Chocolate-Mocha Yule Log

Cake
6 egg whites
6 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar (for the egg whites)
1/2 cup sugar (for the egg yolks)
1/3 cup unsweetened Hershey's cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Dash of salt

Mocha Cream Filling
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened Hershey's cocoa powder
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cake Directions:
Separate eggs, putting whites in large bowl, and yolks in medium size bowl. Let warm to room temperature.
Grease the bottom of a 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 by 1 inch jelly roll pan.
Line the pan with wax paper
Grease the wax paper

Preheat oven to 375

Beat egg whites at high speed until soft peaks start to form when the beater is slowly raised.
Add the 1/4 cup of sugar (2 tablespoons at a time), beating until stiff peaks form when beater is slowly raised.

With the same beaters, beat the egg yolks at a high speed, adding the 1/2 cup sugar (2 tablespoons at a time). Beat until the yolk mixture is very thick and a lighter color (about 4 minutes).

At a low speed, add the cocoa powder, vanilla and salt, beating just until smooth.

With a wire whisk or a rubber scraper, using an under-and-over motion, gently fold the cocoa mixture into the beaten egg whites, just until they are blended (no egg white should show).

Spread evenly in pan.

Bake 15 minutes, just until surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertip.
While the cake is baking, sift confectioners sugar in a 15 x 10 inch rectangle on a clean linen towel.

When cake is ready...

 turn it out onto the confectioners sugar that's on the linen towel. Do not cool the cake before performing this step.
Lift off the pan:

Carefully peel off the paper. It will stick along the sides of the cake, so you may have to use a knife to scrape the paper away from the cake, without messing up the cake too much.  Here's how mine turned out:

Roll up jelly-roll fashion, starting with the short end, towel and all.

Cool completely on a rack, seam-side down. (About 45 minutes)

Make Filling:
Combine mocha filling ingredients in medium bowl. (I chill the bowl and beaters a little, before making the filling.)
Beat until thick.

 If not using immediately, refrigerate.

Unroll cake, spread with filling to 1 inch from edge.

Reroll and place seam-side down on plate. Trim the ends.

Cover with foil and refrigerate at least one hour.
When ready to serve, sift confectioners sugar over the log to produce "snow".
Decorate with raspberries for berries and green frosting as leaves - or alternatively green sprinkles in leaf form, as shown below.

Frosted Cherry Squares

1 can Comstock cherry pie filling (or pineapple filling)
2 Pie crusts ready to roll out

Preheat oven to 425
Roll the pie crusts to a rectangular shape.
Place one of the crusts on an ungreased cookie sheet (no need to make it fit the length & width of the pan)

Spread pie filling on top of the crust, but keep the filling 1 inch away from the edges

Cover with the second pie crust and pinch edges to seal, and crimp the edges.  Cut small slits on the top crust to allow steam to escape.

Bake about 12 minutes at 425, then lower heat to 350 and bake about 25 minutes more.

Cool completely, then frost (see "My Mother's Vanilla Frosting"), and cut into squares.

Raspberry Filling

1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp apple cider
1/4 cup sugar

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and apple cider together.
Place berries in small saucepan, add sugar and cornstarch mixture.
Slowly bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until mixture thickens.
Cool completely, before spreading on cake.

Hint:  Strain the raspberry sauce over a bowl to remove most of the seeds.

Substitutions
May substitute fresh lemon juice for apple cider. No need to pre-mix with the cornstarch, just add both the lemon juice and the cornstarch to the pan when you add the berries.

May substitute frozen raspberries.

My Mother's Vanilla Frosting

1 pkg Domino’s confectioner’s sugar

3/4  cup + 2 TBsp Crisco

1/3  cup marshmallow fluff

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Beat crisco and fluff in large bowl.

Add confectioner’s sugar, milk and vanilla. Stir with the beaters before turning on the mixer.   Once combined enough, turn on mixer and beat well, until smooth.

French Apple Cobbler

Filling:
6 cups peeled sliced apples
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp butter

Batter Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp soft butter
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup flour


PRE-HEAT oven to 375F.

Filling
Put sliced apples in large bowl and sprinkle the vanilla over the apples. Turn/toss apples so the vanilla gets mixed in a bit.
In a medium bowl, mix sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt.  Add to apples and stir to coat.

Place filling into a 9″ x 9″ baking pan, and spread evenly. Dot with the 1 Tbsp. butter.

Batter Topping
In a medium bowl, beat (with wooden spoon) sugar, baking powder, salt, egg, and butter together.
Mix in flour.
Drop in 9 portions onto the fruit, spacing evenly. It will spread during baking.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until fruit is fork-tender and crust is golden brown.

Congo Squares

2 2/3 cup flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup Crisco shortening
1 package Domino Light Brown Sugar (1 lb package)
3 eggs (large)
1 tsp vanilla
1 package (6 oz.) chocolate chip morsels

Preheat oven to 350
Grease cookie sheet

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl; set aside
Melt shortening in a saucepan, then add brown sugar, mixing well.
Cool the sugar mixture, then add to dry ingredients. Mix well.
Add vanilla, and eggs (one egg at a time)
Stir in chocolate chips

Spread evenly in cookie sheet and bake about 15 mintues.
Cut into squares when cool.

Hints - careful not to overbake - the squares should be a light brown, not golden brown.
To store the squares, these must be wrapped well or stored in an air-tight container or they'll get hard quickly.