In small bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy.
Add marshmallow creme, chocolate chips and almond extract.
Beat on low speed until well blended.
Spread in shallow serving dish.
In small bowl, stir together pie filling and brandy.
Spoon over cream cheese layer; sprinkle with almonds.
Serve with graham crackers, pound cake and sugar wafers.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Make-Ahead Magic
You can make the cream cheese mixture ahead and spread in the serving dish. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours before serving. Just before serving, continue as directed in Step 2.
Kitchen Secrets
If you have cherry brandy or cherry liqueur on hand, either can be substituted for the brandy. For a kid-friendly dessert, simply omit the brandy.To toast almonds, sprinkle in ungreased skillet. Cook over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently until nuts begin to brown, then stirring constantly until nuts are light brown.
2packages8 oz each plus 4 oz cream cheese, softened
1cupgranulated sugar
¼cupunsweetened baking cocoa
2teaspoonsvanilla
2tablespoonsred food color
3eggs
½cupwhipping cream
1tablespoongranulated or powdered sugar
Chocolate curlsif desired
Instructies
Heat oven to 350°F.
Place foil baking cup in each of 16 regular-size muffin cups.
Mix cookie crumbs and butter; divide evenly among muffin cups.
Using back of spoon, firmly press mixture in bottoms of baking cups.
In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
Gradually beat in 1 cup granulated sugar and the cocoa until fluffy.
Beat in vanilla and food color.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well blended.
Divide batter evenly among baking cups (cups will be almost full).
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until centers are firm.
Cool 15 minutes (centers will sink).
Remove from pans.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour longer.
In chilled small bowl, beat whipping cream and 1 tablespoon sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Just before serving, peel off baking cups.
Top cheesecakes with whipped cream and chocolate curls.
Store cheesecakes in a deep plastic or glass storage container with lid in the refrigerator.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Make-Ahead Magic
These little cheesecakes freeze beautifully! Wrap tightly and freeze up to 5 months. Thaw in the original wrapping in the refrigerator 2 to 4 hours.
Kitchen Secrets
To make chocolate curls, place a bar or block of chocolate on waxed paper. Press a vegetable peeler firmly against the chocolate and pull toward you in long, thin strokes. Small curls can be made by using the side of the chocolate bar. Transfer each curl carefully with a toothpick to a waxed paper–lined cookie sheet or directly onto cheesecake.
Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
In medium bowl, mix 2¾ cups flour, the baking powder and salt.
In large bowl, beat ¾ cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds.
Gradually add granulated sugar, ⅓ cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat 2 minutes.
Add egg whites, a little at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat in 2½ teaspoons vanilla.
Alternately add flour mixture and 1¼ cups milk, beating on low speed just until blended.
Toss baking chips with 1 teaspoon flour; stir into batter.
Divide evenly among muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full.
Bake 20 to 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks.
Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
In large bowl, beat powdered sugar and ⅔ cup butter with electric mixer on low speed until well blended.
Add 1 tablespoon vanilla, the food color and 3 tablespoons milk; beat until smooth and creamy.
Stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency.
Spoon frosting into decorating bag fitted with large #1 star tip.
Pipe a swirl of frosting on top of each cupcake.
On 12-inch serving plate, arrange 9 of the cupcakes.
On top of cupcakes, stack three more layers—6 cupcakes, 5 cupcakes and 3 cupcakes—with 1 cupcake on top, to form tree.
Decorate with candies and sprinkles.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Make-Ahead Magic
Get a jump on preparing your tree by baking and freezing the cupcakes in advance. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes in airtight container up to 1 month. Thaw uncovered at room temperature before continuing as directed in Steps 5 and 6.
Festive Touch
This fun cupcake tree is not only delicious to eat but makes a great centerpiece for any holiday gathering.
Kitchen Secrets
To stabilize the cupcake tree, cut 24 (1½-inch) rounds from poster board. Place 1 round under each cupcake as you assemble the tree.
9sugar-style ice cream cones with pointed endscrushed (1 cup)
1cuppistachio nutsfinely chopped
¼cupbuttermelted
1tablespoonsugar
CHEESECAKE
4packages8 oz each cream cheese, cut into cubes and softened
⅔cupsugar
½cupsour cream
1tablespoonvanilla
Seeds of 2 vanilla beans
4eggs
⅓cuppistachio nutscoarsely chopped
Instructies
Heat oven to 325°F.
In medium bowl, mix crust ingredients.
Press in bottom and slightly up side of ungreased 9-inch springform pan.
In food processor, place cream cheese, ⅔ cup sugar, the sour cream, vanilla and vanilla bean seeds.
Cover; process until smooth.
Add eggs.
Cover; process until well blended, scraping bowl occasionally.
Spread over crust.
Bake 1 hour 20 minutes or until center is set.
Cool on cooling rack 15 minutes.
Carefully run small metal spatula or knife around side of pan to loosen cheesecake.
Remove side of pan; cool 30 minutes.
Refrigerate uncovered at least 6 hours or until chilled.
Store covered in refrigerator 3 to 5 days.
Before serving, sprinkle ⅓ cup pistachios around top edge of cheesecake.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Festive Touch
During the holiday season, red-colored pistachios are sometimes available. If you like, try using both red and green pistachios in this cheesecake.
Kitchen Secrets
You can crush the sugar cones by placing them in a resealable food-storage plastic bag and crushing them with a rolling pin.To remove seeds from a vanilla bean, cut the bean in half lengthwise. Run the blade of a knife across the inside of the bean, gathering seeds on the edge of the knife.
1tablespooninstant espresso coffee powder or granules
1¼teaspoonsbaking soda
1teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoonbaking powder
1cuphot water
⅔cupunsweetened baking cocoa
¾cupshortening
1½cupsgranulated sugar
2eggs
1teaspoonvanilla
FILLING
1container8 oz mascarpone cheese
2teaspoonsmilk
2teaspoonsinstant espresso coffee powder or granules
1cuppowdered sugar
FROSTING
4ozsemisweet baking chocolatefinely chopped
6tablespoonsbuttersoftened
3tablespoonsmilk
1teaspooninstant espresso coffee powder or granules
½teaspoonvanilla
Dash salt
3cupspowdered sugar
Instructies
Heat oven to 350°F.
Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
In medium bowl, mix flour, 1 tablespoon espresso powder, the baking soda, salt and baking powder; set aside.
In small bowl, mix hot water and cocoa until dissolved; set aside.
In large bowl, beat shortening with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds.
Gradually add granulated sugar, about ¼ cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat 2 minutes longer.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat in vanilla.
Alternately add flour mixture and cocoa mixture, beating on low speed just until blended.
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 5 minutes.
Remove from pans to cooling racks; cool completely.
Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
Spoon mixture into decorating bag fitted with ¼-inch (#9) writing tip.
To fill each cupcake, insert tip of bag into center of cooled cupcake; gently squeeze bag until cupcake expands slightly but does not burst (each cupcake should be filled with about 1 tablespoon filling).
In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate uncovered on High 45 seconds.
Stir; continue microwaving and stirring in 15-second increments until melted.
Cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
In another medium bowl, beat butter, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon espresso powder, the vanilla and salt with electric mixer on low speed until well blended.
Beat in 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until smooth.
Stir in melted chocolate until blended.
Spoon mixture into decorating bag fitted with ¾-inch (#824) star tip.
Pipe frosting over tops of cupcakes.
Store covered in refrigerator.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Festive Touch
Sprinkle the frosted cupcakes with grated chocolate or mini chocolate chips, or top each with a chocolate-covered espresso coffee bean.
Kitchen Secrets
Save time by using 1 box chocolate fudge cake mix with pudding instead of the Chocolate Cupcakes. Make cake as directed, using water, oil and eggs called for on box, and stir in 1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee powder or granules. Bake and cool as directed on box. Fill and frost as directed in Steps 5 through 8.
