MELON BALLER COCKTAIL RECIPES

Steps:

• Place the vin santo, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla bean, and zests in a large, shallow saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact, and scoop out the seeds from the bottom with an apple corer or melon baller. Lay half the pears on their sides in the poaching liquid and simmer for 20 minutes, carefully turning the pears once with a spoon. Remove with a slotted spoon. Poach the remaining pears in the same liquid. Snip off the hard stems from the figs with scissors. Add the figs, apricots, prunes, and the first batch of poached pears and simmer 5 to 10 more minutes, until the pears and the dried fruit are all tender.
• Chill the pears, dried fruit, zests, and poaching liquid. Remove the cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla bean before serving if you like.

Steps:

• Make shot glasses: Slice off the tops and tips of strawberries, leveling them so they can stand up on a flat surface. Using a small melon baller, gently scoop out inside of each strawberry, creating a "shot glass", being careful not to scoop all the way through. Discard insides.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine chocolate chips and coconut oil in a large bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted. Dip hollowed-out strawberries in chocolate and place, cup side up, on baking sheet. Place in refrigerator to harden, 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make Jell-O filling: In a large bowl, whisk together Jell-O and boiling water until completely dissolved. Add vodka and whisk to combine.
• Carefully pour Jell-O mixture into strawberries. Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.