*HOW TO MAKE A CHOCOLATE BOWL*

With this balloon method it is really easy to make an impressive looking chocolate bowl, perfect for impressing dinner party guests. Fill yours with fruit, sweets, ice cream or any kind of creamy pudding or make individual bowls.

*You will need (makes one large bowl):
1 large balloon
Sellotape
1 medium sized bowl
1 cup dark or milk chocolate
1 cup white chocolate
Baking paper
A sharp knife
A sweet filling of your choice, such as strawberries and cream.

Step 1
Blow up your balloon and tie the end. Take a small piece of cellotape and place it just to the side of the knot in the balloon - this will ensure that the balloon stays in one piece when you deflate it later.
Place the knotted end of the balloon inside the bowl and secure in place with Sellotape.

Step 2
In two separate bowls melt the two kinds of chocolate either in a microwave, or over a pan of boiling water. Make sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water if using this method. Once the chocolate has melted, leave it to cool until it is around body temperature, (you can test this by dabbing a bit on your lip, if it doesn't feel hot, the chocolate is ready.) Cooling the chocolate is very important as the balloon may pop if it's too hot.
Pour around a quarter to a third of the dark or milk chocolate onto the balloon followed by a quarter to a third of the white.

Step 3
Leave the chocolate to set either in a cool room, or in the fridge if you want to speed things up. It is ready when the surface is solid enough to touch and no longer shiny.

Step 4
Continue to layer the chocolate onto the balloon, allowing it to set between applications until you have used almost all the chocolate - save about a quarter of the white chocolate to make the base of the bowl.

Step 5
Pour on the final bit of white chocolate and then immediately flip the balloon over onto a piece of baking paper. Hold the bowl or balloon until the chocolate has set enough for you to take your hands away without the balloon moving. Then leave to set for a couple more minutes.
Undo the Sellotape which is attaching the bowl to the balloon and then lift off the bowl.

Step 6
BE VERY GENTLE WITH THIS STEP...... Hold onto the knotted end of the balloon and pierce it with a sharp knife in the centre of the piece of Sellotape you attached earlier.

Step 7
Pull gently on the knotted part of the balloon to help let the air out. Once the majority of the air has been released, you should be able to remove the balloon easily.

Step 8
Your bowl is ready to fill with anything you like!

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE BOWLS

This is a fun & easy project, although it can be messy! The chocolate bowls can hold all kinds of goodies including ice cream, mousse, fruit, pretzel sticks, chocolate candy, or any other treat you have in min...d. You can get as creative as you want with using white chocolate that has been colored (with specially formulated coloring oils) and coordinate the theme of your party or event.
We recommend making more balloons than you'll need because chances are good that when you deflate some of the chocolate covered balloons the chocolate might fall apart for one reason or another! You can always reuse the chocolate...don't worry!
Before you begin, make sure to wash and thoroughly dry the balloons.

Balloons (please note: some people are severely allergic to latex. Make sure that if you use latex balloons anybody eating your bowls know you used balloons to make it)

Tips:
Don't use water balloons! They will pop.
The thicker the balloon the better.
Keep in mind that some people are alergic to latex.
If you put the chocolate balloons on waxed paper be careful about the corners of the paper curling and touching the chocolate.
When dipping the balloons, the longer you leave the balloon in the warm chocolate the more likely it will pop (which is a mess!!!), so dip fast & do multiple layers if you need to.

How To Make Chocolate Bowls:
1. Blow up balloons and place them in a bowl to hold them upright. Don't blow them to be bigger than 6-8 inches tall. A lot of people like small bowls that are about the size of a coffee cup. It's up to you. Whatever size you blow up the balloon to be will be the size of your chocolate bowl. You might want to make the balloons slightly different sizes for variety.
2. Spray each balloon (the area you'll be putting the chocolate on) with non-stick spray such as Crisco spray so that the chocolate will release easier.
3. Melt or temper the chocolate using instructions that came with your chocolate. Ideally, use a double boiler (or a double boiler insert). Do not let the water touch the bottom of the double boiler. Only let the water simmer. Do not allow it to boil or you may burn the chocolate. If you must use a microwave, melt on medium heat for short periods being very careful not to overheat the chocolate.
4. Let the chocolate cool for 5 - 10 minutes in a bowl that is sized so that you can dip your balloon into the bowl. The chocolate can't be so hot that it will pop the balloon.

If you want to add a marbleized effect to the chocolate bowl: Pour the base color/flavor of chocolate in the bowl first. Then add a smaller quantity of a second color/flavor of chocolate on top. Swirl lightly with a knife. When you dip the balloons the bowl will look marbleized.

