Cooking With Kids

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

CREAM FILLED CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES Chocolate frosting: 15 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped 1 cup heavy cream Chocolate cupcakes: 3 cups granulated sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 5 large eggs I 1/2 cups un-sweetened non alkalized cocoa powder 3/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising) 3 1/4 tablespoon baking soda 3/4 cup sour cream 1/4 cup buttermilk 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract Creamy filling: 3 3/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar Pinch of salt 1 cup vegetable shortening 1/4 cup hot water 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract White decorating icing 1 cup confectioners' sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons hot water Make the chocolate frosting: Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Place the heavy cream in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for one minute. Using a whisk, stir until smooth. Refrigerate for two hours. Make the cupcakes Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350'F. Spray 24 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. In the 4 1/2 quart bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the sugar, oil and eggs on medium-low speed for 8 minutes. In a medium bowl mix together the sour cream, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Sift together the cocoa powder, cake flour and baking soda. Alternately add the dry and wet ingredients to the egg mixture, starting with the dry ingredients and ending with the liquid. Fill the muffin tins three quarters full and bake for 20 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out dry. Cool the muffins in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the tins and let cool completely. Make the cream filling: In the 4 1/2 quart bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer using the paddle attachment, combine the sifted sugar, salt, and shortening and mix until blended, approximately 5 minutes. Add the hot water slowly, then add the vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Make the white decorating icing: In a small bowl whisk together the confectioners' sugar and hot water until smooth. Assemble the cupcakes. Place the cream filling in a pastry bag fitted with small plain tip Gently poke a 1/2 inch in depth hole through the bottom of each cupcake. Fill each cupcake with the cream. Ice the top of each cup­cake with the chocolate frosting. With another pastry bag fitted with a small, plain tip, pipe the white decorating icing on top of the chocolate frosting in a decorative pattern.

  © Make-Stuff 1998 - 2011

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE
* Low Calorie Dessert *
* Great Cooking Activity for Kids *
Makes 12 servings.
Ingredients:

* 12 gingersnaps
* 2 1/2 cups part skim ricotta cheese
* 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
* 1/2 cup granulated brown sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1/1/2 tsp vanilla
* 1/2 tsp ground allspice
* 1/2 tsp cinnamon
* 1/4 tsp ginger
* 3/4 cup frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed

Place one ginger snap in bottom of cupcake papers. Beat ricotta until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, except topping and mix until well combined. Pour mixture into cups.

Bake 20 minutes at 350° until lightly set; turn off heat. Let stand in oven 1 hour. Cool on rack and chill overnight. Serve with 1 tbsp topping.

© Make-Stuff 1998 - 2011

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Chocolate Banana Pops
Kid tested Kid Project!
You will need:

* 1 banana per child
* 1 can Hershey's chocolate syrup
* Chopped walnuts or pecans
* Popsicle sticks

Peel bananas and cut in half. Carefully insert a popsicle stick into the bottom of each.

Pour chocolate syrup into a large bowl. Dip the top of the banana into the syrup.

Cover the bottom of a large cake pan with a layer of finely chopped nuts. Gently roll the chocolate covered banana in the nuts to cover the top.

Lay bananas on a cookie sheet and chill. Serve when chocolate is slightly hardened.
Fruit Beastie Pudding:
You will need:

* All of the above, plus
* Package of instant vanilla pudding mix
* Assortment of fruits:
o Maraschino cherries or strawberries
o Fresh blueberries or raisins
o Fresh kiwi

Make your chocolate bananas as above, but leave out the popsicle sticks. Just use your fingers to dip the banana into the chocolate and roll in the nuts. Chill.

Mix and chill the vanilla pudding. Pour into bowls, filling about halfway.

Stick the bananas halves into the pudding bowls, at the top of the bowl, with the tops point away from eachother. These are your beastie's horns. Peel and slice a kiwi into thin slices, then cut in half. Place two of these just below each horn. These are your beastie's eyebrows. Below the eyebrows, place two blueberries or raisins. For the nose, a maraschino cherry or strawberry is placed in the center. If you have room, make a mouth using a row of small blueberries.

Chill and eat!

© Make-Stuff 1998 - 2011

[Kim Jurey]

YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!