Chocolate Ribbon Cake

1 package (3.4 ounces) cheesecake-flavored instant pudding mix
2 cups sour cream
2 cups cold milk, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup ( 1 stick) butter softened
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 can (16 ounces) chocolate frosting

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 13- x 9- x 2-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Combine pudding mix, sour cream and 1/2 cup milk in large bowl; mix until smooth. Set aside. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, butter, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until blended. Beat in eggs, vanilla and remaining milk on low speed for 1 minute. Beat on high speed until batter is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Spoon half of the batter into the prepared baking pan. Spread with the pudding mixture. Top with the remaining batter.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Remove from oven; cool completely on a wire rack.

Spread top of cake with chocolae frosting. Cut into 12 squares.

Makes 12 servings


Helpful Tips

When beating cake batter, stop the beaters 2 or 3 times and scrape bowl with a rubber spatula to incorporate all ingredients evenly.

Lemon Meringue Pie

1 refrigerated unbaked piecrust (9 inches)
2 cups sugar, divided
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups cold water
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
1 Tablespoon finely grated lemon rind


Preheat oven to 425°F. Fit crust into 9-inch pie plate; turn edge under and flute. Line piecrust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights; bake until golden, 5-6 minutes longer. Place piecrust on wire rack; reduce oven to 350°F.

Meanwhile, mix 1 1/2 cups sugar, cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon salt in saucepan. Beat yolks in small bowl. Whisk water, lemon juice and yolks into sugar mixture. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring, for about 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter and rind. Transfer to crust.

Whisk egg whites and remaining sugar in heatproof bowl set over simmering water until sugar dissolves, 2-3 minutes. Remove from water; add remaining salt. Beat egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form, 6-8 minutes.

Spoon meringue over filling. Bake until meringue is golden, 12-15 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Serve at room temperature within 2 hours or refrigerate, uncovered, for up to 1 day.


Helpful Tips

Always place meringue on hot filling and bake long enough for it to reach a safe internal temperature of 160°F.

Mix 'n' Match

For lime meringue pie, substitute lime juice and rind for the lemon juice and rind; add just a drop of green food coloring to filling.

Hershey's Best Loved Chocolate Cheesecake

Quick Chocolate Crumb Crust (recipe follows)
3 packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 container (8 ounces) dairy sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup Hershey's Cocoa
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 eggs
Quick Chocolate Drizzle (recipe follows)

Prepare Quick Chocolate Crumb Crust. Heat oven to 450°F.

Beat cream cheese and sugar until blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; beat until blended. Beat in cocoa and flour. Add eggs, one at a time; beat just until blended. Pour into crust.

Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250°F; continue baking 40 minutes. Remove from oven to wire rack. With knife, loosen cake from side of pan. Cool completely; remove side of pan. Prepare quick Chocolate Drizzle; drizzle over top. Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours. Store covered in refrigerator.

Makes 12 servings

Quick Chocolate Crumb Crust:

Combine 1 cup chocolate wafer crumbs and 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Makes 1 (9-inch) crust.

Quick Chocolate Drizzle:

Place 1/2 cup Hershey's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips and 2 teaspoons shortening (do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil) in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at High (100%) 30 seconds. If necessary, microwave at High an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted.


Helpful Tips

To easily crush chocolate wafer cookies, place them in a sealed plastice food storage bag and press with a rolling pin.

Chocolate Almond Tartlet Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups half-and-half
1 box (3.9 ounces) chocolate instant pudding mix
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously coat 24 miniature muffin cups with cooking spray. Combine butter, sugar, almond extract and salt in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add flour; beat just until combined and dough forms.

Divide dough into 24 equal pieces. Press firmly onto bottom and up sides of prepared muffin cups.

Bake cookies until golden, 10-12 minutes. Cool slightly. Remove cookies carefully from pan using tip of a small knife to loosen from edges of cups; place on wire rack.

Whisk half-and-half and pudding mix in a medium bowl until combined. Fill each baked cookie with pudding mixture. Garnish each with almond slices. Chill until set, about 15 minutes.