5. There a couple of ways to make your chocolate bowls - or you can combine the methods for added flare. Either way, hold the balloon by the knot.

a. For a solid bowl that looks like flower petals: Holding the knot at a slight angle, dip the ballon in chocolate, then using the opposite angle, dip the balloon again. You may be able to do this 2-4 times. Slowly swirl the balloon around to make an even coat. Then lift the balloon slowly and let some of the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl. Sometimes the balloons will need to be dipped twice to make sure the chocolate is solid enough.

b. For a not solid bowl: Holding the knot, use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the bottom of the balloon going back and forth in one direction and then in the opposite direction. When drizzling, cover about half of the exposed balloon. Then dip the very bottom of the balloon a couple of inches into the chocolate so you have a nice, solid chocolate bottom. When doing this, you can use more than one chocolate flavor (or colored white chocolate) for added design.

6. After each balloon is dipped, place on a Heavy Weight Dipping Sheet or waxed paper lined tray. The chocolate will start to settle making a flat bottom for the chocolate bowl.
7. After your balloons are finished, move them to a cool area to set up (harden). Hopefully they will fit in your fridge! If so, they will set up in about 10 minutes.
8. After the chocolate is completely set up, it's time to deflate the balloons. Gently remove the chocolate covered balloon from the dipping sheet. If using waxed paper, you might need to slide a knife around the bottom edge to loosen the bottom of the chocolate bowl. Once you remove the balloon, you can use a hat pin to deflate it or cut a small hole in the top of it to deflate it. Make the hole near the area where the balloon is tied.
9. As the balloon deflates it will still be attached to the inside of the chocolate. Very slowly peel the balloon away from the chocolate.
10. You can add additional decorative touches by gently handling the bowl and adding more drizzled chocolate.

Keep the chocolate bowls cool until you plan to use them!

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN TACO SALAD BOWLS

just like at the restaurant. So easy and so good.

An empty can (I use a can of black beans or kidney beans that I add to my Taco salad when the bolws are done)
3-quart pot (one that's a little smaller in diameter than your flour tortillas)
Vegetable Oil
10 inch Flour Tortillas (as many as you need)

Make sure the label is completely off your empty can. Wash and dry it thoroughly. Once you do this you don’t have to do it again, I keep my can on the shelf with my pots.

Heat about 1 1/2 inches of oil in pot to 375 degrees. Use a thermometer to test the oil or with the bottom of a wooden spoon... just place the wood spoon in the hot oil and if it bubbles then it's ready!

Place 1 tortilla on top of the oil in the pot. Hold the can with long-handled tongs, place can on center of tortilla. Push tortilla into oil by gently pushing the can down.

Fry tortilla with the can about 5 seconds or until set. Remove can with tongs. Fry the tortilla 1 to 2 minutes longer, turning it in oil until it's crisp and golden brown.

Carefully remove tortilla from oil and drain excess oil from the inside. Turn tortilla shell upside down on paper towels to cool.

Repeat with remaining tortillas. 

HOW TO STABILIZE WHIPPED CREAM

(POSTED BY ROBIN HENRY)

Stabilized cream holds its shape and serves as icing.

The traditional slice of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without a generous dollop of whipped cream, adding flavor and decadence. If left to stand, whipped cream separates, melting into a pool of sweet white liquid. By adding a few common ingredients, you can whip up a heavy cream that will hold its shape longer.

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Powdered Milk
• Cornstarch
• Unflavored Gelatin
• Powdered Sugar
• Marshmallow

• 1
• Sprinkle a tablespoon of powered milk over heavy cream after whipping to soft peaks. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Choose a quality powdered milk, and use this cream in non-sweet recipes, such as cheese dips.
• 2
  Substitute powdered sugar for the granulated sugar called for in your recipe when sweetening your whipped cream. Do this is your plan to serve your whipped cream as a desert garnishment. Powdered sugar blends easily into the cream and reduces the moisture content. In addition, most powdered sugars contain a small amount of cornstarch. Cornstarch acts as a thickener and stabilizer.
• 3
  Stir 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin into 2 tablespoons of cold water and allow it to “bloom” for 10 minutes. The gelatin will soften and grow in bulk as it absorbs the water. Heat the mixture in the top of a double boiler until the gelatin is melted and smooth. Cool to room temperature.
• 4
  Whip 2 cups of heavy cream to soft peaks and add the melted and cooled gelatin. Whip the cream until it reaches firm peaks. If you’re going to sweeten the cream, add the sugar at the same time you add the gelatin.
• 5
  Use a cake decorator’s trick, and melt one large marshmallow for every cup of whipping cream. The easiest way to do this is in a small microwaveable bowl. Heat the marshmallow for 5 seconds at a time, and stir as soon as it begins to enlarge. Gently scrape the melted marshmallow into heavy cream whipped to soft peaks. Continue beating until the texture is similar to that of a soft icing. This cream may be piped into borders and simple rosettes.

Tips & Warnings

• Use ice-cold beaters when whipping cream with melted gelatin for the best results.
• Stabilized whipped cream doubles as icing for a cake, and it will hold its shape and texture much longer than regular whipped cream.
• On a hot summer's day, even stabilized whipped cream will droop and weep after a couple of hours. Keep your desert in the refrigerator until serving time, and refrigerate leftovers promptly.

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