Food & Party Planning Ideas
The Time Is Ripe For Fresh Fruit Favorites
Baking with Fruit - a Spring and Summer Crowd Pleaser
Sweet, fragrant, delicious...nothing can beat the refreshing taste of a summertime strawberry or juicy raspberry. And, of course, naturally flavorful fruits are chock-full of the vitamins, minerals, fiber and nutrients we need. So, why not incorporate succulent seasonal treasures into your baking? With a pinch of creativity, a splash of color and a host of delicious ideas from Wilton, your fruit-filled desserts are sure to be spring and summertime stars.
"Just because the weather is warm doesn't mean dessert is out of season," states Nancy Siler, consumer affairs director of Wilton Enterprises. "In fact, paired with fruits, baked treats are a favorite at many summer celebrations, from picnics and barbecues to graduation parties and outdoor weddings."
Fruit: Pure and Simple
Everyone loves fruit, so serve it up! With Festive Rice Cereal Fruit Cake, even your traditional rice cereal treat will be the talk of the party. Simply mix dried fruit and nuts into a delicious rice cereal treat recipe and press the mixture into a Wilton® Cascade Dimensions™ Pan. After removing the rice cereal cake from the pan, fill the hole in the middle of the "cake" with a selection of your favorite cut seasonal fruits or berries and garnish with rosettes of whipped cream. Guests will be thrilled as they literally "dig in" to a delicious treat filled with summertime favorites.
Let Your Creativity Bloom
Take advantage of fruits' wonderful, natural colors and let your creativity go wild. With the Blossoming Tart, your dessert will double as a spirited centerpiece and a tasty, fun-to-eat treat. Start with a fruit tart baked in a medium-sized tart pan.
Next, bake cookies, decorate them in vibrant colors with Wilton Ice-A-Cookie™ ready-to-eat icing and place them around the tart as petals. Whether you create a giant sunflower, a white daisy or an imaginative, multi-colored flower, guests will marvel at your artistry while they munch on the delicious summer cookies and fresh fruit tart.
Take a Dip
When the temperature rises, there's nothing like taking a nice, refreshing dip. In candy, that is! And with Wilton's Strawberry Dippers, that's easier than ever. Simply melt your choice of colorful Wilton Candy Melts™ brand confectionary wafers, available in hues ranging from lavender and yellow to blue and white, and dip strawberries into the creamy, vanilla- or cocoa-flavored candy coating. For an extra sweet treat, double dip the candy-coated strawberries into colored sugars. Refrigerate, and in minutes, you'll have candied strawberries to use as an elegant garnish, romantic dessert or light fix for your summer sweet tooth.
Get Fresh
Spring and summer are prime pickings for fresh fruit. According to www.cuisine.com, here is what's in season:
Late Spring to Early Summer: (May to early July)
- Apricots*
- Blood oranges
- Blueberries
- Cherimoya (custard apple)
- Cherries*
- Currants and Gooseberries
- Mangoes*
- Navel Oranges (Early May)
- Peaches and Nectarines*
- Plums*
- Raspberries*
- Rhubarb*
- Strawberries*
- Valencia Oranges*
- * available through late summer
Mid-Late Summer: (Mid-July through early September)
- Blackberries
- Cantaloupes
- Currants and Gooseberries
- Early Apples
- Early Grapes
- Early Pears (Bartlett and Asian varieties)
- Figs
- Mid-Season Pears
- Watermelons
Festive Rice Cereal Fruit Cake
