ADORABLE FALL SWEET TREATS & table decor!

For those of you in CT, you may have caught the segment on Channel 8 for "Connecticut Style" in which I showed how to make these (and more) very simple sweet treats for your fall buffet table. If not, here's your own private "show and tell".

Rosanna Small 9-Inch Pedestal, White

They are so easy, it's not even funny. All pre-made ingredients for those of you who are in a pinch for time or perhaps "creatively challenged". First let's look at the simple table decor...Up front, a teeny little pumpkin, carve out the center with a small sharp knife, scoop out seeds and guts (hee hee) with a melon baller. Every self-respecting cook has one. (what? you don't know what that is? I'm gonna make you look it up. :)

Chef Harvey Garnishing for the Beginner, Book and Five Tools

Then place a battery operated votive candle inside. So pretty and much safer than flames. Especially if you have little ones around who like to touch things. And why wouldn't they? 

This is also very cute with other kinds of produce..which I'll share in future posts. It's just not a tablescape or buffet without candles! Why not think outside the box? Or candle holder.

Unscented Drip 4x5 Battery Operated Candle with Timer

Note the small pillar candle (bigger than a taper, smaller than typical pillar) inside a glass vase. Stabilize with unpopped popcorn. How cute is that? You may use other dry ingredients for filler, such as dried split peas, dried beans of various colors, etc. Just be sure they are not highly flameable items and you leave sufficient space between the flame and the filler. Although popcorn heating up near the flames...hmm. could be a nice touch to have exploding popcorn as a finale at the end of your Thanksgiving or fall holiday dinner. Memorable, I'm sure. (I'm JUST kidding, this idea hasn't been safety tested)

Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Cooking Made Light

Now to the sweet treats; first up, the donut- hole acorns. 

ohmygosh, aren't these adorable? c'mon. seriously. they're really cute! These are not my original idea...I found the idea on Pinterest. HAD to make them. These here, are mine of course. Here's what you need:

plain donut holes
Nutella spread (or chocolate frosting)
chocolate sprinkles
small pretzel sticks

Spread Nutella or frosting onto about 1/3 of the donut hole like a little hat. Roll this area in the chocolate sprinkles. Break off (or bite off..oh, wait, this is for company!) about 1/3 of the pretzel stick and poke the rest into the sprinkle covered portion as a stem. Tah Dah! Done!! I recommend popping these in the refridgerator just for a little while to set the spread.

Next up, teeny little acorns (almost life size) made from pre-made items. We're going with easy peasy, not complicated, for this post.

You will need:

1 package plain Hershey's kisses 
1 package Nabisco Nutter Butter bite size cookies.(red bag)
mini chocolate chips (about 1/4 cup?)

Carefully twist the cookie so one side pops off and leaves all or most of the creme filling on one side. Gently press an unwrapped Hershey's kiss onto the creme. (what you do with  all the cookie halves with no creme is up to you. I'm not watching and I won't judge. :)

Melt about 2 Tbsp of mini chocolate chips in a micro safe small bowl . Dab a TINY bit onto the center of the "top" of the acorn and press a mini chocolate chip onto it. A toothpick or tip of a sharp knife works well. Tah dah! you're done!

Harvest Leaf Jacquard Dining Tablecloth By Collections Etc

Now your guests or family will be all impressed with how creative you are! You can take all the credit. Well, send them to my blog or facebook page (see link below) and I'll love you forever. You're welcome.

Making your life a little sweeter,

Liz
the Party Hostess Diva

www.diyweddingcakeunder50.com

http://www.partyhostessdiva.com

http://www.facebook.com/partyhostesdiva

http://www.twitter.com/hostessinheels

ATTENTION BRIDES; WEDDING CAKE FOR $50

ATTENTION BRIDES! A Wedding cake for under $50 !!

BE THE FIRST TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS LIMITED TIME OFFER!

ATTENTION DIY BRIDES! ATTENTION FRUGAL DIVA'S!

