UNITED METHODIST WOMEN’S CHRISTMAS TEA RECIPES

Chocolate Yum Yum Cake

First Layer:

            1 stick margarine, melted

            ½ cup pecans, chopped

            1 cup flour

            1teaspoon sugar

Mix and press on bottom of 9x13 pan.  Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.  Let cool.

Second Layer:

            1 cup powdered sugar

            1-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

            1-12 oz. Cool Whip

Mix and put on cooled crust

Third Layer:

            2 pkgs. Small instant chocolate pudding

Pumpkin Dessert

In a large mixing bowl, combine the following and mix well:

            1 can (15oz.) solid pack pumpkin

            1 can (12oz.) evaporated milk

            3 eggs

            1 cup sugar

            4 tsps pumpkin pie spice

Put into a greased 9x13 baking pan

Sprinkle with 1 pkg (18 ¼ oz.) yellow cake mix

Drizzle with ¾ cup butter or margarine (melted)

Top with 1 ½ cups chopped walnuts or pecans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Caramel Pecan Cheesecake

Crust:

            9 whole graham crackers (finely crushed)

            3 tbsp. sugar

            3 tbsp. butter, melted

Mix crumbs, sugar and butter; press onto bottom of 9 inch springform pan.  Bake and 325 degrees for 10 minutes.

Filling:

            5 pkg cream cheese, softened (8 oz. each)

            1 cup sugar

            3 tbsp. flour

            1 tbsp. vanilla

            1 cup sour cream

            4 eggs

Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour and vanilla until well blended.  Add sour cream; mix well.  Add eggs (1 at a time) mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended.  Pour over crust.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until center is almost set.  Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim of pan.  Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Garnish:

            12 caramels

            32 pecan halves

Place caramels and 1 tbsp water in a bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute (or until melted)  Place pecans on cake and drizzle with caramel.

Praline Chocolate Dessert

Crust:

            2 cups cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs

            ½ cup butter, melted

            1 cup chopped pecans

Praline:

            1 and ½ cups butter, cubed

            1 cup packed brown sugar

            1 tsp vanilla

Filling:

            2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

            ½ cup confectioner’s sugar

            1/3 cup brown sugar

Ganache:

            1 cup (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips

            ½ cup heavy whipping cream

            Pecan halves

In a small bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press onto bottom of grease 9” springform pan (modified for a 9x13 pan) Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring butter and brown sugar to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Pour over pecans. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until set.

In a large mixing bowl, beat filling ingredients until smooth. Spread over praline layer. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until set.

For ganache, in a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips with cream; stir until smooth. Cool slightly; spread over filling. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until set. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; remove sides of pan. Garnish with pecan halves. Refrigerate leftovers.

White Chocolate-Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

            12 Oreo cookies (finely crushed)

            3 tbsp melted butter

            3 squares white chocolate (divided)

            2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese (softened)

            ½ cup sugar

            1 tsp vanilla

            2 eggs

            ¼ cups red raspberry preserves

Heat oven to 250. Mix cookie crumbs and butter and press onto bottom of 8” square pan. Melt 2 chocolate squares as directed on package.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Add eggs (1 at a time) mixing on low speed after each, just until blended. Pour over crust.

Bake 25-28 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool 5 minutes, spread with preserves. Melt remaining chocolate square; drizzle over cheesecake. Cool and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Banana Split Dessert

            Crust:

            2 cups crushed graham crackers

            1 stick (1/2) margarine

            Filling:

            2 eggs

            2 cups confectioner’s sugar

            1 tsp vanilla

            1 cup melted margarine

            4 good size bananas sliced

            1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, well drained

            1 container (8 oz) whipped topping

            24 maraschino cherries

            ½ chocolate bar (shaved)

Crust:

Place crushed graham crackers in bottom of 9x13 pan.  Melt margarine and pour over crackers.  Place in freezer until ready to add layers.

Filling:

Combine eggs, sugar, vanilla and margarine and beat for 15 minutes.  Pour mixture over crust.  Layer with bananas, pineapple and whipping topping.  Decorate with cherries and sprinkle with shaved chocolate.  Chill overnight or at least 8 hours.

Christmas Pie

          Red and green starlight mints-divided

          3 pkgs. (3.4 oz each) vanilla instant pudding

          4 cups milk

          1 cont. (8 oz) nondairy whipped topping-divided

          1 pkg. (6 oz.) chocolate crumb pie crust

          Mint flavored hard candy balls

Coarsely crush 3 red and 3 green starlight mints.  In large bowl whisk together pudding mix and milk until thickened, about 2 minutes.  Fold ½ cup whipped topping and crushed mints, spoon into pie crust.  Chill at least 4 hours or overnight.  Mound remaining whipped topping on top of pie.  Carefully cut starlight mints in half.  Decorate pie as desired with candy balls and cut mints.