power until almost melted, about 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Dip dried mango, papaya and/or apricot pieces in the chocolate, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill until set, about 10 minutes.

FRUIT IN A CHOCOLATE CLOUD

Steps:

• YOGURT CHEESE: Line non-rusting colander or sieve with large piece of double thickness cheesecloth or large coffee filter; place colander over deep bowl. Spoon two 8-oz. containers vanilla lowfat yogurt, no gelatin added, into prepared colander; cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until liquid no longer drains from yogurt, about 24 hours. Remove yogurt from cheesecloth and place in separate bowl; discard liquid.
• Reserve 3 strawberries for garnish; set aside. Remove hulls of remaining strawberries; cut strawberries in half vertically; set aside.
• Stir together sugar, cocoa and water in small bowl until smooth and well blended. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Gradually stir in Yogurt Cheese and orange peel, if desired; blend thoroughly.
• Prepare whipped topping mix in large bowl as directed on package using 1 cup milk and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla; fold into chocolate mixture.
• Carefully spoon one-half of chocolate mixture into 1-1/2-quart glass serving dish; place one-half of strawberry halves, cut sides out, around inside of entire bowl. Layer banana slices over chocolate mixture. Cut remaining strawberry halves into smaller pieces; layer over banana slices. Carefully spread remaining chocolate mixture over fruit. Cover; refrigerate several hours before serving. Garnish with reserved strawberries. Cover; refrigerate leftover dessert.

CHOCOLATE CLOUDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Unfold both sheets of puff pastry and lay onto a lightly floured work surface. Cut each sheet into 3 strips along the fold marks, then cut each strip into 4 squares to make 12 pastry squares per sheet. Place squares onto a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the puff pastry is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let squares cool completely.
• Whisk pudding mix and milk in a bowl until thick and smooth, about 1 minute; let stand about 3 minutes to finish thickening. Gently fold whipped topping into pudding. Transfer chocolate mousse mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a medium tip.
• Use a finger or a butter knife to gently open a corner of a pastry square. Make a small pocket in the pastry with the knife. Pipe about 1 tablespoon of chocolate mousse into the opening; a small amount of mousse will appear at the opening site when the pastry pocket is full. Repeat with remaining pastry squares and mousse mixture. Dust pastries lightly with confectioners' sugar.

FRUIT CLOUDS

Steps:

• Combine softened cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
• Mix until well blended.
• Fold in whipped cream.
• Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper.
• Spoon mixture to form 10 shells; freeze until firm.
• Fill shells with fruit just before serving.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED FRUIT

Steps:

• In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Spear fruit with toothpicks; dip into chocolate. Allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper or stick toothpicks into a block of Styrofoam to set.

CHOCOLATE COVERED FRUIT

Steps:

• Peel oranges and separate into sections.
• Wrap sections in plastic wrap so they do not dry out.
• Rinse strawberries under cold running water, do not remove the stems.
• Pat berries completely dry with paper towels.
• Set fruit aside.
• Fruit should be at room temperature for dipping.
• Place peanuts in a small bowl.
• Into a double boiler top, not over water, grate semi sweet chocolate squares.
• Set candy thermometer in place, set aside.
• Heat water to boiling in double boiler bottom; remove from heat.
• Place double boiler top over hot water; melt chocolate, stirring constantly with rubber spatula, until temperature reaches 130 degrees.
• Immediately discard hot water from double boiler bottom and refill with cold water to come one-third of the way up the side of the double boiler.
• Set top in place and cool chocolate, stirring constantly, until chocolate temperature reaches 83 degrees.
• Remove double boiler top and replace cold water in bottom with warm water (about 85 degrees).
• This will keep the chocolate and dipping consistency longer.
• With fingers, hold one piece of fruit at a time and dip it into chocolate, leaving part of fruit uncovered.
• Shake off excess chocolate or gently scrape one side of fruit to remove excess.
• Place on waxed paper.
• Working quickly, stir peanuts into leftover chocolate in pan.
• Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper.
• Let chocolate covered fruit and peanut clusters stand until chocolate is set (about 10 minutes) before removing from waxed paper.
• Serve dipped fresh fruit same day.
• Store peanut clusters in tightly covered container; use within one week.
• Note: Chocolate can be easily melted in the microwave as well.
• Break chocolate into chunks and microwave in increments of 20-30 seconds, stirring in between each session.