Wilton Fancy Scrolls Cake Stand

The "Do-it-Yourself Wedding Cake for under $50" eBook is FINALLY available! It is a start-to finish, hold your hand along the way tutorial on how to make your own classic and delicious 2 or 3 tiered wedding cake!!(or get an awesome friend to help or do it for you !)

 Includes full color photos and a 40 minute narrated instructional video! This takes the mystery out of "how do they DO that?!" and puts it in your own capable hands. In fact, the method can be used over and over again to make impressive large cakes for other celebration events; Baby showers ..(first comes love, then comes marraige..then comes...? ..in the baby carraige), Christenings, Anniversaries, Birthday Parties, etc.

There is so much more, as well. Advice on transporting your cake, ideas for the cake table, suggestions for DIY cake toppers...resources listed.

Wilton 10 Inch Featherweight Piping Bag

The following link will take you to an information page where you can get it.

http://youtu.be/pC2nePyCcl4


Thanks, in advance, for sharing this with anyone and everyone. There will be a contest on my Pinterest for those who make the cakes using this book. Can't wait!

Making your life a little sweeter,
Liz
The Party Hostess Diva on Facebook
Elizabeth Corbett on Pinterest

3-D Pumpkin Bundt Cake!

If you happened to see the clip of my segment on Ch.22 ,WWLP, on the Mass Appeal show, making this 3-D pumpkin shaped bundt cake, you'll see that the ingredients were posted on their website.

Here are the basic instructions to go with it if you'd like to make this at home. 

Nordic Ware Pro Cast Original Bundt Pan

I didn't have time to demonstrate the face made out of gumdrops, but perhaps that will be a separate blog on "Fun with Gumdrops!" :)

Ingredients:

Cake:

2 classic spice cake mixes

2 ,15 oz. cans of solid pack pumpkin

(2 eggs optional-will improve texture and height)

Icing:

1 stick (1/4 lb) of pure butter

1 (8oz) pkg of cream cheese

4 cups confectioners sugar (1lb)

Scant 1 Tablespoon milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Red food coloring

Yellow food coloring

OR Wilton brand "orange"

Green food coloring

Decorations:

1 unpeeled banana

4 Green Airheads candy strips

OR, my favorite: approx..16-20 green tootsie rolls(found in candy by the pound section)

***Optional: (for jack-o-lantern face)

6 large white gumdrops or spice drops

6 large yellow gumdrops or spice drops

2 Tablespoons chocolate chips, melted

Granulated sugar (1/8 cup)

KitchenAid KSM75WH Classic Plus Tilt-Head 4-1/2-Quart Stand Mixer, White

Cooking Directions:

Grease a 9-10 cup oven safe bundt cake pan, preferably with a shape similar to sections of a pumpkin. Set aside.

Mix one spice cake mix, with one can of solid pack pumpkin and blend well, (using a whisk or electric mixer) ,incorporating the dry mix thoroughly so there are no dry lumps. Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly and bake for approximately 30 min. at 350 degrees. It may take a few minutes longer depending on your oven and the size of the pan.

 Cake is done when the top appears slightly dry and feels firm to the touch, leaving no indentation. Or if a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out dry. Let the cake cool in the pan on a cooling rack until pan is only warm to the touch.

Human Brain Gelatin Mold Halloween Party Prop

Gently loosen sides of cake with a thin rounded metal spatula. Place cooling rack over cake pan and holding firmly, flip over and remove pan so the cake will continue cooling on the rack. Wash and prepare the cake pan for the second bundt cake. Repeat bundt cake pan prep and cake baking as shown above.

Make the icing:

While cakes are cooling, prepare cream cheese icing. Use an electric mixer for best results. Cream softened butter (not melted) and softened cream cheese until very smooth, scraping often, and there are no lumps. Gradually add confectioners sugar, one cup at a time and blend until smooth. Add vanilla extract, blend well.

 Add milk , one teaspoon at a time only if needed, until the icing reaches a smooth and thick consistency. It should hold its shape and not be too runny. You may end up not using any or all the milk.

Remove ½ cup of icing to a small bowl and add several drops of green food coloring until desired hue for a stem. This will cover half the banana.

