Best Chocolate Cake With Fudge Frosting
Ingredients & Directions 2 c Flour 2 c Sugar 1/2 c Shortening 3/4 c Water 3/4 c Buttermilk 1 ts Baking soda 1 ts Sale 1 ts Vanilla 1/2 ts Baking powder 2 Eggs 4 oz Unsweetened chocolate, -melted and cooled Fudge frosting (see below) 1. Heat oven to 350F. 2. Grease and flour 13 x 9 x 3 pan, 3 8″ round pans or 2 9″ round pans. 3. Beat all ingredients except fudge frosting in a large bowl on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes, scraping bowl constantly. Pour into pan(s). 4. Bake for 40-45 minutes (rectangle pan) or 30-35 minutes (round pans), or until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool rounds 10 min.; remove from pans. Cool completely. Frost. ======================================================= ============== Fudge Frosting 2 c sugar 1/2 c shortening 3 oz unsweetened chocolate 2/3 c milk 1/2 t salt 2 t vanilla Mix all ingredients except vanilla in a 2 1/2 quart saucepan. Heat to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally. Boil 1 minute without stirring. Place saucepan in a bowl of ice and water. Beat until frosting is smooth and of spreading consistency; add vanilla. Yields 12 Servings
Holiday Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients & Directions 1/2 c Butter or margarine – softened 3/4 c Sugar 1 Egg 1 ts Vanilla extract 1 1/2 c All-purpose flour 1/3 c HERSHEY’S Cocoa 1/2 ts Baking powder 1/2 ts Baking soda 1/4 ts Salt DECORATOR’S FROSTING 1 1/2 c Powdered sugar 2 tb Shortening 2 tb Milk 1/2 ts Vanilla extract Red food color Heat oven to 325 F. In large mixer bowl, beat butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until light and fluffy. Stir together, stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to butter mixture, blending well. On lightly floured surface, roll small portion of dough at a time to 1/4-inch thickness. (Refrigerate dough if too soft to roll.) Cut with 2-1/2-inch cookie cutter; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until only slight indentation remains when touched lightly. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Prepare DECORATOR’S FROSTING. Frost cookies; decorate as desired. About 3 dozen cookies. DECORATOR’S FROSTING: In small mixer bowl, combine all ingredients except red food color; beat until smooth and of spreading consistency. Tint with food color, blending well. Hershey’s is a registered trademark of Hershey Foods Corporation. Recipe may be reprinted courtesy of the Hershey Kitchens. Meal- Yields 36 Servings
Four From One Cookie Dough
Ingredients & Directions 4 c Unbleached all-purpose flour 2 c Whole wheat pastry flour 2 tb Baking powder 1/2 ts Salt 1 1/2 c Softened butter or -margarine; (3 sticks) 2 c Turbinado or granulated -sugar 3 lg Eggs; at room temperature 2 tb Vanilla extract MAKES 6 CUPS OVO-LACTO Four different styles of cookies-dropped, sandwich, cut-out and icebox-can be made by following this basic dough recipe. They are different enough in shape, color and flavor, that no one will ever guess they came from the same batter. See separate recipes for Pinwheels, Iced Holiday Cookies, Sandwich Cookies, Poppyseed Swirl Icebox Cookies and Sand Tarts. In large bowl, mix both flours, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In heavy-duty mixer, or in large bowl with sturdy hand mixer, beat butter or margarine until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar until well-blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Slowly add 1/2 of flour mixture, beating until well-blended. If using mixer, change to paddle attachment and slowly add remaining flour mixture. If using hand mixer, mix remaining flour mixture in by hand with a large spoon until a smooth dough has been formed. Turn dough out onto clean surface and knead briefly. Divide into three equal portions. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate. (Dough will keep wrapped airtight in refrigerator up to 1 week, or in freezer up to 2 months. Completely thaw in refrigerator before using.) Yields 6 servings
Rainbow Meringue Torte
