Recently I’ve changed up my party presentation (the entire presentation is coming soon) as a part of the presentation I’ve started having the guest make sugar cookie fruit pizza.
It is super fun. Guest LOVE participating and everyone I've done this with has loved the fruit pizza.
Purpose: This activity is used as a part of the party presentation to help guests understand freeze dried food and how to rehydrate and use it in their kitchen.
You need:
Powdered pineapple--blend dry freeze dried pineapple in dry blender or food processor
Frosting-homemade or store bought *See recipe below.
Pre cooked sugar cookies--use the Thrive Vanilla Sugar Cookie Mix
Freeze Dried Strawberries--not rehydrated
Freeze Dried Blueberries-not rehydrated
A food grade water squirt bottle
A water tight clear tupperware container with lid.
Water
1 paper plate and napkin per guest (you can have the host provide this)
Knife for spreading the frosting (a bent frosting spatula works great, but any knife is fine)
A plate for the strawberries.
How to do the presentation:
1. Eat Freeze Dried Food Dry
Pass around samples of dry freeze dried strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple. Briefly discuss the freeze drying process as the guests are eating.
List some ways your family eats freeze dried food dry and ask them for more ideas. Here are some of the ideas I have used:
A quick healthy snack on the go
Camping--men love to eat the meat dry
School sack lunches--my kids love dry corn. Crazy I know.
As a salad topping, the FD tomatoes are amazing dry on a salad, it is like a tomato crouton that bursts with flavor.
2. Rehydrate by Spritzing:
Select one guest to assist.
Have them spread out a bunch of strawberries on a clean plate. You only want a single layer of strawberries.
Give them a food grade squirt bottle filled with warm water (it is delicious with a little lemon in the water) and have them spritz the strawberries.
Tell them: Some foods are delicate when freeze dried. These foods only need a little water in order to rehydrate. Foods like berries and cheese rehydrate well when spritzed with warm water.
Have the helper turn the strawberries over and spritz the second side.
Let the strawberries sit.
3. Rehydrate by tumbling
Select one guest to help.
Add blueberries to the watertight clear container.
add water until they float--point out that most freeze dried food only needs enough water to float. Don’t drown the blueberries just float them.
Add lid, and secure so the container won’t leak.
Give the container to the helper and instruct them to tumble the blueberries by gently rolling the container in their hands. (they’ll do this until you tell them to stop)
4. Add it to your favorites
One of the best things about thrive is you can add it to your favorite recipes to make it fancy with out a lot of hassle.
Select one guest to help.
Instruct them to add the pineapple powder to the frosting and stir.
While they are doing that. Explain that at the bottom of each can there is a little powder from the freeze dried fruit. This powder is magic. It adds intense flavor to your food. We love to add it to frosting or smoothies, or use veggie powder to dust pizza crust or flavor soup.
I powdered this pineapple in my blender because I love it in frosting so much.
Have the blueberry helper stop tumbling and drain any excess water.
When the frosting is well mixed have the helper demonstrate how each guest will assemble the fruit pizza. Cookie → Pineapple Frosting → rehydrated strawberries. → rehydrated blueberries.
Have each guest make one and then eat them as you explain the Q.
Pineapple Glaze Recipe--from Chef Todd at Summit Saturday
1 cup Thrive Freeze Dried Pineapple Chunks, dry
1 ½ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoons Thrive vanilla powder
3 Tablespoons water or milk
Place pineapple in a ziplock bag and crush to powder or blend in food processor.
Mix all ingredients together and stir until smooth
Think glaze to desired consistency with addition water.
Serving ideas: This glaze is great on cookies, cakes, muffins, and more!
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