Wilton 601-5580 1/2-Ounce Certified-Kosher Icing Colors, Set of 12

To the remaining icing , add at least 4 drops each of both red and yellow food coloring, mixing slowly and thoroughly after each addition until it has reached the desired hue for your pumpkin color. Or use Wilton coloring, “orange”. Just a dab with a toothpick until desired color is reached.

Putting it together;

When cakes have cooled completely; (you may even refridgerate them to help cool faster) set one bundt cake on a serving platter or plate,(use a pretty pedastal plate if you have one!)  upside down, so the flat side is on top. With a large serated bread knife, gently even off the top so it is level and very flat. Spread a thin layer of icing onto the cut surface.

For the second bundt cake, level the flat side as above, and gently place it on the first cake, right side up, so the cut sides are together, taking care to line up the ridges, and it now resembles a three dimensional pumpkin shape. 

3 Size Commercial Baker Icing Spatula Set, Baking Spatulas, Cake Decorating Spatulas, Stainless Steel, Flexible Resistant Blades

Carefully spread the orange colored icing over the entire cake, make sure it is not too thick, so it does not run down the sides. Follow the sections of the pumpkin with your spatula so it adds to the effect. Set cake aside.

Open the green airhead candies and microwave them on a paper plate for only 5 seconds at a time at half power, checking often, until they are slightly soft but not melted. You can also warm them with your hand before unwrapping, to make them pliable. Place side by side and flatten with your hands or a rolling pin to make one large piece. With a small sharp knife, cut out one large pumpkin leaf shape. Set aside.

Place whole banana, peel still on, and upside down, inside the center cavity of pumpkin cake and lean it to one side. If the banana goes too far down, you may wedge pieces of the leveled off cake into the center first, then the banana. With green icing, carefully cover only the part that shows. Place green candy leaf next to green iced stem, covering the center hole. Keep cake cool (not refridgerated) until ready to enjoy. Take pictures first! 

Rosanna Small 9-Inch Pedestal, White

***Optional decorations:

You may make a jack-o-lantern face with gumdrops. Place yellow and white gumdrops close together on granulated sugar covered board. Press down, then roll to make into one large flat piece.

 Add granulated sugar on top to keep from sticking to rolling pin. Turn piece often and sprinkle board with granulated sugar. With a small knife, cut out two triangle shapes for eyes, and with the remaining, cut a mouth shape. Set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips in a small mug in the microwave for approximately 60 seconds. Stir and brush just edges of gumdrop eyes and mouth pieces. This will define the shapes when they are on the pumpkin. Chill the pieces until the chocolate is set.

 Press the face pieces onto the side of the cake that you want as the front. If the icing has dried and it won’t stick, gently wet the icing first where you will place the pieces, with a dab of water on your finger, then press the pieces on.

Be sure to place them high enough on the pumpkin so the mouth will show.

Make a comment on my facebook page (see below) if you make this, or on my blog. I'd love to hear from you!

Making your life a little sweeter,

Liz
the Party Hostess Diva

http://www.facebook.com/partyhostessdiva

http://www.pinterest.com/lizcorbett

http://www.twitter.com/hostessinheels

AND MY LATEST PROJECT;

http://www.diyweddingcakeunder50.com

SOUR CREAM PUMPKIN BUNDT CAKE, SOOO GOOD!

SOUR CREAM PUMPKIN BUNDT CAKE has gotten rave reviews, so here is the recipe! I found it on the Libby's (canned) Pumpkin website, just so you know I'm giving credit where it's due. I would want credit for MY recipe.

And I KNOW you were wondering how the name came about so here goes...this is my condensation of information gathered from Wikipedia. 

Nordic Ware Pro Cast Original Bundt Pan

The dessert cake known as a "bundt cake" is baked in a pan 

with a distinctive ring shape and a hole in the middle.

It appears that "bundt" comes from the German ring-shaped 

tea-time cake called, Bundkuchen The word Bundt is used 

instead of bund in a recipe for "Bundt Kuchen. The German 

word bund in bundkuchen was derived from the bundling or 

wrapping of cake dough around the center hole of the pan. 

