Spring Party Decorations
WHAT TO PURCHASE LIST
Because April showers creates May flowers lol
Pastel Easter Hershey Kisses 2 lb Spring Easter Candy
3 DIY DESSERTS
PASTEL RAINBOW GELATIN CUPS
Contrary to their layered appearance, making these 5-colored gelatin cups is really easy! The only tricky part is budgeting enough time, because you will need to briefly chill the cups in between each color. But as far as assembly itself, it couldn’t be simpler. Here’s how it all goes down:
Pour 5 different colors of flavored gelatin into 5 different bowls, and whisk hot water into each bowl.
Let the bowls cool to room temperature, then whisk in yogurt and creamer (or milk)
Add a few tablespoons of your first color to each glass, then refrigerate the glasses for 15 minutes, or freeze for 7-8
Repeat with the remaining colors, chilling between each color
After the final color, refrigerate for at least 4 hours, so the cups are completely set
Top with whipped cream and cute sprinkles, and serve!
WHAT GELATIN SHOULD I USE FOR PASTEL RAINBOW GELATIN CUPS?
The gelatin I used was typical fruit-flavored gelatin you can find in any grocery store. I tried several brands (both Jell-o and store brands) and they all worked well, so feel free to buy whatever’s available. I did experiment with sugar-free gelatin, which also works, but be aware that the weight of the gelatin package is different (due to the sugar substitute used) so the recipe is written with standard gelatin, to keep things as simple as possible.
I also used standard flavors, with one exception. The regular strawberry and raspberry flavors available all produced a bright pink color—not pastel enough for me—so I used a “natural” strawberry lemonade variety I found, made with natural food coloring. This color was much softer and gave me a nice subtle pink. If you can’t find something similar, your pink color might be brighter than mine. I found the natural flavor at my local Target, and it was made by Jell-o.
Here’s the secret for turning bright gelatin pastel: dairy!! You need an opaque dairy product to make that soft pastel color.
My secret weapons for pastel-izing gelatin were vanilla yogurt, and International Delight Sweet Cream coffee creamer. These mellowed the strong fruit flavor of the gelatin, while also giving it a creamier texture and making it a beautiful soft, opaque color.
You can use another yogurt flavor if you’d like—plain works fine, or another fruit-friendly flavor, like coconut, would probably be very good. If you like your desserts a little tangy, try swapping in sour cream instead of yogurt!
The International Delight Sweet Cream coffee creamer I used was a really nice addition to the other flavors. It has a subtle taste that’s almost like melted vanilla ice cream, and it was perfect for complementing the various fruity flavors. I also tried it with French Vanilla and White Chocolate Raspberry, and both of those worked well too.
Can’t find International Delight creamer?
If you can’t find the recommended creamer, you can use an equal amount of milk in the recipe instead.
Yes! Gelatin is a GREAT make-ahead dessert. You can make them up to a week in advance. The biggest problem with gelatin desserts in general is that the top dries out and gets rubbery, so be sure that you individually wrap each cup well, to keep the tops from getting dry.
The other concern with these cups is the dairy used. Be sure that you use fresh yogurt (and milk, if you’re substituting milk) so that spoiling dairy is not a concern if you’re making them in advance. I recommend decorating them within a few hours of when you plan to serve them–the whipped cream decorations will not hold up to prolonged storage.
If you use a bundt pan, make sure you grease it well, and after the gelatin is completely set, the pan can be inverted and the gelatin popped out, just like a cake. Cut that baby into slices and enjoy!
If you use a 9×9 or 9×13 baking dish, you can cut the gelatin up into small squares and serve like little happy appetizers. The smaller pan will produce big tall pieces, while the pieces from the larger pan will be much thinner. This is a good choice if you want to stretch the serving size or if you’re making this for young children.
Easy Dipped Spring Oreos
Byhttp://www.momdoesreviews.com
1 package of Oreos
4 oz. vanilla almond bark
sprinkles of your choice
Heat almond bark in the microwave for 30 second intervals until it is melted completely and smooth.
Dip Oreo halfway into the almond bark and place it on a baking sheet.
Birds Nest Meringue Cookies
By http://www.craftymorning.com
2 eggs room temperature
¼ tsp lemon juice
½ cup granulated sugar
½ stick butter softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1-2 tbsp milk
Candied Easter eggs
Instructions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F.
Separate your eggs and pour the egg whites into a bowl (you will only need the egg whites for this recipe).
Using an electric mixer, start beating egg whites on slow.
Add ¼ tsp lemon juice as the egg whites mix.
Increase the speed of your mixer and slowly add granulated sugar. Gradually increase speed to high.
Beat the egg white mixture until it is white and forms stiff peaks. This should take about 10 to 15 minutes.
Once the meringue mixture is done, scoop it into a piping bag, with Wilton’s 1M tip attached.
Pipe out circular rosettes onto your lined baking sheet, about 2 inches in diameter.
Once your rosettes are piped out, pipe out a second layer around the circumference of each rosette. This will leave a hollowed center to put your buttercream and candied eggs.
Bake the meringue for 2 hours.
Once the 2 hours are up, turn off the heat and let sit in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes.
Remove from oven and place on wire rack.
Using an electric mixer, beat together butter, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder and milk.
The chocolate buttercream is ready once the ingredients are completely combined, smooth and for semi-stiff peaks.
Scoop the buttercream into a piping bag, with Wilton’s icing tip #233 attached.
Frost the center of each meringue. Add 2-3 candied eggs on top.
5 TOP CAKE IDEAS
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