Bûche de Noël with Ganache

Prep Time: 45min Total Time: 2hr 30min Servings: 12

Ingredients

8

oz semisweet baking chocolate, chopped

1 2/3

cups whipping cream

5

eggs, separated

1

cup granulated sugar

2

tablespoons vegetable oil

1

teaspoon vanilla

1/2

cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/4

cup unsweetened baking cocoa

1/2

teaspoon salt

2

tablespoons granulated sugar

2

tablespoons coffee-flavored liqueur

Powdered sugar

Sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs, if desired

Directions

• 1In medium bowl, place chopped chocolate. In 1-quart saucepan, heat 2/3 cup of the whipping cream to simmering over medium heat. Remove from heat; cool 1 minute. Pour hot cream over chocolate; stir until smooth. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until ganache is thickened.
• 2Heat oven to 375°F. Grease 15x10x1-inch pan with shortening. Line with waxed paper; grease paper with shortening. In large bowl, beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup of the sugar with electric mixer on high speed until thick and lemon colored. On low speed, beat in oil and vanilla.
• 3In medium bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into egg yolk mixture. Sift flour, 1/4 cup cocoa and the salt over batter; fold gently until blended. Pour into pan, spreading batter to corners.
• 4Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Meanwhile, generously sprinkle clean towel with cocoa. Immediately loosen cake from edges of pan; turn upside down onto towel. Carefully remove waxed paper; trim off edges of cake if necessary. While hot, starting with long side, carefully roll up cake; place on cooling rack. Cool at least 30 minutes.
• 5In chilled medium bowl, beat remaining 1 cup whipping cream, 2 tablespoons sugar and liqueur on high speed with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Unroll cake; remove towel. Spread whipped cream over cake. Roll up cake. Cut 2-inch diagonal slice from 1 end of cake roll. Place cake on serving platter; position cut piece against side of cake roll to look like a knot, using about 1 tablespoon ganache to attach to cake. Frost cake with remaining ganache. With tines of fork, make strokes in ganache to look like tree bark. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Garnish with sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs.

Expert Tips

Sugared Cranberries 3/4 cup sugar 3/4 cup fresh cranberries 1. In 2-quart saucepan, heat 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup of the sugar and the cranberries to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring often. (Do not overcook; cranberries should swell and just begin to pop.) Remove from heat; drain. Toss cranberries with remaining 1/4 cup sugar, coating completely. 2. On waxed paper, arrange sugared berries in single layer. Let stand uncovered at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Sugared Rosemary Sprigs 6 sprigs fresh rosemary (3 to 5 inch) 2 pasteurized egg whites, slightly beaten 1 1/2 cups superfine sugar 1. With small pastry brush, brush 1 rosemary sprig with egg whites (do not dip rosemary into egg whites). Working over waxed paper, heavily sprinkle sugar through wire-mesh strainer over rosemary, turning to coat completely. Shake off excess sugar. 2. On waxed paper, place sugared rosemary. Repeat with remaining rosemary, egg whites and sugar. Let stand uncovered at least 8 hours or until dry. Store uncovered at room temperature. Serving Tip This sugary garnish is not intended to be eaten if you use regular egg whites. However, the uncooked whites of pasteurized eggs are food safe.

• Source:  www.Bettycrocker.com

Triple Chocolate Sheet Cake

Prep Time: 10min Total Time: 1hr 15min Servings: 24

Ingredients

1

box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® devil's food or butter recipe chocolate cake mix

1/2

cup sour cream

1

cups water

2

tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa

2

tablespoons butter, softened or vegetable oil

3

eggs

1

container (1 lb) Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting

3/4

cup chopped pecans

Directions

• 1Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom and sides of 15x10x1-inch pan with baking spray with flour.
• 2In large bowl, beat cake mix, sour cream, water, cocoa, butter and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.
• 3Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool about 45 minutes.
• 4Spoon frosting into small microwavable bowl. Microwave uncovered on High 20 to 30 seconds, stirring once, until pourable. Spread frosting over cake; sprinkle with pecans.

Expert Tips

To get the most flavor from the pecans, toast them before sprinkling on top of the cake. Spread on cookie sheet; bake at 350°F 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Cool.

 

Adding cocoa is a great way to give extra chocolate punch to a devil’s food cake mix.

Source:  www.Bettycrocker.com 

Chocolate-Mint Swirl Cake

 

Prep Time: 20min Total Time: 2h30min Servings: 16

Ingredients

Filling

2

packages (3 oz each) cream cheese, softened

1/4

cup granulated sugar

1

tablespoon Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1

egg

1/8

teaspoon peppermint extract

3

drops green food color

Cake

1

box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® devil's food cake mix

1/3

cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1

cup water

1/2

cup butter or margarine, melted

2

eggs

Chocolate and Mint Glaze

2

tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips

1

teaspoon shortening

1

cup powdered sugar

1/4

teaspoon peppermint extract

1

or 2 drops green food color

1

tablespoon corn syrup

3

to 4 teaspoons water

Directions

• 1Heat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan, or spray with baking spray with flour. In small bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on high speed until smooth and fluffy. Beat in granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 egg, 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract and 3 drops food color until smooth; set aside.
• 2In large bowl, beat cake mix, 1/3 cup flour, 1 cup water, the butter and 2 eggs on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes. Pour into pan. Spoon cream cheese filling over batter.
• 3Bake 44 to 52 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Turn pan upside down onto cooling rack or heatproof plate; remove pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• 4In 1-quart saucepan, heat chocolate chips and shortening over low heat, stirring frequently, until melted; set aside. For glaze, mix powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract, 1 to 2 drops food color, the corn syrup and enough of the 3 to 4 teaspoons water to make a thick glaze that can be easily drizzled. Drizzle over cake. Immediately spoon melted chocolate over glaze in 1/2-inch-wide ring. Working quickly, pull toothpick through chocolate to make swirls. Refrigerate until serving time. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

Expert Tips

Sprinkling with coarsely chopped chocolate mint candies makes this already-incredible cake even more decadent!

 

The shortening keeps the melted chocolate chips smooth. Butter and margarine contain more water than shortening, so they can’t be substituted.

Source:  www.Bettycrocker.com 

Orange-Cream Cheese Brownies

 

Prep Time: 25min Total Time: 2hr30min Servings: 24

Ingredients

1

box (1 lb 1 oz) Betty Crocker® dark chocolate Premium brownie mix

Water, vegetable oil and egg called for on brownie mix box

1

package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened

2

cups powdered sugar

1

tablespoon frozen (thawed) orange juice concentrate

Yellow food color

Red food color

1/3

cup semisweet chocolate chips

2

teaspoons shortening

Directions

• 1Heat oven to 350ºF (325ºF for dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom only of 8-inch or 9-inch square pan with cooking spray or shortening. (For easier cutting, line pan with foil, then grease foil on bottom only of pan.) Make brownies as directed on box. Cool completely.
• 2Stir cream cheese, powdered sugar, orange juice, 2 drops yellow food color and 1 drop red food color until smooth and spreadable; spread over brownies.
• 3Place chocolate chips and shortening in small microwavable bowl. Microwave uncovered on Medium (50%) about 2 minutes or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Drizzle over brownies. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until cream cheese and chocolate are set.
• 4For 24 brownies, cut into 4 rows by 6 rows. Cover and refrigerate any remaining brownies.

Expert Tips

Soften cream cheese quickly by placing unwrapped cream cheese in a bowl and microwaving on High for 10 to 15 seconds.

Source:  www.Bettycrocker.com