 The aluminum bundt pan, was trademarked in 1950 by 

H.David Dalquist, the founder of Nordic Ware, based in St.

 Louis Park, Minnesota

 Pillsbury sponsored a baking contest in 1966  and a bundt 

cake won second place. An immediate scramble for the 

pans, prompted the bundt pan to become the most-sold pan

 in the United States. More than 50 million bundt pans have 

been sold by the Nordic Ware company, since it's 

introduction.

Silicone Solutions 12 Cup Fluted Tube Pans

 Let me say that a bundt pan is my first choice, because it is

 so pretty! But this could be made as a layer cake, or a 

simple 9x13. Me personally, I'd go for a fun shape, as shown

 above, in a mini bundt pan. Mine makes 6 minis and it 

bakes faster too.  And it's round like a pumpkin, how cute is

 that?

Nordic Ware Platinum Collection Cast Aluminum Garland Bundt Pan

This recipe also makes wonderful cupcakes. Here are mine, 

coated with orange sugar, pretzel stick stems and piped 

buttercream leaves and vine tendrils. Makes a nice dessert 

presentation, don't you think?

Fall Pumpkin Patch: Orange Leaf Harvest Cupcake Wrappers - Set of 12 - Autumn or Halloween Decorations


SOUR CREAM PUMPKIN BUNDT CAKE
by Libby brand Pumpkin

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened (I did 1 stick + 1/2 cup shortening)
4 large eggs
1 cup Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 container ( 8 oz.) sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 deg.F . Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. 

Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat granulated sugar and butter in a large mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin, sour cream and vanilla extract; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool for 30 minutes in pan on wire rack. Invert onto wire rack to cool completely. 
_________________________________________________
The original recipe also includes a streusel filling. I did not use it because I was icing it with cream cheese frosting and didn't want it too sweet. You could do the streusel and eliminate the frosting. Here are the streusel ingredients if you want to use it:

STREUSEL
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons butter or margarine

combine brown sugar, cinnamon and allspice in a small bowl, cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture is crumbly.

OXO Good Grips Dough Blender with Blades

To assemble in cake, spoon HALF of the batter into prepared pan, sprinkle streusel over batter, not allowing streusel to touch sides of pan. Top with remaining batter. Make sure batter layer touches edges of pan.

_________________________________________________


Now to Make the Cream Cheese Icing:

CREAM CHEESE ICING

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened (not melted)
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In mixer,blend softened butter and cream cheese until very smooth. Gradually add confectioners sugar, mixing on low, and scraping bowl often. Add the vanilla extract. Add milk, one teaspoon at a time until desired consistency.

When cake has cooled completely, spoon icing over top edge and spread it partially down the sides, allowing it to run down in delicious, uneven rivers. Some of the cake should be exposed. This is the classic way to ice a bundt cake. Leftover icing? Store in a covered container and spoon additional gooey goodness onto slices if desired. Cream cheese icing is also lovely on toasted cinnamon raisin bread instead of butter or jam. 

Let me know if you've made this recipe and what you thought. I'd love to hear from you!

Making your life a little sweeter,

Liz
The Party Hostess Diva

my newly released book! :

http://www.diyweddingcakeunder50.com

http://www.facebook.com/partyhostessdiva

http://www.pinterest.com/lizcorbett

http://www.twitter.com/hostessinheels

12 Random Food Facts !

You may wonder why I have a photo of sliced cheese and foil....well, now that I have your attention, here are 12 random interesting facts about food. You will pick up at LEAST one tip you didn't know. Ready? here we go:

1. Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and no mold.

Bamboo Cheese Tools Case and Cutting Board

2. Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to pick the little "stringy things" off of it. Thanks how the primates do it.

3. Take your bananas apart when you bring them home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster. (unless you want them to)

Palmer Wholesale - Banana Slicer Safely cut perfect pieces

4. Bell peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating. Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

5. Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.

6. To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich, add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream and then whisk thoroughly.

