INDEX
Components Of A Fruit Arrangement…………………………………………..3
Fruit And Supplies Required……………………………………………………….5
Fruit Preparation………………………………………………………………………8
Container Preparation……………………………………………………………..13
Preparing The Chocolate For Dipping…………………………………………14
Chocolate Dipping & Rolling Fruit In Toppings……………………………15
Decorating Dipped Strawberries/Apples……………………………………17
Putting The Arrangement Together…………………………………………..17
Veggie Arrangements……………………………………………………………..20
Wrapping The Arrangement…………………………………………………….23
Transporting The Arrangement………………………………………………..23
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Components Of A Fresh Fruit Arrangement
Making Fresh Fruit Arrangements is very similar to creating a floral arrangement. The
grapes are used as your line flowers, pineapple as your focal points, and melon and
cantaloupe as your filler flowers being the least expensive. There is a certain formula that
you will use when making a fresh fruit arrangement regardless of size or shape.
Line Materials
Think of this as the bone structure of the arrangement, for the floral designers the grapes
would be used similar to the liatris and gladiolus. They will determine the height of the
arrangement.
Focal Point Fruit
For making fresh fruit arrangements these will be your pineapple daisies. They stand out in
the arrangement and what your eye will be drawn to first.
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Filler
Melon and Cantaloupe will be used for the filler of the arrangements, they are the least
expensive filler and used to fill in and build the shape. They are used to cover the
mechanics. Green kale is the second filler that will be used in the arrangements.
Secondary Flowers
These are the flowers or fruit that are used to go around the focal points, such as
strawberries, dipped apples, dipped pears and more.
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Fruit And Supplies Required
Fruit Required
Pineapple : Look for large or jumbo (size 5 or 6). Look for pieces that are uniform in width
top to bottom, not narrowing drastically at the crown. The greener and firmer the piece the
better it is for appearance and skewering. An orange or yellowish bottom indicates ripeness
and flavour and is fine as long as the piece is firm. Pieces that are more than half orange
will be too ripe – very tasty, but discolored slices.
Apples/Pears: The firmer the better; any good eating apple/pear is okay to use. Pears
should not be completely green as they will be hard and have no flavor. Green or red
apples may be used. A 70-80 count is best.
Grapes: Always use seedless grapes, and preferably red as green grapes can discolor. Try
to choose bunches with green stems, as they are fresher.
Honeydew Melon: Look for a larger size melon, as they will yield more wedges. Size 5 or
6 are ideal, but can be difficult to find. Supermarkets often carry size 9. Rounder melons
will yield a shorter, fatter wedge, while more oval melons will yield a longer, narrower
wedge. Look for firm melons with no soft spots – check stem ends especially. These don’t
really show signs of ripeness, but a yellowish cast usually indicates a very ripe melon.
Cantaloupe: These melons tend to run smaller than the honeydew. Size 6 is ideal but are
rare. Size 9 is considered a large cantaloupe and supermarkets often carry size 12. The
smaller size is useable provided the rind area is not too thick. Rounder melons will yield a
shorter, fatter wedge, while more oval melons will yield a longer, narrower wedge. Look for
firm melons with no soft spots. Greener melons are better, as the melons take on an
orange cast as they ripen.
Oranges: Use seedless varieties where possible (naval oranges are preferred). A larger
size (60-80) is best.
Strawberries: Depending on the time of year and location berries can be difficult. Look
for medium size berries that are not too ripe or not too white. Avoid bruised or marked
berries, although these are often okay for dipping, they should not be used plain unless
necessary. Try to avoid oversized berries as these tend to have larger hollow cores, and
difficult to keep on the skewer.
Iceberg Lettuce: This is used as the base. Larger firmer heads with minimal rust spots
are best.
Green Kale: This is used as a garnish as it is pliable and very easy to work with. However,
supply can be inconsistent as it is not a standard produce item. If not available a leafy
lettuce, or a flowering kale would be an alternative.
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Supplies Required
Fruit Cutters: We do use a signature daisy cutter as the pineapple daisies need to be
uniform. We also use Christmas trees, bunnies, small daisies and we add other things from
time to time. You will receive a cutter with your poster if a new one is required.
Skewers: There are wooden skewers of different sizes, 6 / 8 / 10 and 12 inches in length.
Generally used the 10 - inch length and cut it as required.
Containers: All containers need to be food grade. Plastics and ceramics are okay but
metal containers / baskets require a plastic liner to be used for arrangements. These can be
purchased through us, but you may use your own.
Pruning Shears or Wire Cutters: You will need a good pair of these to cut the skewers to
the desired length if necessary.
