Grease bottom and side of 9-inch springform pan with shortening.
In 2-quart saucepan, heat 1 cup of the chocolate chunks and ½ cup butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until melted.
Cool 5 minutes.
Stir in flour until smooth.
Stir in egg yolks until well blended.
In large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer on high speed until foamy.
Beat in ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until soft peaks form.
Fold about one-fourth of the egg whites in bowl into chocolate mixture; fold that mixture into egg whites.
Spread in pan.
Sprinkle remaining ⅔ cup chocolate chunks evenly over top.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (top will appear dry and cracked).
Cool 10 minutes.
Remove side of pan; leave cake on pan bottom.
Cool completely on cooling rack, about 1 hour.
Just before serving, in 1-quart saucepan, heat ⅓ cup chocolate chunks, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and the milk over medium heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture boils.
Remove from heat; stir in ½ teaspoon butter.
In chilled small bowl, beat whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Drizzle cake slices with chocolate sauce.
Serve with whipped cream.
Sprinkle with candies.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Kitchen Secrets
Milk chocolate–coated toffee bits, or chopped chocolate-covered English toffee candy bars, can be used in place of the peppermint candies.
Line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil and grease the foil with shortening or cooking spray.
Prepare Cake Batter:
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer on high speed for about 5 minutes or until very thick and lemon-colored.
On low speed, gradually beat in 1 cup granulated sugar.
Beat in ⅓ cup water and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
Gradually add flour, baking powder, and salt, beating just until the batter is smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading to the corners.
Bake Cake:
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Immediately loosen the cake from the edges of the pan and invert it onto a towel generously sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Carefully remove the foil.
Trim off stiff edges of the cake if necessary.
While hot, carefully roll the cake and towel from the narrow end.
Cool on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare Filling:
In a chilled medium bowl, beat the whipping cream, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1½ teaspoons instant coffee granules on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Unroll the cake and remove the towel.
Spread the filling evenly over the cake.
Roll up the cake again.
Prepare Frosting:
In a medium bowl, beat the cocoa and butter with an electric mixer on low speed until well blended.
Gradually beat in the powdered sugar.
Beat in 1½ teaspoons vanilla and enough hot water, one teaspoon at a time, until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
Assemble and Decorate:
For the tree stump, cut off a 2-inch diagonal slice from one end of the cake.
Attach the stump to one long side using 1 tablespoon of frosting.
Frost the entire cake with the remaining frosting.
Using the tines of a fork, make strokes in the frosting to look like tree bark.
Optional Festive Touch:
Decorate your yule log with sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs.
Dip fresh cranberries and rosemary sprigs in a mixture of light corn syrup thinned with a bit of water, then roll in granulated sugar.
Let stand until set.
Arrange around the log on a serving platter or on top of the log.
You can also sprinkle chopped pistachios over the frosting.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Wine Advice
Pair this rich dessert with a sweet dessert wine such as Sauternes or a sparkling wine like Champagne for a festive touch.
Butterwater and egg called for on cookie mix pouch
1pouch7 oz white cookie icing
1pouch7 oz red cookie icing
Instructies
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans).
Grease bottoms and sides of 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with shortening or cooking spray.
In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, eggs, ginger and cinnamon with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
Divide batter evenly between pans (2 cups each).
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks.
Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Heat oven to 375°F (350°F for dark or nonstick cookie sheets).
In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, water and egg until soft dough forms.
(If dough is too sticky to roll out, cover and refrigerate 15 minutes.
)
On lightly floured surface, roll dough until ¼ inch thick.
Cut with 1-inch gingerbread boy or girl cookie cutter.
On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts 2 inches apart.
Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are set.
Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.
Cool completely.
Decorate 18 cookies with white and red cookie icing.
Reserve remaining cookies for another use.
On serving plate, place one cake layer, top side down.
Spread with about ½ cup frosting; top with second cake layer, top side up.
Using metal spatula, frost side and top of cake with thin layer of frosting to make a crumb coat; refrigerate 30 minutes.
Remove from refrigerator; frost side and top of cake with second layer of frosting.
Sprinkle top of cake with shaved almond bark; insert decorated cookies in top of cake and around side.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Make-Ahead Magic
Bake, cool and decorate the gingerbread cookies the day before you make the cake, and serve the cake on the same day you make it for the best texture of the cookies.
Grease and flour 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan or 12-inch fluted tube cake pan, or spray with baking spray with flour.
In large bowl, beat cake mix, pudding mix, water, sour cream, butter, ¼ cup rum, the orange peel and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds; beat on medium speed 2 minutes.
Spread batter in pan.
Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack.
Cool completely, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
In small microwavable bowl, microwave frosting uncovered on Medium (50%) 15 seconds.
Stir in 2 teaspoons rum.
Spread over top of cake, allowing some to drizzle down side.
Sprinkle with pecans.
Store loosely covered.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Kitchen Secrets
If you don’t have rum on hand or prefer not to use it, substitute water for the ¼ cup rum in the cake, and ½ teaspoon rum extract for the 2 teaspoons rum in the frosting.
Crushed candy canes or hard peppermint candiesif desired
Instructies
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan).
Generously grease 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with shortening; generously sprinkle with flour.
Make cake batter as directed on box, using water, oil and egg whites.
Pour about 2 cups batter into pan.
Pour about ¾ cup batter into small bowl; stir in food color and peppermint extract.
Carefully pour pink batter over white batter in pan.
Carefully pour remaining white batter over pink batter.
Bake and cool as directed on box.
In small bowl, mix glaze ingredients.
If necessary, stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until smooth and spreadable.
Spread over cake.
Sprinkle crushed candy on top.
Store loosely covered.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Make-Ahead Magic
You can bake the cake ahead, but do not add the glaze. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the freezer up to 3 months. To thaw, loosen wrap and let stand at room temperature. Continue as directed in Step 4.
Kitchen Secrets
Fluted tube cake pans can be a challenge to grease. Try this: Place a dab of shortening on the outside of a small food-storage plastic bag. Slip the bag on your hand and rub shortening on the inside of the pan. Repeat with more shortening until every nook and cranny is greased. Give the inside of the pan a good sprinkling with flour, shake the excess from the pan, and your baked cake will slip right out!
1can14 oz sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
1teaspoonvanilla
1bag7.2 oz original pretzel crisps
TOPPING
2cupssemisweet chocolate chipsabout 12 oz
1teaspooncoarsekosher or sea salt
Instructies
Heat oven to 350°F.
Spray 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray.
In large bowl, mix crust ingredients until crumbly.
Press in bottom of pan.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown.
Cool 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat brown sugar, 1 cup butter, the corn syrup and condensed milk to boiling over medium heat, stirring frequently.
Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat.
Stir in vanilla.
Arrange one layer of pretzels over crust.
Pour half of the caramel mixture over pretzels.
Immediately arrange another layer of pretzels over caramel layer.
Pour remaining caramel over pretzels.
Coarsely crush remaining pretzels.
In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until chips are softened and can be stirred smooth.
Pour and evenly spread melted chocolate over caramel layer.
Sprinkle with crushed pretzels and salt.
Refrigerate about 1 hour or until set.
Cut into 8 rows by 6 rows.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Make-Ahead Magic
Bars can be made up to 3 days before serving. Cover and store at room temperature.
Kitchen Secrets
Because these bars are ultra rich and are cut small, one pan can serve many purposes. Add them to a cookie tray, bring a plate to a neighborhood party or tuck a few into the family’s lunch boxes for a special treat.
