Gingerbread Babycakes

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1-2/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp five spice powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Combine and set aside3.

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 cup boiling water

Mix the sugar, molasses, oil and egg till well blended. Add the flour mixture and blend well. Add the water and blend.

Pour into molds (these rise a lot so do fill too much!)

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes

Topping:

8 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Blend well on a mixture. Add 1-3/4 cups heavy whipping cream and beat until the texture of whipped cream.

Frost cakes and garnish as you wish.

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Candied Cranberries

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2-3 cups cranberries

Combine water and sugar in a pan and bring to simmer and mix until sugar dissolves.

Remove and cool 10 minutes

Add cranberries. Put into a container with a tight lid and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, drain the cranberries and roll them in sugar. Leave in the sugar in a single layer for about 3 hours to dry.

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If they get a little sticky, roll in more sugar and dry again at room temp.

Triple Chocolate Mousse

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2 cups heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
3 tbsps granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2-1/2 oz. white chocolate – chopped
2-1/2 oz. milk chocolate – chopped
2-1/2 oz. dark chocolate – chopped

In a medium pan over medium heat, heat 3/4 cup of the heavy cream just until it starts to steam. In a separate bowl, mix the yolks, sugar and vanilla until smooth.

In a slow, steady stream, pour the hot cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the pan and cook it over low to medium heat, whisking constantly about 4 minutes or until a thermometer read 160 degrees. Remove from heat and pour thru a sieve and set aside.

In 3 separate bowls, melt the chocolates over the simmering water. Whisk 1/3 of the custard into each chocolate and cool completely.

Beat the remaining whipped cream on high until peaks form. Gently fold 1/3 of the cream into each chocolate mixture carefully trying not to deflate them.

Layer the different mousses into pretty chips and chill several hours before serving. Garnish as you wish.

NOTE:  this recipe made 4 (one cup or 8 oz each) servings

Meringue “Trees” and Other Ornaments

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4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
pinch cream of tartar
1/8 tsp almond extract

Beat egg whites and sugar in a bowl over simmering water until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm – not hot.

Put bowl on the electric mixer and add cream of tartar and beat until stiff. You can add color at this point.

Put mixture into a piping bag and make trees or wreaths or whatever.

Bake at 200 degrees for 2 hours, then turn off the oven and leave the meringues in the over with the door closed for another 20 minutes

Mini Cream Filled Rolls (Hot Milk Sponge Cake)

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1/4 cup milk
2 tbsps butter
3/4 cup sifted cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
3 egg yolks

Line the bottom of an 11×17 pan with wax paper. Spray with cooking spray.

Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan until butter melts.

Sift flour and baking powder.

In a large heatproof bowl, whisk sugar, egg, yolks. Heat over simmering water till warm and sugar is dissolved, whisking often. Transfer the bowl to an electric mixer and beat until cool and has the texture of whipped cream.

Fold the flour in in 3 separate steps till well combined. Add the butter mixture and blend well. Pour into prepared pan
Bake at 400 for 10 minutes..

Remove and cool completely in the pan. When cool, turn cake out, remove wax paper and invert right side up.

Spread filling over the cake. Cut cake into 5 equal strips about 3-1/4″ wide and 11-12″ long. Cut strips in half to make 10 short strips. Roll each strip up into a roll. Refrigerate until ready to coat

Topping:

Melt 12 oz semisweet chocolate with 1 cup heavy cream. Cool. Enrobe each roll with the ganache. You can top with a dollop of the filling on top.

Filling:

In a mixer bowl, combine 8 oz of softened dark chocolate flavored cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. When well blended, add 1-3/4 cup of heavy whipping cream. Beat on mixer until it is the consistency of whipped cream.