7. For a nice brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty topping.

8. Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic and at the end of the recipe if you want a stronger garlic taste.

Norpro 1064 Garlic Baker/Tortilla Warmer

9. Leftover Snickers bars from Halloween treats make a delicious dessert. Simply chop them up . Peel core and slice a few apples. Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Serve alone or a la mode.

10. Reheating pizza; Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro-pizza.

Pizza: More than 60 Recipes for Delicious Homemade Pizza

11. Reheating refridgerated bread; To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refridgerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

12.  Goodbye fruit flies !! To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, put in 1/2 inch of apple cider vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid, mix well. You will find those flies can't  resist, and then they are "gone". 

Next post will be back to your previously scheduled sweets and recipes.

Making your life a little sweeter,

Liz

The Party Hostess Diva

http://www.facebook.com/partyhostessdiva

http://www.pinterest.com/lizcorbett

http;//www.twitter.com/hostessinheels

AND my latest project:

http://www.diyweddingcakeunder50.com

What is GLUTEN FREE, anyway? In this case, DELICIOUS !

GLUTEN-FREE = Delicious !

 Coconut Almond Cupcakes
with Orange zest infused Buttercream. 

Bob's Red Mill Almond Meal/Flour, 16-Ounce Packages (Pack of 4)

When searching for a gluten-free cupcake recipe, I came across a great one on the bag of almond meal/ flour. I have used this numerous times since then given the hearty positive feedback. 

What exactly is gluten and eating gluten free? Well, simply put, gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, barley, rye, malts and triticale.

Some people have an autoimmune disease called Celiac Disease, which is triggered by gluten. The body attacks the lining of the small intestine, causing malabsorption and unpleasant symptoms.

Living Gluten-Free For Dummies

There seems to be alot of talk of gluten -free these days, some think it's even a weight -loss diet. Well, there are those who have found they have a gluten addiction and when it was eliminated from their everyday diet, they lost weight. 

It is good to know some gluten free recipes, and this one is a winner. In fact, I would choose this recipe over some regular cupcake recipes. You have to like both coconut and almond flavors, and I happen to LOVE both! I have been baking for years and years, but I am now expanding my learning and experience to include gluten-free recipes as well. My gluten- free friends are exited as they can now enjoy some of my treats. 

HIC Brands that Cook Essentials Silicone 12-Cup Muffin Pan

When baking gluten free you must find a substitute for flour which contains gluten,(all purpose flour, whole wheat, etc.) Some common substitutions and additions to a recipe include: almond flour, coconut flour, sorghum flour, xanthan gum, and potato starch. Since baking is essentially based on basic chemistry, you can't simply make a substitution of one thing for another. Your results may be less than desirable. I recommend trying a recipe that is designed to be gluten free and then follow the suggestions for substitutions.

I discovered the following recipe on a bag of almond (meal)flour by Bob's Red Mill. I'm not a big fan of the xanthan gum or sorghum flour and this one uses neither. Everyone's taste is different , so experimentation is a must.


Bob's Red Mill Organic Coconut Flour, 16-Ounce Units (Pack of 4)  

Magically Moist Almond Cake

3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar (organic is best)
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla 
1 1/2 cups almond meal flour
1/2 cup organic coconut flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder


Cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Add in eggs, one at a time, and beat until fully blended in. Add milk and vanilla, and mix until combined. In a separate bowl, combine flours, salt and baking powder.

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and beat until creamy.

Spread into a greased 9"x 13" pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. For cupcakes, spoon into greased cupcake tins or cupcake liners and bake for approx. 18 minutes. Look for light golden brown on edges.

Serve with fresh fruit and whipped cream.

Wholesome Sweeteners Fair Trade Organic Sugar, 16-Ounce Pouches (Pack of 12)

Let me know if you tried this recipe and if you liked it. The photo shows orange zest buttercream on the standard and mini sized cupcakes. Find my buttercream recipe in the blog, "The Perfect Cupcake" and substitute half of the milk or cream with orange juice and add 1 tablespoon of fresh grated orange zest.

