Seasonal Dessert Bowls
Ice cream and summer go hand in hand. Such a simple (but delicious) dessert deserves to make a grand entrance at the end of a meal. By following these instructions, you can make an attractive serving bowl for scoops of ice cream and place it in the center of your table so guests can serve themselves, or plan ahead and create individual bowls for each place setting. Either way your simple dessert will please the eyes and the taste buds.
Choose your bowls so that one can sit inside the other with about 3/4" (1 1/2 cm) space on all sides. Put the plastic bag in the inside bowl and fill with small stones or sand. Tie the bag closed (fig. A).
You can buy or pick flowers, leaves, etc. but make sure to use only those which have not been sprayed with chemicals. I picked violets, buttercups, and daisies from our yard. Be sure to remove any bugs. Cut the stems off the flowers and place the flower heads between the two bowls with the face of the flowers facing the outer bowl. You may need to use a thin stick, such as a chopstick, to help you position them. You can fill the space with tiny flowers as I did, or you can use larger flowers and leave space between. You can't do it wrong, because no matter how you arrange the flowers the finished product will look great.
Using boiled water that has turned cold is not necessary but it will create a clearer ice. Slowly pour the water between the bowls until it is near the top. You may need to carefully push down a few of the flowers. Place the bowls in the freezer until the water has frozen solid.
When it is frozen, remove the bowls from the freezer. Remove the bag of stones/sand and set the bowls in a pan of hot water for 30 seconds. Carefully turn them upside down and slip the outer bowl off. If it doesn't come off, simply set it in the hot water for another 30 seconds and try again. Once it is removed, fill the inside bowl with hot water for 30 seconds then pour the water out and remove the bowl. Be very careful because your ice bowl will be slippery and it can break. Set the ice bowl on a dish and place it in the freezer until just before serving time.
These bowls look great in the summer when made with flowers and herbs, but they are also attractive year-round made with seasonal foliage. Berries look nice, as do slices of orange and lime. Different leaves are also very attractive. Don't be afraid to play around with the design--you can't go wrong.