Cherry-Rum Nut Balls
Shown on
page 111.
Try a fun way to pretty up these
candy-coated gems. Drizzle them with
melted pink or red vanilla-flavor candy
coating. (See directions, page 113.)
%
cup chopped dried tart
cherries
V
4
cup dark rum
2
cups finely crushed vanilla
wafers (about 54)
%
cup ground pecans, almonds, or
walnuts
V
4
cup powdered sugar
V
4
cup butter, melted
2
tablespoons frozen orange juice
concentrate, thawed
1% cups white baking pieces
2
tablespoons shortening
In a small bow l, com bine cherries
and rum ; cover and let stand for
1 hour. Line two baking sheets with
waxed paper; set aside.
In a large mixing bow l, com bine
crushed vanilla wafers, ground pecans,
and pow dered sugar. Add undrained
cherry m ixture, m elted butter, and
orange juice concentrate; stir until
combined. Shape mixture into 1-inch
balls. Place balls on prepared baking
sheets; let stand u ntil dry (ab o u t
1
hour).
In a small, heavy saucepan, combine
baking pieces and shortening. Cook
and stir over m edium -low heat until
melted. Remove from heat. Dip rum
balls in the m ixture, turning each
one to coat completely. Remove each
ball with a fork and return to baking
sheets. Drizzle w ith any rem aining
melted mixture. Chill in the refrigerator
for 15 minutes or until coating is set.
Makes about 45.
To
store:
Place
balls
in
layers
separated by waxed paper in an airtight
container; cover. Store in refrigerator for
up to 1 month. Do not freeze.
Chocolate-Chunk Cookies
Shown on
page 108.
To set the melted chocolate on the
cookies quickly, place the dipped
cookies on a baking sheet lined with
waxed paper and refrigerate about
5 minutes.
1
cup butter, softened
%
cup granulated sugar
%
cup packed brown sugar
1
teaspoon baking soda
1
egg
I
teaspoon vanilla
2V2 cups all-purpose flour
II
to 12 ounces white baking chips
and/or semisweet
chocolate, chopped
White Chocolate Coating (optional)
Chocolate Coating (optional)
Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large mixing
bowl, beat the butter with an electric
mixer on medium to high speed for 30
seconds. Add granulated sugar, brown
sugar, and baking soda; beat until well
combined. Add egg and vanilla; beat
well. Gradually beat in flour. Stir in the
white baking chips and/or the chopped
semisweet chocolate chunks.
Drop rounded teaspoons of dough
2
inches apart onto ungreased cookie
sheets. Bake in the preheated oven for
8
to
1 0
minutes or until edges are lightly
browned. Transfer to wire racks and
let cool.
If desired, dip half of each cookie
into the White Chocolate Coating or
Chocolate Coating; place on w axed
paper and let stand for 30 minutes or
until set. Makes 48.
Double-Chocolate-Chunk
Cookies:
Prepare recipe as above, except
use 2 eggs. Add 2 ounces unsweetened
chocolate, melted and cooled, to the egg
mixture. Reduce flour to 2 cups and add
T2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder. Stir
in white baking chips and/or chopped
semisweet chocolate.
W hite
Chocolate
Coating:
In
a
small
heavy
saucepan,
combine
2
cups
white
baking
pieces
and
3 tablespoons shortening. Cook and stir
over medium-low heat until chocolate is
melted. Cool slightly.
Chocolate
Coating:
In
a
small
heavy
saucepan,
combine
2
cups
semisweet
chocolate
pieces
and
3 tablespoons shortening. Cook and stir
over medium-low heat until chocolate is
melted. Cool slightly.
Chocolate-Blackberry Torte
Shown on
page 112.
Use cake mix to streamline the
preparation of this decadent dessert.
Nonstick cooking spray
2
V
2
cups fresh blackberries or frozen
blackberries, thawed
1
2-layer-size dark chocolate
cake mix
1V
2
cups blackberry jam
2
cups whipping cream
%
cup dairy sour cream
V4
cup sifted powdered sugar
1
teaspoon vanilla
Marbled Pink-and-White Chocolate
Curls (See directions, page 113.)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat two
9
x
1 1
/
2
-inch
round
baking
pans
with
nonstick cooking spray.
Line bottoms
with parchment paper or waxed paper;
lightly coat paper with nonstick cooking
spray. Set aside.
Place
blackberries
in
a
blender
or food processor.
Cover and
blend
or
process
until
smooth.
Strain
berries
through
a
fine-mesh
sieve
(you should have about
1
cup puree);
discard seeds. Set puree aside.
In
a
large
mixing
bowl,
prepare cake mix according to package
directions, reducing water to
/2
cup.
Stir in berry puree. Divide batter between
the prepared pans.
Bake
in
the
preheated
oven
about
3 5
minutes
or
until
wooden
toothpicks
inserted
near the
centers
come out clean. Cool cakes in pans for
10 minutes. Remove from pans; remove
waxed
paper
or
parchment.
Cool
completely on wire racks.
114
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