Fancy events always seem to have beautifully presented food displays that look good, smell good, and taste good. I am no expert at food art, but something quick and simple that I CAN do, is make apple swans :) It's not too difficult! I just practiced a couple times and can make one fairly quickly now.
Ingredients:
An apple
Lemon Juice (optional)
Click photos to expand
Directions:
1) Wash your apple. If you will not be eating or displaying it right away, prepare some lemon juice to prevent it from browning after being cut.
2) Cut a thick slice of apple to the side of the core.
POINT! The thicker the slice is, the easier it will be to make the following slices
3) Make a shallow, angled cut in the apple. Turn the apple around and repeat to make a small V-shaped incision shape.
The piece should be removable now
POINT! The shallower you make the cut, the more layers you will be able to make.4) Repeat this procedure, making deeper and deeper cuts but don't cut through to the bottom.
When you've made all your layers, you should be able to slide them into layers like so:
5) For the wings, first make a cut parallel to the cutting board, then another cut parallel to the last V-shaped cut you made like this:
6) Repeat on the other side
7) One apple can make two swans, so cut another slice of apple and save the core piece. This will make your swan's head and neck!
8) It is difficult to explain how to do the cuts, so I will let the picture show you. the black dot represents the eye of the swan :)
Make sure you pull out the stem!
9) The head should be able to balance itself on the body. Adjust the angle of the base of the neck so your swan isn't leaning its head too far forward. That may make it fall over!
POINT! If needed, you can cut an angle at the base of the neck to help it sit in the V of the body
