Deceiving April Fools' Day Foods
In honor of April Fools' Day, Food Network Magazine has come up with some amazing desserts disguised as dinner. Maile Carpenter, editor in chief of Food Network Magazine, shared how easy it is to play some fun tricks on friends and family with these treats.
Recipes courtesy of Food Network Magazine
Looks like: Crab Cakes
Actually: Fried Ice Cream
Cut two individual-size 4-ounce cartons of vanilla ice cream in half crosswise to make 4 disks; freeze 30 minutes. Pulse 2 cups white bread cubes and 2 cups shredded coconut in a food processor, then spread on a plate. Remove the cartons and press the ice cream into the crumb mixture, covering all sides (reserve the remaining crumbs). Freeze until hard, 1 hour. Meanwhile, make the "tartar sauce" (below). Dip the disks in 3 beaten eggs, then press in the reserved crumbs and freeze at least 1 more hour. Heat 3 inches of vegetable oil to 350˚ in a deep skillet and fry the ice cream until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then eat immediately.
Looks like: Tartar Sauce
Actually: Pistachio-White Chocolate Sauce
Microwave 1/4 cup heavy cream, 4 ounces chopped white chocolate, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons rum, the grated zest of 1/2 lime and 1/2 orange, and 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios at 50 percent power, 1 minute. Whisk until creamy, then let cool.
Looks like: Bagel with Lox and Cream Cheese
Actually: Doughnut Sandwich
Slice a plain cake doughnut in half. Brush the top with honey and sprinkle with chopped chocolate-toffee bits. Beat 1/4 cup cream cheese, 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract. Spread on the bottom doughnut half. Top with thinly sliced papaya or mango to fake the smoked salmon. For tomato and scallions, roll out a red gummy candy (such as a Sunkist Fruit gem) and chop up a green gummy candy.
Looks like: Lasagna
Actually: Banana-Pudding Cake
Make a box of instant vanilla pudding. Cut a loaf of pound cake into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange half of the slices in a 7-by-11-inch baking dish, then press 20 vanilla wafers into the cake. Make fake tomato sauce: Mix 3/4 cup strawberry jam with 5 crushed Oreo cookies and dollop half of the mixture over the wafers. Sweeten 3/4 cup ricotta cheese with 2 teaspoons sugar; dollop half over the jam. Top with 1 sliced banana and half of the pudding. Repeat with the remaining cake, 20 more wafers, the remaining jam and ricotta mixtures, another sliced banana and the remaining pudding. Top with shaved white chocolate, crushed vanilla wafers and mint; chill.
Looks like: French Fries
Actually: Cinnamon-Sugar Sticks
Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil to 365˚ in a deep skillet. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons cinnamon on a plate. Cut stale white bread into sticks and fry until golden, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels, then roll in the cinnamon sugar while still hot. Serve with strawberry jelly as ketchup.
Looks like: Sushi & Sashimi
Actually: Rice Krispies and Gummy Candies
Make a batch of Rice Krispies Treats; shape into small oval mounds while still warm. Top with a dab of pistachio paste, then cover with whole or minced red and orange gummy candy (such as Chuckles or Sunkist Fruit Slices). Wrap with a strip of green fruit leather, if desired. To make a sushi roll, flatten a warm Rice Krispies Treat mound into a thin rectangle on a piece of fruit leather and arrange gumdrops down the center. Roll into a cylinder and slice into pieces. Serve the sushi with wasabi, ginger, and chocolate syrup as soy sauce. Cut a sour-candy belt to look like a grass garnish.
Looks like: Wasabi
Actually: Pistachio Paste
Pulse 2 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios, 1/4 cup cream cheese and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar in a food processor.
Looks like: Pickled Ginger
Actually: Pink Coconut
Soak 2 tablespoons shredded coconut in 1/2 cup water with 1 drop each of yellow and red food coloring.