Hot Fudge Sauce

1 package semi sweet chocolate chips

2 tbs butter

1 can condensed milk

2 tbs water

1 tsp vanilla extract

In a heavy saucepan, over medium heat, melt chips and margarine with
milk, water and vanilla.  Cook and stir constantly until thickened,
about 5 min.  Serve warm over ice cream.  Refrigerate leftovers.

Oatmeal Carmelitas

1 3/4 cup oatmeal (dry )
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp.salt
3/4 cup butter or oleo, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts
12 oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips
14 oz. bag of vanilla caramels

Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt.
Add butter and vanilla. Mix until crumbly.
Reserve 1 cup for topping.
Press remaining mixture into bottom of a greased 9 by 13 baking pan.
Bake in pre-heated oven for 10 minutes. Let cool.
Sprinkle nuts and chocolate chips on top.
Melt caramels in sauce pan with 1/4 cup water over low heat, stirring until smooth.
Drizzle over chocolate chips and nuts to within 1/4 inch of pan edges.
Sprinkle reserved oat mixture over top.
Bake 15 to 18 minutes longer until light golden brown and set.
Chill.

Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 1-1/4 cups powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup HERSHEY’S Dutch Processed Cocoa or HERSHEY’S Cocoa 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY’S Premier White Chips Directions: 1. Heat oven to 300°F. Beat butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add cocoa; blend well. Gradually add flour, stirring until smooth. 2. Roll or pat dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured surface or between 2 pieces of wax paper; with cookie cutters, cut in holiday shapes. Reroll dough scraps, cutting cookies until dough is used. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. 3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or just until firm. Immediately place white chips, flat side down, in decorative design on warm cookies. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Store in airtight container. About 4-1/2 dozen (2-inch diameter) cookies. NOTE: For more even baking, place similar shapes and sizes of cookies on same cookie sheet.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE SUPREME

1-1/4 cups (2-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs, separated
1 cup (1/2 pt.) cold whipping cream
Chocolate curls (optional)

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Grease bottom of 8-inch springform pan.

2. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Add cocoa and 1 cup sugar, stirring until well blended. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Stir in flour and vanilla. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Beat egg whites with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in medium bowl until soft peaks form; gradually fold into chocolate mixture. Spoon batter into prepared pan.

4. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until edges are firm (center will be soft). Cool completely on wire rack (cake will sink slightly in center as it cools). Remove side of pan. Refrigerate cake at least 6 hours.

5. Beat whipping cream in small bowl until soft peaks form; spread over top of cake. Cut cake while cold, but let stand at room temperature 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired. 10 servings

CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM CAKE

. 2 eggs, separated
. 1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
. 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
. 1/2 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
. 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
. 1/2 teaspoon salt
. 1/2 cup vegetable oil
. 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
. ICE CREAM LAYERS (recipe follows)
. 3/4 cup sweetened whipped cream or non-dairy whipped topping
. 1/2 cup fresh fruit, sliced
. CHOCOLATE CREAM ROSETTES (recipe follows, optional)

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch round baking pans. (If only 2 pans are available, reserve one-third of batter in refrigerator while first 2 layers are baking.)

In small bowl, beat egg whites until foamy; gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. In large bowl, stir together flour, remaining 1 cup sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add oil, buttermilk and egg yolks; beat until smooth. Gently fold egg white mixture into batter. Pour about 1-2/3 cups batter into each prepared pan.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. (Bake remaining layer, if necessary.) Cool completely.

Wrap each layer separately in foil; freeze several hours or several days in advance of serving. Prepare ICE CREAM LAYERS. Remove cake and ICE CREAM LAYERS from freezer; peel off foil. On serving plate, alternately layer cake and ice cream layers, beginning and ending with cake. Wrap tightly; return to freezer. Just before serving, frost top of cake with whipped cream. Arrange fruit in decorative design on top; pipe on CHOCOLATE ROSETTES, if desired. 10 to 12 servings.

ICE CREAM LAYERS: Line two 9-inch round layer pans with foil; working quickly, evenly spread 1/2 gallon of your favorite flavor slightly softened ice cream into prepared pans. Cover tightly; freeze until firm.

CHOCOLATE CREAM ROSETTES: In small mixer bowl, stir together 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons HERSHEY’S Cocoa. Stir in 1/2 cup cold whipping cream and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat until stiff; spoon into decorating bag fitted with large rosette tip.

* To sour milk: Use 1 tablespoon white vinegar plus milk to equal 1 cup.

