Chocolaty Zucchini Roll

Cook Time: twenty minutes

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

three eggs
one teaspoon vanilla extract
one cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup baking cocoa
one teaspoon baking soda
one teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
one cup shredded peeled zucchini
.
Filling:
one package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
two teaspoons vanilla extract
one cup confectioners' sugar
Additional confectioners' sugar

Preparation:

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs & vanilla. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, & salt; add to egg mixture & mix well. Stir in zucchini.

Spread in to a greased & waxed paper-lined 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.

Turn onto a linen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar. Peel off waxed paper & roll up, jelly-roll style, beginning with a short side. Chilled on wire rack.

Unroll cake; spread filling to within one inch of edges. Roll up again; dust with confectioners' sugar. Refrigerate until serving.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, & vanilla until fluffy. Beat in confectioners' sugar.

Yield: ten servings

Chocolate Beet Cake

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
one can (15 oz.) whole or quartered beets (not pickled), drained (reserve liquid)
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
one cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup juice from beets
three large eggs
one teaspoon vanilla extract
four squares (one ounce each) unsweetened chocolate, melted
one cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange rack in the midst of the oven. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with non-stick foil.

In a medium bowl, measure flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.

Puree drained beets in a food processor or heavy-duty blender. Scrape in to a large bowl. Add sugar, vegetable oil, and 1/2 cup reserved beet juice to the pureed beets and mix on medium speed until combined. Add eggs and vanilla extract, blending until incorporated.

Add flour mixture to the beet mixture. Using medium speed, mix until combined, at least minutes, scraping down sides often. Add melted unsweetened chocolate and mix until combined.

Pour in to baking pan. Distribute chocolate chips evenly over the top of the batter. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out tidy. Do not over-bake or it will become dry. Let icy to room temperature.

This cake is damp and scrumptious without any topping. However, in case you would like to dress it up, you may sift powdered sugar over the top or frost together with your favourite icing.

Yield: 36 to 48 servings, depending on cut size

Chocolate Raspberry Jellies

Prep Time: twenty minutes

Cook Time: ten minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Prepare a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan by lining pan with non-stick foil or plastic wrap.

Bottom Layer:
6 ounces special dark or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
two Tablespoons shortening (not butter or margarine)
two ounces food-grade paraffin (Gulf wax)
.
Jelly Layer:
one cup raspberry puree, canned or homemade
two cups water
five (three ounces each) packages raspberry-flavored gelatin mix
.
Coating:
12 ounces special dark or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
three Tablespoons shortening (not butter nor margarine)
four ounces paraffin (Gulf wax), chopped

Preparation:

For the Bottom Layer: 
Melt chocolate, shortening, & paraffin in a double-boiler. Remove from heat & icy until warm to the touch but still liquid. Spread evenly in to the bottom of the pan & chill to set while making jelly layer.

For the Jelly Layer:
Bring raspberry puree & water to a boil. Remove from heat. Add the gelatin & stir until gelatin is incorporated; at least three minutes. Let icy to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Pour over bottom chocolate layer & refrigerate, uncovered, at least four hours until set.

Line a large 15-inch cookie sheet with butcher paper, shiny side up. Remove the sheet of sweet on the foil or plastic wrap to a flat surface & peel down the sides until flat. Using a long, sharp knife, cut the candies in to even squares & place each piece 1/2-inch apart on butcher paper.

For the Coating:
Melt chocolate, shortening, & paraffin in the top of a double-boiler until smooth. Remove from heat & let icy until warm to the touch. Spoon liquid chocolate over each square to cover each . Chill about 30 minutes to set chocolate.

Yield: about 40 to 60 pieces, depending on cut size

Note: You can basically vary the flavor of these goodies by substituting other flavored gelatins & corresponding fruit purees.

Black Forest Bread

Prep Time: ten minutes

Cook Time: one hour

Total Time: one hour, ten minutes

Ingredients:

one cup water
two tablespoons margarine, butter or vegetable oil
one giant egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
one teaspoon almond or vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
three cups bread flour
three tablespoons non-fat instant dry milk powder
three tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast or instant yeast
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup whole maraschino cherries, well drained on paper towel

Preparation:

Add water, margarine, egg, salt, almond or vanilla extract, sugar, bread flour, dry milk, cocoa powder, and yeast to bread machine according to manufacturer's directions. Select sweet or basic white cycle. After dough is mixed, scrape down sides of bread pan with spatula if needed to be positive all ingredients are incorporated. Close lid.

Add chocolate chips and cherries at ingredient signal (or about twenty to 30 minutes in to cycle.) Close lid again and let baking method continue.

Makes one loaf.

Notes: Jumbo chocolate chips or chocolate chunks won't melt as speedy as regular-size chips. If the chips don't melt, the kneading action of your machine may produce lovely pockets of chocolate.

Chocolate Fudge

Ingredients:

6 tablespoon(s) chilled unsalted butter, cut in to small pieces, and more for pan and bowl
three cup(s) sugar
one tablespoon(s) Valrhona cocoa powder
giant pinch of fine sea salt
three tablespoon(s) light corn syrup
one cup(s) milk
four ounce(s) Callebaut unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
two teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract

Method:

Butter an 8-by-8-inch straight-sided baking pan. Line with parchment paper; set aside. Butter a immense, shallow, stainless-steel bowl; set aside.
In a 3-quart saucepan, whisk to merge the sugar, cocoa, and salt. Place over medium-low heat, and add corn syrup and milk, stirring until smooth. Add chocolate. Cook, stirring, until chocolate is melted and sugar dissolved before it reaches a boil. Brush down sides of saucepan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent crystallization. Increase the heat to high, and cook until it reaches 236 degrees (soft-ball stage).
Pour in to prepared bowl without scraping the sides of the saucepan. Dot top with butter. Let icy to 110 degrees to 118 degrees for about one hour.
Add vanilla. Using a plastic dough scraper, transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer.
Beat on low speed until the butter and vanilla are incorporated. Increase speed to medium, and beat, stopping occasionally, until fudge keeps its shape when dropped from a spoon and sheen is gone, three to 8 minutes. Using a tidy plastic dough scraper, transfer to prepared baking pan, spreading evenly. Before fudge sets , score with a knife in to 1-inch squares. Let stand until cooled. Store in an airtight container in a icy, dry place for up to two weeks.