So Giada's Chocolate Hazlenut Dipped Fruit- first and foremost - use pretty skewers okay. Don't be going to the grocery store and using some ugly wooden, splintery contraptions. They just doesn't have the "Wow -you're awesome" factor. I used my gorgeous Williams-Sonoma skewers that are often used in our splendid Martinis.
Really want to make it easy on yourself? Perhaps for a quick "friends are stopping in" night - buy pre-sliced Pineapple but NO CANNED JUNK!! Got it? My husband liked the bananas the best. He says this is reminiscent of a Banana Split!
Here's the how to:
Ingredients
1/4 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 16 1/2-inch chunks
2 medium bananas, peeled and cut into 16 1/2-inch slices
16 (1/2 cup) seedless red grapes
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted* see Cook's Note
Directions
Special equipment: 16 (4-inch) skewers or toothpicks (please don't use toothpicks)!
Line a baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper. Set aside. Using paper towels, pat the pineapple pieces dry. Thread the skewers starting with a piece of pineapple, then a banana slice and then a grape. Repeat with the remaining fruit and skewers.
In a small bowl, combine the cream, chocolate chips, and oil. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth, about 5 minutes. Put the hazelnuts in another small bowl.
Dip 1 side of the skewered fruit into the chocolate mixture. Allow any excess chocolate to drip off and then dip the skewer into the chopped nuts. Place the skewers, chocolate side up, on the prepared pan. Refrigerate until the chocolate has set, about 30 to 40 minutes.
*Cook's Note: To toast chopped hazelnuts, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 8 to 12 minutes until lightly golden. Cool completely before using.
And Viola - the finished product:
