MEXICAN CHOCOLATE TART WITH CINNAMON SPICED PECANS, CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TORTE & LEMON-RASPBERRY ICEBOX CAKE!

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TORTE

At 16 servings, this easy-to-make torte is a great choice to serve the crowd at your next special-occasion gathering.

INGREDIENTS:

37 NILLA Wafers, divided
4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided
2 pkg. (3.9 oz. each) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
2 cups plus 2 Tbsp. cold milk, divided
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh raspberries

DIRECTIONS:


STAND 16 wafers around inside edge of 9-inch round pan lined with plastic wrap. Melt 3 chocolate squares as directed on package.

BEAT pudding mixes and 2 cups milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 min. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Stir in 1 cup COOL WHIP; pour into prepared pan.

BEAT cream cheese, sugar and remaining milk with mixer until well blended. Stir in 1 cup of the remaining COOL WHIP; spread over pudding. Top with remaining wafers. Refrigerate 3 hours.

MEANWHILE, shave remaining chocolate square into curls. Invert torte onto plate; remove plastic wrap. Top torte with remaining COOL WHIP, berries and chocolate curls.

TIPS:
How to Make Chocolate Curls
Warm chocolate square by microwaving it, unwrapped, on HIGH for a few seconds or just until you can smudge the chocolate with your thumb. Hold the square steadily and draw a vegetable peeler slowly over flat bottom of square, allowing a thin layer of chocolate to curl as it is peeled off the bottom of the square to make long, delicate curls. Or to make shorter curls, use the same technique using the narrow side of the chocolate square.

How to Soften Cream Cheese
Place completely unwrapped package of cream cheese in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 10 sec. or just until softened. Add 15 sec. for each additional package of cream cheese.

LEMON-RASPBERRY ICEBOX CAKE


INGREDIENTS:

1 (10-ounce) jar lemon curd (about 1 cup)
2 cups cold heavy cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup raspberry jam, about
12 full graham cracker sheets (48 crackers)
1 cup fresh raspberries

DIRECTIONS:

Stir lemon curd with a rubber spatula in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.

Beat cream and sugar in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Stir about one-quarter of the whipped cream into lemon curd. Fold in remaining cream.

Line a 9-inch spring form pan with plastic wrap. Spread a thin layer of lemon mixture on bottom of pan. Spread a thin layer of jam on 16 crackers and arrange, jam sides up, in pan. Top with about one-third of remaining lemon mixture. Repeat with two more layers of jam, crackers and lemon mixture, ending with lemon mixture. Arrange raspberries around top edge. Refrigerate 5 hours to overnight. Remove pan side. Gently lift cake by the plastic wrap to remove it from the pan bottom and peel away plastic wrap.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE TART WITH CINNAMON SPICED PECANS

INGREDIENTS

Pecans
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 large egg white
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon golden brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Crust
1 cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs (about half of one 9-ounce package cookies, finely ground in processor)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 (3.1-ounce) disk Mexican chocolate (such as Ibarra), chopped
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Lightly sweetened whipped cream

DIRECTIONS:

For pecans:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Whisk all ingredients except pecans in medium bowl. Stir in pecans. Spread in single layer on sheet, rounded side up. Bake until just browned and dry, about 30 minutes. Cool on sheet. Separate nuts, removing excess coating. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
For crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend first 4 ingredients in processor. Add melted butter; process until crumbs are moistened. Press crumbs into 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom, to within 1/8 inch of top. Bake until set, about 20 minutes. Cool on rack.
For filling:
Bring cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolates; whisk until melted. Add butter, 1 piece at a time; whisk until smooth. Whisk in vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Pour filling into crust. Chill until filling begins to set, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Arrange nuts in concentric circles atop tart. Chill until set, about 4 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely with foil and keep chilled. Serve tart with whipped cream.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TORTE, EASY BERRY FRUIT TART & PEPPERMINT CANDY TARTS!!

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CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TORTE

At 16 servings, this easy-to-make torte is a great choice to serve the crowd at your next gathering!

INGREDIENTS
37 vanilla wafers, divided
4 squares Baker's semi-sweet chocolate, divided
2 pkg. (3.9 oz. each) chocolate instant pudding
2 cups plus 2 Tbsp. cold milk, divided
1 tub (8 oz.) cool whip, thawed, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh raspberries

DIRECTIONS
Stand 16 wafers around inside edge of 9-inch round pan lined with plastic wrap. Melt 3 chocolate squares as directed on package.

Beat pudding mixes and 2 cups milk with whisk 2 min. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Stir in 1 cup cool whip; pour into prepared pan. Beat cream cheese, sugar and remaining milk with mixer until well blended.

Stir in 1 cup of the remaining cool whip; spread over pudding. Top with remaining wafers. Refrigerate 3 hours.

Meanwhile, shave remaining chocolate square into curls. Invert torte onto plate. Remove pan and plastic wrap. Top torte with remaining cool whip,berries and chocolate curls.

How to Make Chocolate Curls!
Warm chocolate square by microwaving it, unwrapped, on HIGH for a few seconds or just until you can smudge the chocolate with your thumb. Hold the square steadily and draw a vegetable peeler slowly over flat bottom of square, allowing a thin layer of chocolate to curl as it is peeled off the bottom of the square to make long, delicate curls. Or to make shorter curls, use the same technique using the narrow side of the chocolate square.

How to Soften Cream Cheese!
Place completely unwrapped package of cream cheese in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 10 sec. or just until softened. Add 15 sec. for each additional package of cream cheese
Recipe from Kraft

EASY BERRY FRUIT TART

INGREDIENTS:
CRUST
1 refrigerated pie crust (from 15-oz box), softened as directed on box
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

FILLING
1 container (7 oz) crème fraîche
1 container (4 oz) refrigerated vanilla pudding

TOPPING
2/3 cup fresh raspberries
2/3 cup fresh blueberries
2/3 cup fresh blackberries
1 teaspoon powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 450°F. Make pie crust as directed on box for One-Crust Baked Shell using 9-inch glass pie plate. DO NOT PRICK CRUST.

In food processor bowl with metal blade, place almonds and granulated sugar; process with on/off pulses until finely ground. Sprinkle almond mixture over pie crust; gently press in. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until light golden brown. If crust puffs in center, flatten gently with back of wooden spoon. Cool 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir together crème fraîche and vanilla pudding. Spread pudding mixture in cooled baked shell. Top with berries. Refrigerate 2 hours or until serving time.

Just before serving, sprinkle tart with powdered sugar. Store covered in refrigerator.
Recipe from Pillsbury

PEPPERMINT CANDY TARTS

Treat your family & friends to these cute Christmas confections!

INGREDIENTS:
TART SHELLS
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

FILLING & GARNISH
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2 or 3 drops red food color
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup crushed hard peppermint candies (about 18 candies)

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 32 mini muffin cups with shortening or cooking spray. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in peppermint extract and egg until blended. On low speed, beat in flour, baking soda and salt.

Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Press each ball in bottom and up side of muffin cup.

Bake 9 to 12 minutes until set and edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from muffin cups to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

In small bowl, beat filling ingredients except crushed candies with electric mixture on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Stir in 1/4 cup of the candies. Spoon or pipe 1 rounded measuring teaspoon filling into center of each tart shell. Sprinkle with remaining crushed candies.
Recipe from Betty Crocker