Chocolate Covered Banana Turtle Torte Food

CHOCOLATE COVERED TURTLES

Steps:

• Generously butter 2 baking sheets.
• On the baking sheets, arrange the pecan halves in snowflake-shaped clusters of 5 pecans each, overlapping the nuts in the center, leaving 2 inches of space between each.
• In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the evaporated milk, the corn syrup, and sugar and bring to a boil. Add the remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk and the 4 tablespoons butter, and cook, stirring constantly, until it reaches the soft ball stage, 240 degrees F. Stir in the vanilla and remove from the heat. Let cool to 200 degrees F.
• Using a tablespoon, spoon caramel on top of each nut cluster and let harden. (If the caramel becomes too stiff to pour, return to low heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until it returns to the proper consistency.)
• To make the chocolate coating, in the top of a double boiler or in a metal bowl set over barely simmering water, combine 6 ounces of the chocolate and the shortening. Melt over low heat, stirring, until it reaches 116 to 118 degrees F, or feels fairly warm but not hot to the touch.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 ounces of chocolate. Continue stirring until the chocolate reaches 80 degrees F or feels cool to the touch. Return to low heat and cook, stirring, until the temperature rises to 85 to 87 degrees F, or feels barely cool. Remove from the heat.
• Drizzle 1 tablespoon of tempered chocolate over each cluster. Set aside in a cool place to harden. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, with waxed paper separating the layers to prevent sticking.

BANANA TURTLE TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease or spray two 9-inch round cake pans.
• Make and bake cake as directed on box for 9-inch rounds. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate layers about 45 minutes for easier handling. Trim off rounded top of one layer. Slice each cake in half horizontally to make a total of 4 layers. Reserve untrimmed cake layer top.
• In chilled medium bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Place 1 cake layer bottom, cut side up, on serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup whipped cream over layer to within 1/4 inch of edge. Slice 1 banana; arrange on whipped cream, overlapping slices if necessary. Drizzle 1/4 cup butterscotch caramel topping over banana, spreading to coat slices. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons pecans.
• Repeat with second and third layers. Top with reserved cake layer, rounded side up. Frost top of cake with remaining whipped cream. Spoon remaining butterscotch caramel topping over whipped cream. Swirl caramel into whipped cream with tip of knife.
• Cover; refrigerate about 2 hours or until ready to serve. For best results, serve cake the same day. Store covered in refrigerator.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter the bottom and side of a 9-inch springform pan. Combine the chocolate and 1 1/2 sticks butter in a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water) and stir until melted and combined. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and let cool slightly.
• Combine the eggs, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and thick, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Gently fold half of the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until just combined, then gently fold in the rest. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the top is no longer shiny and barely jiggles and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few crumbs, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely in the pan. Remove the springform ring and transfer to a platter; dust with cocoa powder.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED BANANA TURTLE TORTE

Steps:

• Line 8-inch round pan with plastic wrap; set aside. Beat cream cheese and ice cream topping in large bowl with mixer until blended. Stir in 2 cups COOL WHIP.
• Spoon 3/4 cup cream cheese mixture into prepared pan; spread to within 1 inch of edge. Cover with 10 cookies, top sides down and overlapping cookies as necessary to form even layer. Repeat layers 4 times. Refrigerate 2 hours.
• Invert dessert onto serving plate just before serving. Remove plastic wrap. Spoon remaining COOL WHIP into medium microwaveable bowl; stir in semi-sweet chocolate. Microwave on HIGH 1 min.; stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended. Spread over dessert.
• Slice banana. Use to garnish dessert along with the nuts.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED BANANAS

Steps:

• Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of gently simmering water. Stir just until melted.
• Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Insert a popsicle stick in one end of each banana piece. Dip banana, one piece at a time, in chocolate, spooning on additional chocolate to cover.
• Sprinkle each banana with peanuts, and set on prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm, 20 minutes, or up to 3 days.

CHOCOLATE TURTLES

Steps:

• In a double boiler or microwave, melt caramels and milk. Stir until smooth. Place pecan halves in groups of three on a greased baking sheet. Spoon melted caramel over pecans (1 scant tablespoon over each cluster). , Refrigerate. Melt chocolate chips and shortening; spread over clusters. Keep refrigerated.

BANANA TORTE

Steps:

• Line a jellyroll pan with wax paper.
• Bake chocolate cake as per box instructions.
• When cool, remove cake from pan.
• Cut cake in two, do not cut through wax paper.
• Whip some cream, or thaw frozen whipped topping, tinting pale yellow if desired.
• Put approximately a one inch layer of whipped cream on one half of cake.
• Slice bananas and place in whipped cream.
• Flip other half of cake on top of first layer.
• Apply whipped cream and bananas.
• Garnish with maraschino cherries if desired.
• Store in refrigerator.
• Best if refrigerated before serving.

FESTIVE CHOCO-BANANA TORTE

Steps:

• Arrange 24 wafers, flat-sides down, on bottom of parchment-lined 9-inch springform pan.
• Reserve 1/2 oz. chocolate. Microwave remaining chocolate, 1 cup marshmallows and 1/2 cup milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min.; stir until smooth. Pour over wafers in pan.
• Stand remaining wafers, rounded-sides out, around edge of pan, pressing slightly into chocolate to secure; top with bananas.
• Beat pudding mix and remaining milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in 1 cup whipped topping and remaining marshmallows; spread over bananas. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.
• Run knife under warm running water; use to loosen dessert from rim of pan. Remove rim. Cut reserved chocolate piece into shavings. Top torte with remaining whipped topping, chocolate shavings and strawberry.