Slow Cooker Hot Fudge-Cherry Pudding Cake

For the cake:
1 1/4 C. all purpose flour
3/4 C. sugar
1/4 C. unsweetened baking cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. milk
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. almond extract
12 oz. bag frozen dark, sweet cherries, thawed, coarsely chopped, and drained

For the pudding:
1 C. sugar
1/4 C. unsweetened baking cocoa
dash salt
1 1/3 C. boiling water

For the topping:
1/4 C. semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 C. slivered almonds

Spray 3-4 qt. slow cooker with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix first 5 cake ingredients. Stir in milk, butter, and almond extract until well blended. Stir in cherries. Spread batter evenly in cooker.
In a small bowl, mix all pudding ingredients except water. Sprinkle evenly over batter in cooker. Carefully pour water over sugar mixture to moisten completely.
Cover and cook on high 1-1 1/2 hrs. or until top springs back when touched lightly (center will still be soft).
Turn off cooker; let stand uncovered 20 min. to cool slightly. Sprinkle with chips and almonds; cover and let stand another 5 min. to soften chips.

Chocolate Fondue

• 1C. whipping cream
• 3 (4-ounce) semisweet chocolate bars, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. coffee liqueur or other flavored liqueur
• Assorted cookies, pretzel sticks, fruit, marshmallows
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• Microwave whipping cream and chocolate in a microwave-safe glass bowl on high 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth. Stir in liqueur.
• Transfer to a fondue pot; keep warm, stirring occasionally. Serve with cookies, pretzels, fruit, and marshmallows.

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies

• 1 C. butter, softened
• 1 C. sugar
• 1 C. firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 C. uncooked quick-cooking oats
• 2 C. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 11.5 oz. package semisweet chocolate chunks
• 2 (1.55 oz. each) milk chocolate candy bars, grated
• 1 C. chopped pecans, toasted
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• Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until blended.
• Pulse oats in a food processor to a fine powder. Combine oats, flour, and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl; gradually add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in chocolate chunks, grated chocolate bars, and pecans. Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets.
• Bake at 375° for 10 to 14 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Cheesecake with White Truffle Sauce

Cheesecake:
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 C. sugar
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
3 eggs
8 oz. bittersweet baking chocolate, melted and cooled
fresh raspberries or strawberries, if desired

Sauce:
6 oz. white chocolate baking bars, chopped
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 C. whipping cream

Heat oven to 275 degrees. Lightly spray bottom and sides of a 9 in. springform pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in flour. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in chocolate. Pour into pan.
Bake about 1 hr. 15 min. or until center is set. (Do not insert a knife into the center, as this may cause the cheesecake to crack.) Cool at room temperature 15 min.
Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cover and refrigerate about 3 hrs or until chilled.
Meanwhile, in a 2 qt. saucepan, melt white chocolate and butter over very low heat, stirring constantly (mixture will be thick and grainy). Remove from heat. Stir in whipping cream until smooth. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hrs or until chilled.
Run knife around sides of springform pan again and remove sides. Let cheesecake stand at room temperature 15 min. before cutting. Drizzle sauce over cheesecake and top with berries. Store in refrigerator.

Mississippi Mud Cake

• 1 C. butter, melted 
• 2 C. sugar
• 1/2 C. unsweetened cocoa
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 C. coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
• 10.5-ounce bag miniature marshmallows
• prepared chocolate frosting (see comment for homemade recipe)
  
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• Whisk together melted butter and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in flour and chopped pecans. Pour batter into a greased and floured 15- x 10-inch jellyroll pan.
• Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 min. or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; top warm cake evenly with marshmallows. Return to oven, and bake 5 minutes.
• Remove foil seal from frosting and heat in microwave 30 sec. Stir and drizzle chocolate frosting over warm cake. Cool completely.

S'mores Tiramisu

14 graham cracker sheets
1/2 C. cold whipping cream
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 egg yolks
1/2 C. sugar
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. orange liqueur (2 Tbsp. milk may be substituted)
1 C. brewed espresso or double-strength coffee, at room temperature
2 (1.55 oz. each) milk chocolate candy bars, chopped
2 C. miniature marshmallows
1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa
mint sprigs for garnish, if desired

Break each graham cracker sheet into 4 equal parts along perforations. Remove and reserve 2 graham cracker pieces.
Beat whipping cream and vanilla at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Cover and chill.
Meanwhile, bring a small amount of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk together egg yolks and sugar in a medium stainless steel bowl. Place metal bowl with egg mixture over boiling water in saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch boiling water. Whisk egg mixture constantly over boiling water 6-7 min. or until candy thermometer registers 165 degrees. Transfer to a small bowl; cover and chill 15 min. or until cool.
Beat cream cheese at medium speed 30 seconds or until creamy. Gradually add cooled egg mixture and orange liqueur, beating until smooth. Gently fold in whipped cream mixture.
Place espresso in a shallow dish or bowl. Quickly dip 18 graham cracker pieces, one at a time, into espresso, and place in an 8 in. square baking dish to cover bottom. Spread 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture evenly over crackers. Repeat layers twice. Sprinkle with chopped chocolate and top with marshmallows.
Broil 5 inches from heat 30 sec. to 1 min. or until marshmallows are puffed and golden. Let cool 10 min. Dust with cocoa. Cover and chill at least 6 hrs.
Break each reserved graham cracker into thirds. Insert one corner of 1 graham cracker into the top of each serving. Garnish, if desired.

Triple Chocolate Pound Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 C. sour cream
1 C. canola oil
4 eggs
1/2 C. hot water
1/4 C. sugar
3.9 oz. box instant chocolate pudding, dry
1 C. semisweet chocolate chips
butter and flour or Baker's Joy to prepare pan
powdered sugar for garnish, if desired

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a tube cake pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except chocolate chips. Using an electric mixer on medium, beat 2 min. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan and bake 1 hr. Cool in pan 15 min, then turn out onto cooling rack. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar for garnish, if desired.