This Christmas, Serve Your Guests
Their “Just Desserts”
Christmas is a special time of the year when memories are made that will
last a lifetime! No one remembers Christmas without recalling the food...
the turkey, the sides, the DESSERTS! Here are some of my favorite desserts
you may want to prepare for your holiday meal.
About the recipes... What do all these desserts have in common? Well, CHOCOLATE, of course! All of these fabulous desserts are delicious. The trifle is a showpiece. For visual appeal, serve trifles in a glass trifle dish or other glass dish and the cheesecake and the layer cake on pedestals on your holiday table. If you don't have a cake pedestal, simply flip a wide, flat-bottomed glass over and set your platter on the glass.
The trifle should be made Christmas morning. The cheesecake and the layer cake can be made the day before. These recipes take more effort to prepare but I think you will be so pleased with the outcome.
CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER TRIFLE
- 1 pkg chocolate cake mix
- 1 pkg (10 oz) peanut butter chips
- 4-1/4 cups cold milk, divided
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 pkgs (5.9 oz ea) instant chocolate pudding mix
- 1 tub (12 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 4 bars (1.55 oz ea) Nestle Crunch* candy bars, crumbled
Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions. Bake in a greased
13X9X2-inch baking pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.
In a heavy saucepan, combine chips, 1/4 cup milk and cream. Cook and stir
over low heat until chips are melted. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
Cool to room temperature. Place the remaining milk in a mixing bowl; beat
in pudding mixes on low speed for two minutes or mix by hand.
To assemble dessert: crumble half of the cake into a 4-qt. trifle bowl
or large glass bowl. Layer with one-half each of the peanut butter sauce,
pudding, whipped topping and candy bars; repeat layers. Cover and refrigerate
at least four hours before serving.
*Nestle Crunch is a registered trademark of Nestle USA
Yield: 12-15 servings.
ORANGE WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
| FILLING: | CRUST: |
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine crumbs and butter in medium bowl.
Press crumb mixture onto bottom of ungreased 9-inch springform pan. Bake
for 10 minutes; cool on wire rack.
Combine orange juice and gelatin in small saucepan; heat over medium heat,
stirring occasionally, until gelatin dissolves. Melt morsels in medium,
uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on medium-high power for 1 minute; stir.
If morsels are not melted, microwave an additional 10-15 seconds, stirring
just until melted.
Beat cream cheese and sugar in large mixing bowl until combined. Gradually
stir in gelatin mixture and melted morsels. In small bowl, beat whipping
cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream and orange peel
into cheese mixture. Pour filling over crust.
Cover and refrigerate for 6-24 hours or until firm. Garnish with orange slices and/or chocolate graham cracker crumbs, if desired. Remove side of pan.
Servings: 12
CHOCOLATE PRALINE LAYER CAKE
| FILLING: | Topping |
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Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small heavy saucepan, combine butter,
1/4 cup whipping cream and brown sugar. Cook over low heat just until butter
is melted, stirring occasionally. Pour into two 9 or 8-inch round cake pans;
sprinkle evenly with chopped pecans.
Prepare cake mix as directed on package. Carefully spoon batter over pecan
mixture. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly
in center.
Cool cakes in pans on racks for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and
cool completely.
In a small bowl, beat 1-3/4 cups whipping cream until soft peaks form. Blend
in confectioner's sugar and vanilla; beat until stiff peaks form.
To assemble cake, place 1 layer on serving plate, praline side up. Spread
with 1/2 of whipped cream. Top with second layer, praline side up; spread
top with remaining whipped cream. Garnish with whole pecans or chocolate
curls, if desired. Store in refrigerator.
Yield: 12-16 servings.
BONUS ONLINE RECIPE:
MILLION DOLLAR DESSERT SQUARES*
| CRUST: | FILLING: |
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In mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter; mix
well. Press on bottom of an ungreased 13X9X2" baking pan. Chill while
preparing filling.
Toast 1/3 cup coconut **; set aside. In large mixing bowl, combine sweetened
condensed milk, pineapple, 1 cup coconut, pecans and lemon juice; by hand,
mix well. Fold in whipped topping. Pour into prepared pan. Garnish with toasted
coconut. Chill at least four hours or overnight. Refrigerate leftovers. Servings:
20-24.
Cook's note: * This recipe can also be prepared using two 8-inch graham cracker
crumb crusts.
Cook's note: ** To toast coconut, spread evenly on shallow pan or aluminum
foil in preheated 350 degrees oven for 5-10 minutes. Watch carefully as coconut
tends to toast quickly.
Once wise men followed a star. Now they follow the Son.
Are you wise?
May love and caring for others make your holidays warm and bright.
I wish you and yours the happiest of New Years!
For more great recipes, visit our past issues then click on Culinary Corner.
Please direct any questions or comments you may have regarding Culinary Corner to: bethoover@aol.com.
© 2008 Good News Tucson™