Makes 2 dozen cookies


Helpful Tips

The handle of a wooden spoon works well for pressing the cookie dough into the bottom and up the sides of the miniature muffin cups.

Mix'n'Match

For different filling flavors, substitute your favorite instant pudding mix for the chocolate pudding. Instead of sliced almonds, try topping the cookies with candy decors, choped pecans or walnut halves.

Double Fudge Brownie Bars

1 package Duncan Hines Double Fudge Brownie Mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 (6 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans 1 cup flaked coconut
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk


Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 13 x 9-inch pan.

Combine brownie mix, contents of fudge packet from Mix, eggs, water and oil in large bowl. Stir with spoon until well blended, about 50 strokes. Spread in prepared pan. Bake 18 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle chocolate chips over brownie base, then sprinkle with peanut butter chips, pecans and coconut. Pour milk over top. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely in pan. Cut into bars.

Makes 20 to 24 bars


Helpful Tips

These delectable bars make the perfect homemade gift. Pack up a decorative tin for a special holiday treat, for a hostess gift or for a sweet surprise to cheer up a friend.

Mix 'n' Match

For a delicious flavor variation, substitute butterscotch-flavored chips for the peanut butter chips.

Cherry Sweet Rolls

3 3/4 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 envelope (.25 ounce) active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm milk (120°F-130°F)
1/4 cup wamr water (120°F-130°F)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup cherry pie filling and topping (from 16-ounce can)
2 Tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, granulated sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl; mix well. Combine milk, water and butter in a small bowl. Add milk mixture to flour mixture; beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Add egg; beat until combined. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.

Knead dough on lightly floured surface until dough is smooth and elastic, 5-7 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in a warm place until almost double in size, 45-60 minutes.

Lightly grease 2 baking sheets. Punch down dough; divide in half. Roll out each half on lightly floured surface to a 15- x 10-inch rectangle. Cut each into six 5-inch squares.

Spoon about 1 Tablespoon pie filling onto each square. Bring corners of each square to center; pinch to seal. Place on prepared baking sheet. Cover loosely; let rise 15-20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls until golden, 22-26 minutes. Place on wire racks to cool. Dust rolls with confectioners' sugar.

Makes 1 dozen rolls


Helpful Tips

For perfectly dusted baked goods, sift confectioners' sugar through a fine-mesh sieve, tapping lightly, for an even coating

Mix 'n' Match

For a shortcut, use 2 packages refrigerated crescent dough. Unroll dough, pinch together perforations, and cut into squares.

Old-Fashioned Chess Pie

1/2 package (15 ounces) refrigerated piecrust
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1/4 cup whipping cream
4 large eggs, beaten
1 Tablespoon cornmeal
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Unsweetened whipped topping

Preheat oven to 350°F. Fit 1 piecrust into a 9-inch pie plate. Flute edges, pressing crust to side of plate.

Combine sugar, butter, whipping cream, eggs, cornmeal, vinegar, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl. Beat with wire whisk until smooth. Pour into piecrust.

Bake until knife inserted in center comes out clean, 40-50 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.

Place whipped topping in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe topping around edge of pie just before serving.

Makes 8 servings


Helpful Tips

Be careful not to whisk the ingrediants too long; whisk them until just blended. over-whisking adds too much air, causing the filling to rise during baking, then fall and crack as it cools.

Mix 'n' Match

For a lemon chess pie, add 1/4 cup lemon juice and 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind to the pie filling.

Della Robbia Cake

1 package Duncan Hines Angel Food Cake Mix
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 cup water
6 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Few drops red food coloring
6 cling peach slices
6 medium strawberries, sliced

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Prepare cake mix as directed on package, adding lemon peel. Bake and cool cake as directed on package.

Combine water, sugar and cornstarch in small saucepan. Cook on medium-high heat until mixture thickens and clears. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice, vanilla extract and food coloring.

Alternate peach slices with strawberry slices around top of cake. Pour glaze over fruit and top of cake.

Makes 12 to 16 servings


Helpful Tips

If a cornstarch mixture is cooked too long or over very high heat, it will break down and become thin. Remove from heat as soon as the mixture becomes clear and thick.