Dark Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients
3/4 cup (175 ml) margarine (stick type)
3 cups (700 ml) granulated sugar
1 cup (225 ml) evaporated milk
1 12 oz (336 grm). pkg. semisweet real chocolate chips
1 7 oz (196 grm). jar Kraft marshmallow creme
1 tsp (5 ml). vanilla

Mix margarine, sugar and milk in heavy 3 quarts (2850 ml) saucepan; bring to full boil, stirring constantly.
Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium heat or until candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees (100 C.) (soft ball stage), stirring constantly to prevent scorching.
Remove from heat.
Gradually stir in chocolate chips until melted.
Add marshmallow creme and vanilla; mix well.
Thin icing, if necessary, with 1 to 2 tablspoons hot water or coffee.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Coated Apples

A new, delicious twist on the traditional caramel apple! These are ideal for fall when you have an overabundance of apples, but don’t discount them for other holidays and occassions! Simply change the color of the sprinkles or other decorations to fit the season or event.

Editor’s note: For children with allergies to peanuts, replace the peanut butter chips with butterscotch or mint for a different twist!

You will need:
12 wooden ice cream sticks
12 medium apples, stems removed
1 package (10 ounces) peanut butter chips
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
2/3 cup cocoa

Optional for decorating apples:
chopped peanut butter chips
chopped or mini chocolate chips
chopped vanilla chips
flaked coconut
colored spinkles
chopped nuts

What you do:
Insert wooden stick into each washed and dried apple. Cover a baking sheet or tray with waxed paper.

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, stir together peanut butter chips and oil. Microwave on high 1-1/2 minutes or until chips are softened. Stir until melted.

Stir together confectioners’ sugar and cocoa; gradually add to melted chip mixture, stirring until smooth. Microwave on high 1 minute or until very warm.

Dip apples into mixture, twirling to remove excess coating. (If coating becomes too thick, return to microwave for a few seconds). Roll coated apple in chopped chips or coconut if desired, or sprinkle toppings onto apples. Allow to cool on prepared baking sheet or tray.

Yield: one dozen apples.

White Chocolate-Cinnamon Triangles

Bars:
1 (18 oz.) pkg. Pillsbury Refrigerated White Chocolate Chunk Cookies
1/2 c. honey-roasted cashews, chopped
1/2 c. toffee bits
1 t. cinnamon

Glaze:
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 t. cinnamon
2 1/2-3 t. milk

Heat oven to 350º. In large bowl break up cookie dough. Add all
remaining bar ingredients; mix well. Press dough in bottom of
ungreased 9-inch square pan. Bake at 350º for 23-27 minutes or until
golden brown. Cool 30 minutes.

To make glaze, combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl:
stirring until smooth, adding enough milk for desired drizzling
consistency. Drizzle over bars. Cool an additional 45 minutes or
until its completely cooled. Cut into 16 bars. Cut each bar in half
diagonally to make triangles.

Chocolate Recipes – White-Chocolate Cherry Shortbread

Ingredients
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cold butter
12 ounces white chocolate baking squares with cocoa butter, finely
chopped
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 drops red food coloring (optional)
2 teaspoons shortening
White nonpareils and/or red edible glitter (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread cherries on paper towels to
drain well.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut
in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in drained
cherries and 4 ounces (2/3 cup) of the chopped chocolate. Stir in almond
extract and, if desired, food coloring. Knead mixture until it forms a
smooth ball.

3. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on an
ungreased cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in
sugar, flatten balls to 1-1/2-inch rounds.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers are set.
Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and
let cool.

5. In a small saucepan, combine remaining 8 ounces white chocolate and
the shortening. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Dip half of
each cookie into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. If desired,
roll dipped edge in nonpareils and/or edible glitter. Place cookies on
waxed paper until chocolate is set. Makes about 60.

To Store: Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container;
cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3
months.

Chocolate Recipes

Recipes – Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup sugar (personally – I use 3/4 of a cup – less sweet)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
1-1/2 tea. vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tea. salt
1 tea. baking soda
12 ounces milk chocolate chips*

Place sugar, brown sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla in bowl. Attach bowl and
flat beater (this recipe comes from KitchenAide and refers to their
equipment). Turn to Speed 2 (low) and mix for 30 seconds. Stop and scrape bowl, Turn
to Speed 4 (med.) and beat for 30 seconds. Add chocolate chips on Stir Speed
(low) and mix for 15 seconds.

Sift flour, salt, and baking soda together. Gradually add flour mixture on
Stir Speed (low), about 2 minutes. Increase to Speed 2 and beat for 30
seconds. Add chocolate chips on Stir Speed and mix for 15 seconds.

Drop by teaspoonfuls on greased backing sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake at 375
deg. for 10 to 12 minutes.

Makes: 3-1/2 doz. cookies.

*Variation: 2 cups raisins, coconut, or chopped walnuts may be substituted
for chocolate chips.

The mixer I use has 10 speeds. All of the above mentioned speeds are low to
a medium low.