Utensils: You need basics as sieves, bowls, microwavable storage containers with lids for
chocolate and other containers to store cut fruit in, knives / spoons, cutting boards.
Packaging: Cellophane or bags (both are food grade) to wrap the arrangement in and tie
it with ribbon. The arrangement is then placed in a transport box with wax tissue paper.
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Make sure that the tissue paper is not touching the arrangement.
Attach stickers to the cellophane and staple on enclosure cards. These can be purchased
from us.
Chocolate: Choose a brand of chocolate chips that you prefer, we use a semi - sweet chip
as it sets faster. Milk chocolate takes longer to set. Recommended brand that does not
smudge and sets quickly
Ensure work area is cleaned well prior to starting. – see health inspection guide
Rinse all fruit well prior to cutting this ensures no cross contamination.
If you are not going to use the fruit immediately after cutting / washing it, place it in sealed
containers in the refrigerator once it’s rinsed. All fruit must be labeled and dated, it is best
to rotate fruit in storage containers, newest at the back.
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Fruit Preparation
Preparing the Pineapple
Cut the end off the pineapple - DO NOT CORE! You need the core for the skewer to attach
to.
Slice the pineapple as evenly as possible, it should be no thicker than the cutter you are
using. Ideally, you should be able to get a minimum of 8 slices from 1 pineapple.
Cut into desired shape and rinse well.
Insert the skewer through the core of the pineapple with the stick slightly sticking up, this is
where you will add the strawberry, grape, melon ball or cantaloupe ball.
The final daisy should look as follows, if you are preparing to dip the pineapple in chocolate,
pat very dry with paper towel.
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Honeydew Melon & Cantaloupe
The melon is used as a filler, and is the least expensive filler. You should be able to get min
of 16 pieces and 32 if the melon is large.
Cut the melon in half. Make sure that your cut is in the middle with each end at either side.
When cutting the rest of the melon, turn over with skin down as this will ensure the seeds
are pushed out rather than scar the melon slices.
Cut each half in half again skin down. Now in the same manner cut the quarters in half
again The melons should be firm when purchasing, if the color is light it is less ripe, a dark
green melon is too soft to use and has less of a shelf life.
Melon is now cut into wedges of 16 or 32 depending on the size of the melon. The seeds
and the skin are the last to be removed. When you peel the skin now, try to go as close to
the skin as possible, making them uniform. Now remove the seeds with one cut.
The melon should look like this, when it is secured on the skewer
ensure the stick does not go through the other side of the flesh.
We want to hide all mechanics. If the melon is too heavy for the
skewer, you can make this into two wedges.
In some arrangements, we use a grater on the edges.
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Oranges
Use large seedless oranges for best results. Slice the orange navel to navel in half.
Slice each half into 4 wedges, each orange will produce 8 wedges in total.
Trim the membrane of the orange with a straight cut, cleaning the appearance. The orange
should be firm, if the skin is discolored it is not recommended.
Strawberries
Remove the leaves but DO NOT CORE. You use the core to skewer them and hold them in
place. If there is a discoloration or bruise on the strawberry they can be used for dipping.
Insert the skewer firmly in the core to look like this.
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Apples
Do not cut the apple until you are ready to dip as the wedges will oxidize quickly. You can
use any type of apple, red / green. Generally use a good eating apple. The skin should be
free from blemishes and the flesh should be white.
Cut apple in half.
Cut each half into 4 wedges for a total of 8 wedges per apple.
Trim the center to remove all seeds and make a straight line. Attach the apple wedge
securely to the skewer. If it is not secure, the wedge may fall off when dipping it.
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Pears
Do not cut the apple until you are ready to dip as the wedges will oxidize quickly. You can
use any type pear. The skin should not have any bruises and the flesh should be white.
Cut pear in half.
Each pear half is cut in quarters. Each pear will yield 8 wedges. Trim the edge of each
wedge and remove the seeds, making a straight line.
Securely attach the wedge to the skewer. If the wedge is loose, it may fall off the skewer
when dipping it.
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Container Preparation
Select the container you are going to use for the arrangement. The container needs to be
food grade. If it is plastic or ceramic you do not need to use a liner but if it’s metal / wood /
basket you will need to use a plastic liner that fits snugly.
Iceberg lettuce is used as a base. Generally, one head of lettuce will be enough for 2 to 3
arrangements depending on the size.
Cut the required amount of iceberg lettuce needed to fit your container snugly - DO NOT
USE THE CORE. You will be building your arrangement using skewers so you will need to be
able to secure them into the lettuce.
