7 balloon recipes

Chocolate dessert cups shaped over balloons and filled with airy raspberry mousse. No molds needed, just melted semisweet chocolate and a clever balloon trick for an edible Valentine's showstopper.

Whole wheat chapatis are unleavened Indian flatbreads cooked on a hot griddle. Five ingredients: flour, whole wheat, salt, ghee, water. Optional open-flame puff for the authentic balloon effect.

Homemade soft bread, a puffed flatbread cooked on a griddle then ballooned over an open flame until light and golden. Soft yeast dough that tears into pillowy pieces for scooping up curry.

Poori (puri), deep-fried Indian whole wheat bread that puffs into golden balloons. Made with just 3 ingredients and buttermilk for a tender, flaky dough. Serve hot alongside curry.

Chicken and dumplings casserole layered with chicken breasts, onion, celery, carrots, and sage in broth, topped with hand-rolled dumpling balls. One-dish oven dinner.

Caramel apple cookies are buttery shortbread balls on toothpick sticks, dipped in melted caramel with apple juice concentrate, and pressed into chopped walnuts. Miniature caramel apple treats.

Avocado Torey is a quick no-cook avocado appetizer with scooped avocado balls on romaine, drizzled with a garlic-oregano vinaigrette of olive oil, red wine, and vinegar.