Directions (continued)
- Repeat with smaller balloons, creating only four petals. Set aside to
- dry, about 1 hour.
- Just before serving, cut tied ends of balloons with scissors to
- deflate. Remove balloon. See recipe (right) for serving directions.
- Cherry Fluff Filling: In a small saucepan, soften gelatin in water.
- Cook and stir over low heat until dissolved. In a food processor or
- blender, puree 1 cup of pie filling. Set remaining filling aside. In
- a bowl, combine pureed filling, gelatin mixture, sugar, lemon juice,
- almond extract and salt. Cover and refrigerate until mixture reaches
- the consistency of egg whites. Fold in the whipped cream. Cover and
- refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
- To serve, place large flower cup on a serving platter; fill with
- Cherry Fluff. Surround with small flower cups. Spoon fluff into
- small cups; to with reserved pie filling. If desired, garnish each
- with almonds for stamens and mint for leaves. Yield: 6 servings.
Editor's Note: White confectionery coating is found in the baking section of most grocery stores. It is sometimes labeled "almond bark" or "candy coating" and is often sold in bulk packages of 1 to 1-1/2 pounds.
Crafterthoughts Barbara likes to make mousse to fill her flower cups. You can do the same, following your favorite recipe, or try out the Cherry Fluff our home economists came up with. Or add any kind of
creamy treat you like best. Although these versions are crafted from white confectionery coating dyed yellow, you can also use dark or milk
chocolate coating if you prefer. And feel free to make your flowers any size, simply by using larger or smaller balloons.