Green kale to fill in around the bottom of the container. Flowering kale is not used as the
pieces are too short to be effective. The kale should be crisp and green. If the kale is a bit
limp, place in water until it becomes firm again.
You will be using long stemmed pieces for the base. Save the shorter pieces to fill in any
‘holes’ once you have completed the arrangement.
The better you fill in the base, the less you will need to use upon finishing. The kale should
be completely covering the lettuce. From all sides around the container, you shouldn’t see
any holes.
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Preparing The Chocolate For Dipping
Note: Milk chocolate takes a long time to dry and tends to smudge the cello bag.
Chocolate flavored chips work perfectly. It dries quickly and will not smudge the bag, as a
result it is what is used routinely.
Use a microwavable container with a cover that is deep enough for dipping fruit into. You
can also use a chocolate fountain or slow cooker is you wish. If you use the latter ensure
that there is enough chocolate in it all times for the fountain to run and enough so that it
doesn’t burn in the slow cooker.
Put a reasonable amount of chocolate chips into the container with a small amount of canola
/ vegetable oil (DO NOT USE PEANUT OIL).
Microwave for 45 seconds, stir and microwave again if necessary. Be careful not to burn it!
The end result should be smooth and not lumpy, add more oil if necessary. If the mixture is
too thin, add more chocolate chips. It needs to be the right consistency, i.e. not too thick
or thin to stay on the fruit properly.
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Chocolate Dipping & Rolling Fruit In Toppings
In our arrangements we use a variety of coatings - coconut, ground / sliced almonds, skor
pieces, sprinkles etc.
Whatever coating you need for the particular arrangement, place some of it in a container /
wax paper that you are able to roll the fruit into. You need to do this immediately after
dipping the fruit in chocolate so that the coating will stick. Dry the skewered piece of fruit
upright.
When dipping strawberries you must pat them completely dry otherwise the chocolate will
not stick.
Dip the entire strawberry/apple and pear in the chocolate locking and sealing it in. This is
important especially if berries are soft, it keeps them from slipping off the skewer in the
arrangement.
The same applies for the pears and apples, you must cover the entire apple to keep in from
sliding as well as keeping the apples and pears from browning.
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Apples / Pears
Cut into slices as explained earlier.
Skewer the slices so that they are sturdy, i.e. that they won’t fall off.
Take a piece of paper toweling and dry off excess moisture.
Dip in chocolate ensuring that the entire white flesh is covered.
Put into a container to allow them to dry, preferably upright. A styrofoam board is a good
investment, especially for a large volume of dipping.
Strawberries
Skewer the strawberry through the core and remove excess moisture
with a piece of paper toweling.
In some arrangements the strawberries are only half dipped, others
they are fully dipped and may have a coating as well. This can be
done half dipped with pineapples and strawberries only, the apples
and pears will be fully dipped due to browning. Follow the recipe.
Place upright to dry in a container.
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Pineapple
Skewer the pineapple slice through the core and use a piece of paper towelling to remove
excess moisture.
Dip the pineapple according to the recipe and let stand upright to dry in a container.
Note: You can speed up the drying process by placing the fruit in the refrigerator.
Decorating Chocolate Dipped Strawberries/Apples
Prepare the chocolate / wafer melts as described
earlier.
You can do a cake decorator tip that gives the
desired thickness or use a small plastic bag. To use
the latter, put in some melted chocolate / wafer
melts, cut a small hole in the tip of the bag and
squeeze out the desired amount by looking at the
picture of the arrangement.
Let stand upright in a container to dry.
Putting The Arrangement Together
Your container is prepared and any dipping in chocolate is done.
Look at your recipe and see what plain fruit you are using. Skewer all the pieces required
for your arrangement. Make sure that the skewer goes into the fruit and is not sticking out
of any pieces!
Pricing Note: If the client requested a different size arrangement than the one on the
website, you will need to adjust the pieces up / down accordingly. Rule of thumb ~ 1
strawberry / pineapple / grapes skewer is $ 1; 1 skewer of dipped fruit is $ 1.50; 1 melon /
cantaloupe / orange skewer is $0.25 or $0.50 cents depending on your prices of fruit and
the season. These are typically the least expensive fruits and work great as you would use a
filler flower. If you have gaps use these fruits, rather than the strawberries etc.
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
The larger the arrangement, the higher (i.e., the longer you want the skewers to be in the
center) you want to build it so you have lots of room to put in all the fruit.
You start with the melon, grapes, and cantaloupe and then add pineapple and last the
dipped pieces. You want to add the chocolate last as it will smudge the other fruit if handled
too much.