You could even make this VEGAN by using an egg replacer such as "Ener-G" and almond milk for the dairy milk.

Ener-G Foods Egg Replacer, 16-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 4)

Enjoy!

making your life a little sweeter,

Liz

The Party Hostess Diva on Facebook
Hostess in Heels on Twitter
Elizabeth Corbett on Pinterest

my latest project:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pC2nePyCcl4&feature=youtu.be

TIRAMISU BROWNIE DESSERT -layers of luscious with a nip of kahlua

TIRAMISU BROWNIE TRIFLE

Here is a recipe I recently tried for a "girls night out" dessert, with rave reviews.

Warning: it is rich and decadent. Proceed with caution. ;)

I have a beautiful Trifle bowl and wanted an excuse to use it again. Who doesn't love Tiramisu, and especially when it's easily layered into this beautiful version. A touch of coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua makes it extra yummy. Another thing I like about this recipe is that unlike classic Tiramisu, there are no raw eggs and the ingredients aren't quite so expensive. Your guests will love it just the same, maybe even better. 

Anchor Hocking Presence Trifle Bowl

When serving, use a LONG handled large serving spoon and go straight down to get a little of each layer in every serving.

As with many trifle recipes, you make this ahead and let it hang out in the refridgerator for awhile. It gives the flavors a chance to get to know each other.



Here is my adaptation from a Pampered Chef (R) recipe:

Complete Elegant Regency Line 5-Piece Flatware Serving Set, Utensil Serving Set, Buffet Banquet Serving Spoons, Serving Forks, 18/8 Gauge Stainless Steel


TIRAMISU BROWNIE TRIFLE

1 pkg.(18-21 oz) fudge brownie mix (plus ingred. to make it)
2 containers (16 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1  cup of mini dark chocolate chips
**1/2-1 cup of Kahlua (R), divided
1/2 cup of water
3 tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 pkg.(8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
2 pkg (3.3 oz) vanilla instant pudding/pie filling

Preheat oven to 375 deg. Grease or line with parchment paper, a 9x13 inch baking pan. Prepare and bake brownie mix according to package directions for "cake like" brownies.
Set aside to cool completely.

Meanwhile for filling; combine 1/2 cup coffee liquor, water and instant coffee in a small bowl, stir until dissolved. Set aside.

In a 4 quart mixing bowl, whisk cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add coffee mixture to cream cheese, whisk until smooth. Add pudding mix  to cream cheese mixture; whisk until mixture begins to thicken. Set aside 3/4 cup of the whipped topping and fold in the rest with the filling mixture. Set aside.

Paper Products Bev.nap 1 Cocktail Away

When brownies are cool, carefully brush the top evenly with approximately 1/2 cup of Kahlua (R). Then cut the pan into 12 equal squares. Carefully lift out each square, and on a cutting board, cut each of those into thirds, then each strip into thirds or fourths. Your goal is to have small even cubes to layer in the trifle bowl. 

To assemble the trifle, place one third of the brownie cubes into the bottom of the trifle bowl. Spoon one third of the filling evenly over the brownie cubes, smooth with a spoon or spatula. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the dark chocolate chips evenly over the filling. 

Repeat layers two more times. On the third sprinkle of chocolate chips, save out about half of it. Then on the very top, spoon plain whipped topping and scatter remaining dark chocolate chips on top of that as a garnish.

Cover the trifle bowl and chill from 1 hour to overnight. Keeps, covered, in refridgerator for up to several days.(as IF there will be leftovers!) This is very rich, serve a cold or hot drink with it.

Yield 20 servings. (that's what the recipe says, but obviously know one will know how many, it'll be our little secret)  (wink)

Boston Warehouse Dessert Excuses Cocktail Plate Set

** To make a substitution for coffee liqueur, combine 3/4 cup water, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tbsp. instant coffee granules and 1 tsp rum extract. microwave on high for 2/3 minutes until sugar is dissolved. chill before using.


making your life a little sweeter,

Liz
The Party Hostess Diva
http://facebook.com/partyhostessdiva

http://youtu.be/pC2nePyCcl4