Make an Edible Apple Swan!
by The King of Random in Cooking > Dessert
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Make an Edible Apple Swan!
How to make a decorative, and completely edible, apple swan! I made a few modifications to the original idea, to get the effect you see here.
Watch the Video!
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Choose Your Apple
All you really need for this little trick is an apple, and a knife. 2 additional butter-knives are helpful, but optional.
Try cutting your apple at a slight diagonal so that it cuts right through the center of the apple core.
This is important, because it will give you access to the seeds inside, and we need 2. You'll see why later on.
Try cutting your apple at a slight diagonal so that it cuts right through the center of the apple core.
This is important, because it will give you access to the seeds inside, and we need 2. You'll see why later on.
Making Apple Wedges
Take the half of the apple that still has the bottom attached, and place it face down on a cutting board.
We're going to be making careful cuts into the apple, and I found it was very helpful to use 2 butter knives placed perpendicular to the top and bottom.
Now use your knife to carefully cut down into the apple from the top, and just to the right side of the apple core. You should be able to press down until the knife bottoms out on the other 2 butter knives, and then use the butter knives as makeshift spacers to line your knife up, and cut in from the side.
When the 2 cuts meet, you may feel a little "pop" as the wedge is released. If not, it means the cuts haven't fully met yet, so just gently wiggle the blade from both directions until the cuts align.
Repeat the process on the other side of the apple so that you're left with 2 apple wedges similar to those seen in the pictures.
We're going to be making careful cuts into the apple, and I found it was very helpful to use 2 butter knives placed perpendicular to the top and bottom.
Now use your knife to carefully cut down into the apple from the top, and just to the right side of the apple core. You should be able to press down until the knife bottoms out on the other 2 butter knives, and then use the butter knives as makeshift spacers to line your knife up, and cut in from the side.
When the 2 cuts meet, you may feel a little "pop" as the wedge is released. If not, it means the cuts haven't fully met yet, so just gently wiggle the blade from both directions until the cuts align.
Repeat the process on the other side of the apple so that you're left with 2 apple wedges similar to those seen in the pictures.
Give It Wings!
The goal is to cut each of these new wedges into 3 smaller wedges, then layer them together to give the effect of feathers and wings.
The process is very similar to how you cut them before, only this time, rather than slicing in from the side, try turning the wedge over to the left, and slicing down. This should give you more control, and save you a few potential cuts to your fingers.
When both wedges have been cut, layer the pieces back together to form a tear-drop shape, and replace them back into the apple "body". The effect should be two beautiful swan wings.
We still need to make a place for the head to sit, so make a couple of precision cuts near the front of the body, and remove the pieces to leave a clean, and fairly deep, groove, as seen in the picture.
The process is very similar to how you cut them before, only this time, rather than slicing in from the side, try turning the wedge over to the left, and slicing down. This should give you more control, and save you a few potential cuts to your fingers.
When both wedges have been cut, layer the pieces back together to form a tear-drop shape, and replace them back into the apple "body". The effect should be two beautiful swan wings.
We still need to make a place for the head to sit, so make a couple of precision cuts near the front of the body, and remove the pieces to leave a clean, and fairly deep, groove, as seen in the picture.
Making the Head
To form the head, we can use the other half of the apple and place it in-between our butter-knife spacers as we did the other one, except this time we're not going to cut out any wedges.
Carefully cut sideways along the butter-knives to create an apple slice about 1/4" thick.
If you repeat this 3 or 4 times, you'll end up with different cross sections that sport a variety of shapes and sizes.
Pick a piece that looks like a heart that's been flattened at the top. I've found these shapes work the best.
All we need to form the head are 3 strategic cuts into the apple slice.
I made one cut at the top at about a 45 degree angle, then a 2nd cut horizontal, and to the right. The last cut near the bottom was sloped at about 30 degrees down and to the left. You should be able to see that the top cut was started just on the other side of the apple center, and this is done on purpose to give the sloped face, and the effect of a swan's beak.
Holding the piece up now should leave you with something looking similar to that in the picture.
Carefully cut sideways along the butter-knives to create an apple slice about 1/4" thick.
If you repeat this 3 or 4 times, you'll end up with different cross sections that sport a variety of shapes and sizes.
Pick a piece that looks like a heart that's been flattened at the top. I've found these shapes work the best.
All we need to form the head are 3 strategic cuts into the apple slice.
I made one cut at the top at about a 45 degree angle, then a 2nd cut horizontal, and to the right. The last cut near the bottom was sloped at about 30 degrees down and to the left. You should be able to see that the top cut was started just on the other side of the apple center, and this is done on purpose to give the sloped face, and the effect of a swan's beak.
Holding the piece up now should leave you with something looking similar to that in the picture.
Putting It All Together
To finish up, just take your apple seeds and place them when you'd like the eyes to go, then press them into place with the side of one of the butter knives.
When both eyes are in place, simple drop the neck down into place, and your apple swan is finished!
I tried spritzing mine with a little lemon juice to help prevent it from turning brown, then we set it out for entertaining guests we have over for dinner that evening
When both eyes are in place, simple drop the neck down into place, and your apple swan is finished!
I tried spritzing mine with a little lemon juice to help prevent it from turning brown, then we set it out for entertaining guests we have over for dinner that evening
Variations
If you try this with different apples, you get different looking birds. No 2 birds will look exactly the same.
In fact, I think some of mine look more like ducks :)
In fact, I think some of mine look more like ducks :)
More
Well now you know how to take any ordinary apple, and convert it into a beautiful, and decorative, Apple Swan!
If you liked this project, perhaps you'll like some of my others. Check them out at www.thekingofrandom.com
If you haven't seen the video yet, check it out below!
If you liked this project, perhaps you'll like some of my others. Check them out at www.thekingofrandom.com
If you haven't seen the video yet, check it out below!