Chocolate Covered Cherries

Ingredients:

• 60 maraschino cherries with stems
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons corn syrup
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 pound chocolate confectioners' coating

Directions:

1. Drain cherries and set on paper towels to dry.
2. In a medium bowl, combine butter and corn syrup until smooth. Stir in confectioners' sugar and knead to form a dough. Chill to stiffen if necessary. Wrap each cherry in about 1 teaspoon of dough. Chill until firm.
3. Melt confectioners' coating in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Dip each cherry in by its stem, and place on waxed paper lined sheets. Chill until completely set. Store in an airtight container in a cool place. Best after 1 or 2 weeks.

How to make a chocolate dipped strawberry

This really is as simple as dipping the strawberries into the chocolate.

1. Holding the strawberry by the green calyx dip into the melted chocolate up to the level you desire.

2. As you remove the strawberry give it a little shake to help reduce the thickness of the chocolate coating.

3. Allow any excess chocolate to drip off.

4. If you plan to dip the strawberry into chopped nuts or sprinkles etc then carefully do this now.

5. Transfer the finished strawberry to a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper, wax paper or foil.

6. Leave the strawberries to set at a cool room temperature.

7. Once set they can be further dipped or decorated.

8. For presentation display each chocolate covered strawberry in a slightly flattened paper case. Bamboo skewers are also a fun way to serve them. This gives your guests an easy way to hold the strawberries.

chocolate Ice Cream Cake Roll

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 1/4 cup baking cocoa
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups ice cream, softened
• CHOCOLATE SAUCE:
• 2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk, heated to 160 degrees F
• 1 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Line a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with waxed paper; grease and flour paper; set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks on high for 3 minutes or until lemon-colored. Gradually add sugar and vanilla, beating until thick and pale yellow. Combine the flour, cocoa and baking powder; gradually add to egg yolk mixture Beat on low until well mixed (mixture will be thick).
3. In another large mixing bowl and with clean beaters, beat egg whites and salt on high speed until soft peaks form. Fold a fourth of egg whites into the batter, then fold in remaining whites.
4. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Turn cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar. Gently peel off waxed paper. Roll up cake in the towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Unroll cake; spread with ice cream to within 1 in. of edges. Roll up again. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until serving.
6. In a small heavy saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring until smooth. Gradually add warm milk and sugar; stir constantly for 5 minutes or until completely dissolved. Serve with cake.

Chocolate-Peppermint Ice Cream Cake

Ingredients:

Crust

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/2 9-ounce packages chocolate wafer cookies (about 61 cookies)

Glaze

• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

Filling

• 7 cups premium vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
• 1 1/4 cups coarsely crushed red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies (about 10 ounces)
• 2 teaspoons peppermint extract

• Red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies, whole or broken into pieces

For crust:
Melt butter with chocolate in heavy small saucepan over low heat. Finely grind cookies in processor. Add warm chocolate mixture; blend just until crumbs are moistened. Reserve 1 cup crumb mixture in small bowl. Press remaining crumb mixture onto sides, then bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Freeze.

For glaze:
Bring cream and corn syrup to boil in heavy large saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Let stand until cool but still pourable, about 1 hour.

For filling:
Working quickly, mix ice cream, 1 1/4 cups crushed candies, and extract in large bowl just until blended. Spoon half of ice cream into crust; spread evenly (place remaining ice cream mixture in bowl in freezer). Sprinkle reserved 1 cup cookie crumbs over ice cream in pan; press gently. Pour 1 cup chocolate glaze over ice cream in pan. Freeze 1 hour. Top with remaining ice cream; spread evenly. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours. Stir remaining glaze over low heat just until pourable but not warm. Pour glaze over ice cream; spread evenly. Freeze overnight.

Run sharp knife between crust and pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides. Transfer cake to platter. Garnish cake with peppermint candies and serve.

Double Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

For double chocolate cake:

Cooking Spray
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
6 eggs
2 tbsp vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
8 oz sour cream
1 10 oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 10 oz. pkg. German chocolate (like Lindt or Bakers), melted

For ice cream cake:
1 qt vanilla ice cream, softened
1 pt chocolate ice cream, softened
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup amaretto
1/2 cup toasted, slivered almonds

Method:
To make cake:
Heat oven to 325° F. Spray a 10" tube pan well with cooking spray.

Blend butter and shortening; add sugar and beat ("cream") until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Sift flour, salt and soda. Add alternately with sour cream to mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.

Stir in chocolate chips and melted chocolate; blend well. Spoon into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then cool completely on wire rack.

To assemble ice cream cake: Remove cake from pan, then split cake into 4 layers horizontally with a sharp knife. Place bottom layer on serving plate and spread with half of vanilla ice cream; freeze. Add second layer and spread with chocolate ice cream; freeze. Repeat with 3rd layer and remaining vanilla ice cream. Place 4th layer cut side down on top of cake. Cover and freeze cake several hours or overnight.

Beat heavy cream until foamy; gradually add powdered sugar and amaretto, beating until stiff peaks form. Frost sides and top of cake. Sprinkle with almonds.

Frozen Chocolate Pie

Ingredients:

· Crust:

· 1 cup graham cracker crumbs

· 3 tablespoons powered sugar

· 1/4 cup melted butter

· Filling

· 1 pint (2 cups) vanilla ice cream

· 1 1/4 cups milk

· 2 packages (4 serving size) instant chocolate pudding

· whipped cream, chocolate curls

Preparation:

Combine crust ingredients; press into pie plate and chill for 15 to 20 minutes, while making filling. C

ombine ice cream and milk; beat until well blended, then add pudding mix. Beat just long enough to combine thoroughly. Pour filling into chilled crust. Refrigerate until firm. Before serving spread a layer of Whipped Cream over the top and garnish with the chocolate curls.

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Ingredients:

· 1 cup heavy cream

· 1 cup light cream* (half and half)

· 1/2 cup sugar

· 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

· 1 pinch salt

· 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (or chocolate shavings)

Preparation:

Combine ingredients. Stir until sugar dissolves. Freeze according to ice cream freezer's directions. Stir in chips just before storing chocolate chip ice cream. Makes 1 quart

*1/2 cream and 1/2 milk may be substituted for light cream