Place a skewer in the center of the arrangement to use as a guide for height as you would
when doing a floral arrangement. Angle all skewered fruit towards this point, i.e. front,
center, sides and back. Use the shears to cut the skewers to the appropriate length. The
center of the arrangement is the highest point and then you shorten the skewers as you
work down towards the base.
The larger the arrangement, the less green kale you would use as there are less gaps to fill.
The front and sides of the arrangement are the most important for presentation.
Ensure that each skewer is secure in the lettuce base but not so tight that people have to
tug on it to remove it.
Place all the melon and cantaloupe towards the center piece you will notice as a guide we
used a single piece of cantaloupe, also note all the fruit is directed inwards and the same
direction. You wouldn’t put a melon with the tip pointing outwards, this keeps it uniform and
consistent. The aim is to make a circle, then filling in the rest comes easy.
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Insert the grapes and strawberries, we do these next as there are less of them and they
want to be visible. Also you want to put the melon and cantaloupe mostly in the back of the
arrangement.
Place the focal flowers and your chocolate dipped pieces in the front, you wouldn’t typically
put a pineapple daisy in the back or a chocolate dipped berry as they are costly and the
most eye catching fruits.
Once all the skewered fruit is in the arrangement, look it over and fill in any gaps or
skewers that are visible with green kale.
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Your arrangement is complete, look it over for any skewers showing, and insert kale. It is
now ready to be wrapped. The whole process should take 20 minutes at the most. If the
fruit is prepared and skewered and cut the arranging time should be 7 minutes.
You can prepare melon and cantaloupe, strawberries and grapes up to three days in
advance. It is not recommend to prepare pineapple or dipped fruit more than one day in
advance.
To ensure longevity make sure all prepared fruit is sealed tightly.
Melon and cantaloupe, strawberries, kale, oranges, pineapple can be spritzed with water
and or lemon juice to extend longevity. Water will rehydrate, lemon juice will keep
arrangement fresh. ( do not use high concentrate of lemon juice mix with water, as it will
affect the taste of the fruits.
Veggie Arrangements
The following are veggies used
Baby carrots / regular carrots. The regular carrots are peeled and
cut length wise in half. Use the grater / crinkle cutter on the edges.
Secure the carrots on the skewers.
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Celery. Cut the ends of the celery stalks. Leave the number of
stalks long as indicated in the recipe. Use a grater / crinkle cutter
for the edges. Cut some stalks into smaller pieces. Secure each
piece on a skewer.
Grapevine tomatoes. Secure the tomato onto the skewer.
Cauliflower. Cut the cauliflower into small pieces, trim / discard
any discolored spots. Secure pieces onto the skewers.
Broccoli. Cut the broccoli into small pieces, trimming off any
discolored areas. Secure pieces onto skewers.
English cucumbers. Do not peel the cucumber, slice it than secure
onto skewers.
Red / green / yellow / orange peppers. Cut the peppers in half
then slice them into good sizes strips. You can use the grater /
crinkle cutter for the edges. Secure onto the skewer making sure
that the end of the skewer doesn’t go through.
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Radish. Trim off both ends of the radish. One end is going to be
made into a ‘flower’ by using a paring knife to cut 4 edges a little bit
down the side (do not cut them off). Once this is done, cut each
corner a little bit as well. Place a skewer in the middle of the radish
and push the end through. Slice a baby carrot and take a piece and
place it on the end of the skewer.
Marble cheese. Use a mini cutter to cut the cheese into ‘daisies’.
Secure the cheese onto the skewer and do this gently as the cheese
may crumble.
You use the same concept for putting the arrangement together. Prepare the base, rinse all
veggies well and begin placing the skewers. Once completed, look at the arrangement
closely and fill in any holes using the kale.
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Wrapping The Arrangement
Dry off the container if necessary prior to wrapping it.
Place the arrangement in the cellophane / fruit basket bag.
Tie a ribbon around the top of the bag.
Place a couple pieces of tissue paper in a transport box and
place the arrangement in it.
Staple on the enclosure card and business card.
Use a pair of scissors to curl the ribbon.
Line a transport box with tissue to form a solid base for the
wrapped arrangement. Ensure the container is sturdy in the
box. If it’s a small container you may need to add extra tissue
to keep it from tipping.
Place the arrangement in the cooler until it is ready to be
transported.
Also, the tips of the skewers are sharp so children should be
supervised. It is important to place a warning label on every
arrangement regarding skewers and may have come in
contact with nuts. We provide this.
Transporting The Arrangement
The arrangements are left in the cooler until pick them up or they are delivered.
The arrangements are to be stored between 0 and 4 degrees Celsius / 32 to 39 degrees
Fahrenheit).
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007
Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements Ltd. © 2007