Hershey’s® Firecracker Cake

Blow their minds with this dessert this 4th of July.

Light up the party with this treat!

 

Yield: Serves 8 to 10.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup HERSHEY’S® Cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup water
• Powdered sugar
• 1 cup cherry pie filling
• 1 tub (8 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided
• HERSHEY’S KISSES® Brand Milk Chocolate, HERSHEY’S HUGS® Brand Chocolates, HERSHEY’S MINIATURES® Chocolate Bars
• Blueberries, raspberries, halved strawberries
• 1 TWIZZLERS® Strawberry Twists

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 F. Line 15-1/2×10-1/2×1-inch jelly-roll pan with foil; generously grease foil.
2. Beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy; gradually add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.
3. Beat egg yolks and vanilla in small bowl on high speed of mixer about 3 minutes. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar; continue beating 2 minutes. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to egg yolk mixture alternately with water on low speed, beating just until batter is smooth.
4. Fold chocolate mixture gradually into egg whites; spread evenly in prepared pan.
5. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in center. Immediately loosen cake from edges of pan;invert on towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Carefully remove foil. Immediately roll cake in towel, starting from narrow end; place on wire rack to cool.
6. Unroll cake; remove towel. Spread with pie filling and 1-1/2 cups whipped topping; reroll cake. Frost cake with remaining whipped topping. Place candies and fruit on frosted cake so that they form stripes around the cake. Add strawberry twist for “wick.” Refrigerate until serving time.

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Bacon Chocolate Bark

Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen worked on this creation of chocolate and bacon.

Bacon and Chocolate: What more could you ask for?

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients: 

• 2 slices thick-cut bacon
• 1 tablespoon caramel sauce
• Two 1 ounce squares bittersweet chocolate, unwrapped

Directions:
Place bacon on a rack in a shallow pan. Brush bacon with caramel sauce.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes until crisp. Once cool, cut into 1-inch pieces. Meanwhile, line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Place bittersweet chocolate square about 1-inch apart prepared baking sheet.

Bake chocolate for 4 to 5 minutes or until softened. Using a spoon, spread the chocolate to a thin even later. Place the bacon pieces on top.

Chill for at least 30 minutes or until chocolate is set. Wrap in plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

From the BHG.com Test Kitchen:

To use a candy bar:
If you are using a chocolate candy bar, reduce baking time to 2 to 3 minutes or until softened. Spreading is not necessary.

 

Reese’s Peanut Butter Bark

From the Hershey’s Kitchens, the Chocolate Experts

 

Hershey’s Kitchens offers this easy recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 packages (4 oz. each) HERSHEY’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Bar, broken into pieces
• 1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) REESE’S Peanut Butter Chips
• 1 tablespoon shortening
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts or toasted almonds, coarsely chopped

 

Directions:

1. Cover cookie sheet or tray with wax paper.
2. Place chocolate in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chocolate is melted and smooth when stirred.
3. Immediately place peanut butter chips and shortening in second microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred; stir in peanuts.
4. Alternately spoon above mixtures onto prepared tray; swirl with knife for marbled effect. Gently tap tray on countertop to even out thickness of mixture. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces. Store in cool, dry place. About 1 pound candy.
* To toast almonds: Heat oven to 350°F. Spread almonds in thin layer in shallow baking pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown; cool.

 

A Hole in One – Golf Cupcakes

Better Homes and Garden’s Recipe

Father’s Day Golf Cupcakes

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 recipe Best Chocolate Cupcakes (see below)
• 1 package purchased vanilla frosting, or 1 recipe Creamy Vanilla Frosting (see below)
• Golf tee
• Golf Ball

Score big with these golf cupcakes found on BHG.com

 

Directions:

• Bake one batch Best Chocolate Cupcakes. Let cool.
• Use green food coloring to tint purchased vanilla frosting or Creamy Vanilla Frosting. With a pastry bag and narrow decorating tip, create thin blades of grass with upward strokes.
• For the cupcake toppers, hot-glue the golf balls to new, clean golf tees. Stick the toppers in the middle of each cupcake just before serving.

For the Best Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
• 3 tablespoons creme de cacao
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Separate eggs. Allow egg yolks and whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan combine the 6 ounces chocolate and the butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in creme de cacao; cool.
Grease and flour twelve 2-1/2-inch muffin cups (or line with paper bake cups or parchment paper squares)*. In a small bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat egg yolks and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed about 3 minutes or until thick and lemon color. Beat in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Add flour mixture, beating just until combined; set aside.
Wash beaters thoroughly. In a medium bowl beat egg whites on medium to high speed just until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Stir a small amount of the beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in the remaining beaten egg whites.
Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on a wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks.
Place Frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip. Pipe long stars of frosting onto tops of cupcakes. Sprinkle with additional chopped chocolate. Makes 12 (2-1/2-inch) cupcakes.

 

Creamy Vanilla Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons milk
• Milk

Directions:
In a large bowl combine shortening and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Gradually beat in 3/4 cup powdered sugar. Beat in 2 teaspoons milk. Gradually beat in 3/4 cup additional powdered sugar. If necessary, beat in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to make a frosting of piping consistency.

Chocolate Crispy Kisses

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. butter or margarine
• 16 oz. pkg. miniature marshmallows
• 12 c. chocolate crispy rice cereal (17.5 oz. box minus 1 cup)

Directions: 

Melt butter or margarine in large saucepan over low heat.

Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted.

Remove from heat, add cereal, and stir until coated.

Butter fingers and plastic funnel(s).  Press warm mixture into funnel.

Un-mold, then wrap each one in a square of plastic wrap. (Drape plastic wrap over kiss and gather underneath.)

Continue making kisses, buttering fingers and funnel, as needed.

Write a message on a small piece of paper, tape to a toothpick, then stick through the plastic wrap.  Reshape as needed.

Yield:  Approx. 3 dozen for 2 3/4″ diameter funnel   Calories: 120 (per serving)

Honeymoon Mousse

Yield: 8 Servings

Prep/Total Time: 20 min.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cold evaporated milk
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• Chocolate curls, optional

Directions:

In a blender, combine the milk, vanilla, sugar, chocolate and salt. Cover and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl. In a small bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture. Spoon into dessert dishes. Refrigerate until serving. Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired.

© Taste of Home 2014