Dessert Bento Box

Today's amazing creation from Theresa Nguyen of The Gook is particularly inspired!  Theresa's 'Dessert Bento Box' requires no cooking at all - just a few carefully selected store-bought lollies, cleverly combined to create the sweetest sushi you'll ever try!  We're pretty thrilled with the accompanying photographs too - epic work by Sydney photographer Phu Tang and food stylist Gemma Lush!  GO team! - Lucy

Dessert Bento Box!  Coral plate by Dinosaur Designs.  Recipe by Theresa Nguyen / The Gook, photo by Phu Tang, Styling by Gemma Lush for The Design Files.

A show-stopping dessert that involves no cooking?!  Yes, you read that correctly. This dessert is a mish-mash of lollies that you can find at your local supermarket (apart from the marshmallow Fluff).  They're simple all cut up and stuck back together to recreate that Japanese Bento Box we all know and love - only a super sweet version! It’s really fun to make, and you needn’t make one bento box per person. This Dessert Bento Box would be enough to feed a dinner party of four. Each piece of the bento is pretty sweet, so a few morsels is more than enough for each guest. Serve the Dessert Bento Box with some colourful chopsticks and a side of faux miso - apple juice for kids, or some sweet dessert wine for the adults!

Beef Teriyaki

Coral plate by Dinosaur Designs.  Recipe by Theresa Nguyen / The Gook, photo by Phu Tang, Styling by Gemma Lush for The Design Files.

1 packet of Chicos 3 mini bamboo skewers Cut chicos in half through the side of the body, then weave the chicos onto the bamboo skewer. We used 3 chicos per skewer. Repeat the process with remaining skewers.

Salmon Sashimi Nigiri

1 packet of liquorice allsorts, white and pink layers only 1 log of nougat, cut into small rectangles Peel off two white layers from a liquorice allsort and lay them side by side with a slight overlap to create a large white rectangle. Now cut the two pink layers of liquorice allsort in half to create four smaller pink rectangles. Pop these on top of the large white rectangle pieces you just cut with a small gap inbetween each pink piece. Using a rolling pin, gently roll back and forth over the liquorice layers pressing the pink and white liquorice bits together – keep rolling until an even surface is created. Trim around the edges to create a neat rectangle of faux salmon sashimi, the place this on top of a small rectangle of nougat (i.e. your faux rice).

Sushi

Coral plate by Dinosaur Designs.  Recipe by Theresa Nguyen / The Gook, photo by Phu Tang, Styling by Gemma Lush for The Design Files.

1 packet of marshmallows, the cylindrical kind 1 small jar of Fluff, available from specialty lolly stores 1 x 2 metre roll liquorice 1 packet of coloured snakes, cut 3mm thick across the body Measure the circumference of the marshmallow with the liquorice roll and cut the liquorice at a length that wraps around the circumference of the marshmallow, with a little extra length given for a slight overlap. Thin out the ends of the liquorice at a 45 degree angle on topside of one end and underside of the opposite end of your piece, so when both ends meet they will wrap evenly. Dab 2-3 blobs of Fluff along the inner piece of liquorice strap, then wrap around the marshmallow and secure the ends with a little more Fluff. Wrap glad wrap around to secure, until you are ready to serve. You've just created your faux nori exterior. Fill the top of the sushi with fluff and place the small diced up pieces of your snake lolly  in the center of your candy sushi. Clean any excess Fluff with a wet cotton bud. Set in the fridge.

Gunkan Maki (Caviar Filled Sushi)

Use the same ingredients as the candy sushi 1 x packets of Nerds, ensure they're orange in colour Stick two marshmallows together with some Fluff. Again measure the circumference of the marshmallow with the liquorice roll and follow the same technique you would if you were creating your candied sushi (see above). Once you've wrapped your marshmallows in liquorice, fill the top of them with orange Nerds to emulate caviar.

MASSIVE thanks to Theresa for joining us with her 'Sweet 'n Silly' desserts for the month of May!  For more recipes from Theresa, do check out her own brilliant food blog – The Gook!

Mint plate by Dinosaur Designs.  Recipe by Theresa Nguyen / The Gook, photo by Phu Tang, Styling by Gemma Lush for The Design Files.