1box15.25 oz chocolate fudge cake mix with pudding
1¼cupswater
½cupvegetable oil
3eggs
¼cupassorted candy sprinkles
3containers1 lb each vanilla creamy ready-to-spread frosting
Redgreen and blue gel food color
Instructies
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans).
Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full.
Bake 14 to 19 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks.
Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Place candy sprinkles in shallow bowl.
Fill large resealable food-storage plastic bag with 1¼ cups frosting; cut off tiny bottom corner.
Pipe frosting in a circle one time around outside edge of cupcake.
Dip edge of frosting into sprinkles.
Reserve remaining frosting in bag for pom-poms.
Among 3 small bowls, evenly divide remaining frosting (about 1⅓ cups each).
Tint frosting in bowls with food colors: 1 red, 1 green and 1 blue.
Place frosting in 3 small resealable food-storage plastic bags; cut off tiny bottom corner of each bag.
Pipe red frosting, starting on inside edge of white frosting and spiraling up toward center to form a hat; continue red piping on 7 additional cupcakes.
Repeat piping with green and blue frosting with remaining 16 cupcakes (8 cupcakes each).
Pipe a small dab of reserved untinted frosting on top of each hat for pom-pom.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Festive Touch
For a more decorative look when piping the frosting, use decorating bags with tips.
Kitchen Secrets
Not a fan of chocolate? Try yellow cake mix for a different flavor.
Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
in medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder; set aside.
In small bowl, mix hot water and cocoa until dissolved; set aside.
In large bowl, beat shortening with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds.
Gradually add granulated sugar, about ¼ cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat 2 minutes longer.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
Alternately add flour mixture and cocoa mixture, beating on low speed just until blended.
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 5 minutes.
Remove from pans to cooling racks; cool completely.
In large bowl, mix butter and chocolate.
Stir in powdered sugar.
Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla and 3 tablespoons milk until smooth and spreadable.
If frosting is too thick, beat in remaining milk, 1 teaspoon at a time. (If frosting becomes too thin, beat in a small amount of powdered sugar.)
Frost cupcakes.
Sprinkle candy sprinkles over tops of cupcakes.
For each cupcake, cut pretzel twist in half; poke into cupcake for reindeer antlers.
Cut miniature marshmallow in half; arrange on cupcake for eyes.
Center gumdrop below marshmallow halves for nose.
Place red cinnamon candy below gumdrop for mouth.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Make-Ahead Magic
Baked, cooled cupcakes can be frozen in an airtight container or resealable freezer plastic bag up to 4 months. Frost and decorate the frozen cupcakes—they’ll thaw while you’re decorating!
Kitchen Secrets
Save time by substituting 1 box devil’s food cake mix with pudding for the Chocolate Cupcakes and 1 container (1 pound) chocolate creamy ready-to-spread frosting for the Frosting. Bake and cool cupcakes as directed on box, then decorate as directed.
In large bowl, beat cake mix, buttermilk, oil, eggs, cocoa and food color with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, until smooth.
Pour into pan.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool completely in pan on cooling rack.
Line cookie sheet with waxed paper.
Crumble cake into large bowl.
Add frosting; mix well.
Shape into 45 (1¼-inch) balls.
Place on cookie sheet; freeze 15 minutes.
Transfer to refrigerator.
Dip half of balls in melted green candy and other half in melted red candy; tap off excess.
Return to cookie sheet; let stand until set, about 30 minutes.
Spoon melted white candy into resealable food-storage plastic bag; cut off tiny corner of bag.
Pipe designs on cake balls; let stand until set.
Gently press 1 cereal piece on top of each cake ball, attaching with white candy.
Pipe dot of candy on cereal piece; attach another cereal piece upright in center for ornament hook.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Festive Touch
Fill a decorative bowl or platter with these creative cake balls, and use it as a centerpiece for your holiday table. Your guests will delight in being able to eat them! Packaged in a small box, they also make a cute edible gift.Use other colors of candy melts to change the look of these balls, like we did for the cover of the book.
