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New Year's Chocolate Yule Log Cake

12/30/2023

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INGREDIENTS:

1 pkg. (4 oz.) BAKER'S White Chocolate
1 pkg. (4 oz.) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided
6 Tbsp. plus 1/8 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder, divided
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
4 eggs, separated
2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla
6 oz. (3/4 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
6 Tbsp. brewed strong MAXWELL HOUSE Rich Dark Roast Coffee, cooled, divided
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
3 JET-PUFFED Marshmallows

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 400ºF.
Melt white chocolate as directed on package; spread into 11x8-inch rectangle on parchment-covered baking sheet. Melt 1 oz. semi-sweet chocolate as directed on package. Drop in small spoonfuls over white chocolate; swirl gently with knife. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Spray 15x10x1-inch pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment; spray with additional cooking spray. Combine flour, baking powder and 1/4 cup cocoa powder. Beat egg whites in medium bowl with hand-held mixer on high speed until foamy. Gradually add 1/3 cup granulated sugar, beating constantly until stiff peaks form.
Beat egg yolks in large bowl with mixer on high speed until blended. Gradually add remaining granulated sugar, beating until thick and lemon colored. Blend in vanilla. Add flour mixture; mix well. (Mixture will be thick.) Add 1/3 of the beaten egg whites; stir gently just until blended. Gently stir in remaining egg whites. Spread onto bottom of prepared pan.
Bake 8 to 10 min. or until top of cake springs back when touched in center. Carefully run knife around edges to loosen cake. Sprinkle clean kitchen towel evenly with 2 Tbsp. of the remaining cocoa powder. (For best results, do not use a terrycloth towel.) Invert cake onto prepared towel; carefully peel off paper. Starting at one short side, roll up cake and towel together; place on wire rack. Cool completely. Meanwhile, melt remaining semi-sweet chocolate; cool slightly.
Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar in medium bowl until blended. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Stir in 3 Tbsp. coffee. Gently stir in COOL WHIP. Unroll cake; remove towel. Brush cake with remaining coffee. Reserve 1 cup cream cheese mixture for later use; spread remaining cream cheese mixture onto cake. Reroll cake.
Place filled cake, seam side down, on platter. Cut 2-inch-thick diagonal slice off one end of cake roll; place on top of cake as shown in photo, securing to cake roll with some of the reserved cream cheese mixture. Frost cake with remaining cream cheese mixture, leaving cut cake slice unfrosted as shown in photo. Cut white chocolate sheet into 3x1-1/2-inch pieces. Insert into cream cheese frosting on cake as shown in photo. Use kitchen shears to trim marshmallows to resemble mushrooms as pictured; sprinkle with remaining cocoa powder. Use to garnish cake.

Used with permission from Kraft Foods

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From The Recipes of Mrs. Claus: Santa's Favorite Cookies

12/22/2023

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Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips, or chunks
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt

Directions:
On Christmas Eve, while singing Christmas carols, evenly position two racks in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. (on convection setting if you have it.) Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone sheets. (If you only have 1 baking sheet, let it cool completely between batches. Also, make sure you sing "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.")

Put the butter in a microwave safe bowl, cover and microwave on medium power until melted. (Alternatively melt in a small saucepan.) Cool slightly. Whisk the sugars, eggs, butter and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth.
Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in another bowl. While singing "Silent Night," stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a wooden spoon; take care not to over mix. Stir in the chocolate chips or chunks.

Scoop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared pans while singing "Let It Snow." Wet hands slightly and roll the dough into balls. Space the cookies about 2-inches apart on the pans. Bake, until golden, but still soft in the center, 12 to 16 minutes, depending on how chewy or crunchy you like your cookies. Will make about 30 cookies. (Santa will eat 10-12 and take several for the elves). Transfer hot cookies with a spatula to a rack to cool then place on a plate and position where Santa is sure to see them, and leave a cold glass of milk. Sing "Here Comes Santa Claus," and go to sleep! Merry Christmas!

Submitted by Mrs. Claus

Got a recipe you'd like to submit? Send it to: [email protected]

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No-Bake Holly Cookies

12/15/2023

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INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup butter or margarine
30 JET-PUFFED Marshmallows
1-1/2 tsp green food coloring
3 cups corn flakes
2 tbsp small hot cinnamon candies

DIRECTIONS:

Melt butter in large saucepan on low heat. Add marshmallows; cook and stir 3 to 4 min. or until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in food coloring.
Add cereal; stir to evenly coat. Drop by tablespoonfuls into 30 mounds on waxed paper-covered baking sheets sprayed with cooking spray. Press candies into cereal mixture, flattening each mound slightly.
Let stand 30 min. or until firm.

This recipe was used with permission from Kraft Foods.

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Easy Candy Cane Danish

12/8/2023

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INGREDIENTS:

1 pkg (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp flour
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp almond extract, divided
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted, divided
2 cans (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 cup cherry pie filling
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp water

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350°F.
Mix cream cheese, granulated sugar, flour, egg and 1 tsp. almond extract in medium bowl until blended. Add 1/4 cup nuts; mix well.
Cover baking sheet with parchment. Unroll crescent dough into 16 triangles. Place 1 triangle sideways at bottom of prepared baking sheet. Place second triangle above first triangle, overlapping long edges by 1/2 inch. Repeat with remaining dough triangles to form candy cane, reversing points of triangles as necessary to make curved candy cane shape at top as shown in photo.
Spread cream cheese mixture onto center of dough to within 1/2 inch of edges; top with pie filling. Starting at bottom of candy cane, fold points of dough triangles over filling, pressing points into dough on opposite side to seal.
Bake 20 to 25 min. or until golden brown. Cool completely.
Mix powdered sugar, water and remaining almond extract until blended; drizzle over Danish. Sprinkle with remaining nuts.

This recipe was used with permission from Kraft Foods.

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Santa's Favorite Cheesecake

12/1/2023

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INGREDIENTS:

1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
3 tbsp sugar
4 pkg (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 cups sugar, divided
2 tsp vanilla, divided
4 eggs
1 pkg (10 oz.) cranberries
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water
1 tsp orange zest

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 325°F.
Combine graham crumbs, butter and 3 Tbsp. sugar; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
Bake 55 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hr.
Meanwhile, combine cranberries, orange juice and remaining sugar and vanilla in medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; cook and stir 1 min. or until sugar is dissolved. Simmer over medium-low heat 6 to 8 min. or until cranberries are softened, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, dissolve cornstarch in water. Add to cranberry mixture; mix well. Cook 30 sec. to 1 min. or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in orange zest. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Spoon cranberry topping over slices of cheesecake just before serving.

This recipe was used with permission from Kraft Foods.

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