Ingredients & Directions 1 pk (2 packets) meringue mix . . . 1 pt Chocolate ice cream 1 pt Pistachio or green mint ice -cream 1 pt Strawberry ice cream 1/2 c Heavy cream, whipped Dazzling dessert! The airy meringue layers are foolproof with meringue mix (and no leftover egg yolks)! Really easy, but it’s a plan-ahead make-ahead– Toasted slivered blanched almonds Meringue layers: Preheat oven to 400. Meanwhile prepare meringue mix according to package directions for meringue shells. Cover 2 large or 4 small cooky sheets with foil (or brown paper). Draw four 8 1/2-inch circles on foil (use cake pan as guide). Spoon equal amounts of meringue on the 4 circles; spread evenly. Place in hot oven (400). Close door quickly; turn off oven heat. Leave in oven 3 hours or overnight, without opening door. Remove meringues from foil. To fill torte: Let ice cream soften slightly. Place a meringue layer on serving plate; spoon chocolate ice cream atop and spread evenly (work quickly); place in freezer. Spread second meringue with pistachio ice cream; set atop first layer in freezer. Spread third meringue with strawberry ice cream , set atop others. Frost remaining meringue with whipped cream, and add. Freeze till ice cream is firm, about 5 hours or overnight. Ten or 15 minutes before serving, remove from freezer; sprinkle with toasted slivered almonds. To serve, cut with sharp knife. Makes 10 servings. Yields 10 Servings
Raspberry Chocolate-chip Pancakes
Ingredients & Directions 1/2 Stick (1/4 cup) unsalted -butter 3/4 c Plus 3 tablespoons milk 1 lg Egg 1 c All-purpose flour 2 ts Baking powder 1/4 ts Salt 1 c Picked-over raspberries 1/2 c Semisweet chocolate chips In a small saucepan melt 2 tablespoons butter over moderately low heat, stirring. Stir in milk and heat until just warm. Remove pan from heat. In a bowl whisk together milk mixture and egg. Into another bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and stir in egg mixture until just combined. Gently stir in raspberries and chocolate chips. Preheat oven to 200 Heat a griddle over moderate heat until hot enough to make a drop of water scatter over surface. Add 1 teaspoon butter and with a metal spatula spread over griddle. Working in batches, drop 1/4-cup measures of batter onto griddle to form pancakes about 4 inches in diameter and cook until bubbles appear on surface and undersides are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip pancakes with spatula and cook until undersides are golden brown and pancakes are cooked through. Transfer pancakes as cooked to an ovenproof platter and keep warm, uncovered, in oven. Make more pancakes with remaining butter and batter in same manner. Serve pancakes with syrup. Makes about 10 pancakes, serving 2 generously. Accompaniment: pure maple syrup, heated Yields 2 Servings
Deluxe Chocolate Cake Butter Cake
Ingredients & Directions 2 c (200 grams) sifted cake Flour 1 ts Baking soda 1/4 ts Salt 1/2 c (50 grams) unsifted cocoa Powder 1/2 c Lukewarm water 1/2 c Buttermilk, room temperature 1/2 c Water 2 ts Vanilla 2 lg Eggs, room temperature 4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, Room temperature 1 c (200 grams) granulated sugar 1 c (200 grams) light brown Sugar, packed Adjust rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 350/F. Grease and flour two 8 inch round cake pans, and insert parchment paper or waxed paper to line the bottoms. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper and set aside. Place the cocoa in a 1quart mixing bowl. Add the 1/2 cup lukewarm water, and whisk to combine; set aside to cool. Pour the buttermilk, the 1/2 cup water, and the vanilla into a liquid cup measure. Crack the eggs into a small bowl, and whisk together to combine the yolks and whites. Place the butter in the bowl of a heavyduty mixer, preferably fitted with a flat beater. Cream the butter on medium speed until the butter is smooth and lighter in color, about 30 to 45 seconds. Reduce the speed to low and add the sugars in a steady stream. When all the sugar is added, stop the machine and scrape the mixture clinging to the side of the bowl into the center. The mixture will appear sandy. Increase the speed to medium again, and cream until the mixture is light in color, is fluffy in texture, and appears as one mass, about 6 to 7 minutes. With the mixer still on medium speed, pour in the eggs slowly at first. Continue to cream, scraping the sides of the bowl at least once, until the mixture appears fluffy and velvety. Stop the machine and spoon in the cooled cocoa mixture, resume at medium speed and mix just until incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, stir in one fourth of the flour mixture. Then one third of the buttermilk mixture, stirring to blend together. Repeat this procedure, alternating dry and liquid. With each addition, scrape the sides of the bowl, and continue mixing until smooth, never adding liquid if any flour is visible. Pour the batter into the pans and spread it level. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the baked surface springs back slightly when touched lightly in the center and the sides contract from the pan. Place the cake pans on a rack to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. With mitts, tilt and rotate pans, gently tapping them on the counter to see if the cake releases from the sides. Yield: 2 8 inch layers AGNATE FILLING 8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 1 cup heavy cream Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream just to the boil. Remove from heat. Pour over chocolate and whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth and shiny. ASSEMBLING THE DESSERT: Split each layer of cake in half horizontally and place one layer, cut side up, on a cardboard round. Spread with one third of the ganache filling. Center a second layer on top of the first, and spread it with one third of the ganache filling. Place another layer, cut side up, on top, and spread with remaining filling and turn the last layer upside down, and center it over the filling. FROSTING AND CHOCOLATE GLAZE: 1 cup heavy cream, whipped 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped 1 cup heavy cream Frost the cake with the whipped cream. Place the cake on a wire rack, then set it on a sheet pan that will fit the dimensions of your freezer. Place in the freezer for 40 minutes only (this is just enough time to chill the whipped cream frosting so its firm to the touch, not soft). While the cake is in the freezer, prepare the dark chocolate glaze. Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream just to the boil. Remove from heat. Pour over chocolate and whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth and shiny. Set aside to cool to body temperature. Set the cake on its wire rack over a baking pan with sides (like a jelly roll pan) on top of a turntable (or lazy susan). Pour almost all of the chocolate glaze over the center of the cake. Using a long, flexible metal icing spatula, use just a few strokes to spread the glaze over the top of the cake so the glaze runs down over the sides. Rotate the turntable as you spread. Use the spatula to scoop up excess glaze to touch it to any bare spots on the sides of the cake to cover them. Place the cake on a serving plate. Refrigerate until 30 to 60 minutes before serving. Using a serrated knife, dipped into hot water after each slice, cut dessert into wedges. Yield: 12 servings BAKERS’ DOZEN FLO BRAKER SHOW #BD1A11 Yields 4 servings
Biscuit-topped Beef Stew
Ingredients & Directions 12 oz Boneless beef top round -steak, cut into 1/2-inch -cubes 2 tb All-purpose flour Nonstick spray coating 1 lg Onion; chopped (1 cup) 3 md Potatoes; cubed 1 cn (14 1/2-ounce) Italian-style -stewed tomatoes 1/3 c (1/2 of 6 oz can) low-sodium -tomato paste 2 ts Instant beef bouillon -granules 1 tb Sugar 1 ts Dried thyme; crushed 1 ts Worcestershire sauce 1 Bay leaf 1 c Eggplant; peeled, cubed Sour Cream Biscuits (see -recipe, below) 1/3 c Reduced-fat dairy sour cream 2 ts Milk 1 ts Sesame seed; (optional) Combine meat and 1 tablespoon of the flour in a plastic bag; shake to coat meat. Spray a cold Dutch oven with nonstick coating; heat over medium heat. Add meat and onion; cook until meat is brown. Drain off fat. Add potatoes, undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, bouillon granules, sugar, thyme,Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf. Stir in 2 1/2 cups water. Bake, covered, in a 350′ oven for 1 hour. Add eggplant. Cover and bake for 30 minutes more. Meanwhile, prepare Sour Cream Biscuits. Remove stew from oven; increase oven temperature to 425′. Discard bay leaf. Combine sour cream and remaining I tablespoon flour; stir into stew. Brush biscuits with milk. Sprinkle with sesame seed, if desired. Arrange biscuits atop stew. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until biscuits are golden. Serves 6. Sour Cream Biscuits: Stir together 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder Cut in 1/4 cup margarine or butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/3 cup reduced fat dairy sour cream and 1/4 cup skim milk. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface 8 to 10 times. Roll or pat to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut dough into circles with a 2-inch biscuit cutter. Makes 12 biscuits. NUTRITION FACTS PER SERVING: 412 calories, 21 g protein, 52 g carbohydrate, 14 g fat, 46 mg cholesterol, 4 g dietary fiber, 804 mg sodium. Yields 6 Servings
