Fudgy Peppermint Stick Torte Food

FUDGY PEPPERMINT STICK TORTE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with water, beating well after each addition., Transfer to four greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar and extract; beat until soft peaks form. In another bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped cream, then 3/4 cup crushed candies., Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, sprinkle remaining candies over the top.

QUICK AND EASY PEPPERMINT FUDGE

Steps:

• Line an 8-by-8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray.
• In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk and stir until melted and smooth. Pour into the prepared baking pan and spread to even out the surface. Sprinkle on the crushed candies. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Lift the foil out of the pan and peel off the fudge. Cut into small squares.

PEPPERMINT-FUDGE COOKIE STICKS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, mix cookie mix, softened butter, water and egg with spoon until dough forms. Divide dough in half; place on ungreased large cookie sheet. Press each into 14x2 1/2-inch rectangle. (If dough is sticky, use floured fingers.)
• Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until edges and center are set. Cool 1 minute; cut crosswise into 1-inch wide slices with sharp knife, cleaning knife blade, as needed. Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet. Move slices from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and shortening uncovered on High 30 seconds. Stir; continue to microwave in 15-second increments until mixture can be stirred smooth.
• Working with one cookie slice at a time, hold center of cookie stick and carefully dip one end at an angle into melted chocolate; slide bottom of slice on edge of bowl to remove excess. Place on waxed paper. Sprinkle with crushed candies. Repeat with remaining cookie slices. If chocolate has cooled too much, reheat. Let stand about 4 hours or until chocolate is set. Store covered in airtight container in single layer.

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH PEPPERMINT FROSTING

Steps:

• For cake:
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Dust pans with flour; tap out excess. Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in yolk. Add cocoa and beat until well blended. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with ice water in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating until just blended and smooth after each addition. Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth tops.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks and cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil; store at room temperature.
• For dark chocolate ganache:
• Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat; add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Transfer to small bowl. Chill until firm enough to spread, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Before using, let stand at room temperature until soft enough to spread, about 30 minutes.
• For white chocolate cream:
• Place white chocolate in large heatproof bowl. Bring 1 cup cream to simmer in saucepan. Pour hot cream over white chocolate. Let stand 1 minute; whisk until smooth. Whisk in extract. Cover; chill until mixture thickens and is cold, at least 4 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill.
• Add 2 cups chilled cream to white chocolate cream and beat until smooth and peaks form. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Rewhisk to thicken, if necessary, before using.
• Using long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place 1 cake layer on platter, cut side up. Spread 1/3 of dark chocolate ganache over cake. Spoon 2 cups white chocolate cream in dollops over cake; spread evenly to edges. Top with second cake layer, cut side down; spread 1/3 of ganache over, then 2 cups white chocolate cream. Repeat with third cake layer, cut side up, remaining ganache, and remaining cream. Cover with fourth cake layer, cut side down. Chill while preparing frosting.
• For peppermint frosting:
• Combine sugar, 1/2 cup water, egg whites, and corn syrup in large bowl of heavy-duty stand mixer. Whisk by hand to blend well. Set bowl with mixture over saucepan of gently simmering water; whisk constantly with hand whisk until mixture resembles marshmallow creme and ribbons form when whisk is lifted, 8 to 9 minutes. Whisk in peppermint extract. Remove bowl from over water and attach bowl to heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until mixture is barely warm to touch and very thick, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Using offset spatula and working quickly, spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle chocolate curls over top and sides. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill.

FUDGY PEPPERMINT TRUFFLE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan, or spray with baking spray with flour. In medium microwavable bowl, microwave filling ingredients uncovered on High 30 to 40 seconds; stir until melted and smooth. If necessary, microwave 10 to 20 seconds longer. Set aside.
• In large bowl, beat cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Spoon half of batter into pan; spread evenly.
• Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven; immediately drop spoonfuls of filling over batter, keeping filling away from sides of pan and pressing down lightly. Carefully spoon remaining batter over top; spread evenly. Bake 42 to 47 minutes longer or until toothpick inserted near center comes out almost clean and cake springs back when lightly touched in center. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Loosen cake with knife around center and edges of pan. Turn cake upside down onto cooling rack or heatproof serving plate. Cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.
• In medium bowl, beat powdered sugar, cream cheese and 1 tablespoon of the milk with whisk until smooth, adding additional milk until of desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle icing over cooled cake. Sprinkle with crushed candy. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

ALL-AMERICAN PEPPERMINT STICK TORTE WITH FUDGE TOPPING

Steps:

• For crust:
• Finely grind cookies and sugar in processor. Add butter and blend until crumbs begin to stick together. Press crumbs firmly onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Place in freezer.
• For filling:
• Grind candies in processor, leaving some small pieces. Whisk yolks, sugar and water in medium metal bowl to blend. Set bowl over saucepan of rapidly simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Whisk constantly until candy thermometer inserted into mixture registers 170°F, about 6 minutes. Remove bowl from over water. Add half of ground candies and whisk until melted. Let mixture stand until cool, whisking occasionally, about 5 minutes. Mix in remaining candy and peppermint extract.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream in large bowl to stiff peaks. Fold cream into yolk mixture. Spoon mixture into crust; smooth top. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours or overnight.
• For sauce:
• Bring 1 cup cream and corn syrup to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Cool until barely lukewarm and slightly thickened, whisking occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Spoon 1 cup sauce over frozen filling, spreading to edges. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover and keep torte frozen. Cover remaining sauce and refrigerate.)
• Rewarm sauce over low heat, stirring frequently. Run sharp knife around pan sides to loosen torte. Release pan sides. Transfer torte to platter.
• Beat remaining 1 cup cream in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Spoon into pastry bag fitted with star tip. Pipe rosettes of cream around top edge of torte. Place candies between rosettes. Serve with warm sauce.

FUDGY CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350.
• Grease a 9" springform pan with shortening then lightly flour.
• Microwave the condensed milk and chocolate chips in a small microwavable bowl uncovered on Medium (50%) about 1 minute or until chocolate is melted; set aside.
• Beat cake mix (dry) and oil in a large bowl on low speed for 30 seconds (mixture will be crumbly); reserve 1 cup.
• Beat applesauce and eggs into remaining cake mixture on low speed for 30 seconds (batter will be thick and grainy); beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Spread in prepared pan.
• Drop chocolate chip mixture by teaspoonfuls over batter, dropping more around edge than in center.
• Stir pecans into reserved cake mixture; sprinkle over batter.
• Bake 45-50 minutes or until center is set; cool 10 minutes.
• Remove side of pan; cool torte completely.