Romantic Chocolate Triffle

Ingredients:

3 cups cold milk
2 small packages chocolate instant pudding
1 tub of 8-oz COOL WHIP French Vanilla Whipped Topping (thawed)
1 already baked 9-inch square brownie layer, cooled and crumbled into 1-inch pieces
1 pt. (2 cups) raspberries

Proceedure:

Beat milk and dry pudding mixes in large bowl with wire whisk about 2 minutes until blended. Let set in refrigerator at least 3 hours.
Gently stir in 1 cup of the whipped topping.
Evenly lay out half of the brownies pieces in a 2-qt. glass serving bowl, punch bowl or triffle bowl Top with half of the pudding
Top with half of the whipped topping
Top with half of the berries
Top with the rest of the brownie pieces
Top with the rest of the pudding
Top with the rest of the whipped topping
Top with the rest of the berries
REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Thank you Kraft for this delicious recipe

RED VELVET CUPCAKES

Cake Ingredients:
1.5 sugar
1 stick slightly softened butter

2 eggs, room temperature
2 1/3 cups flour
2 TBSP cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
1.5 TBSP red food coloring
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp distilled white vinegar

Frosting Ingredients:
1 stick softened butter
8 oz softened cream cheese
2 to 3 cups powdered sugar (to your taste)
1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Mix butter and sugar in an electric mixer for 3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time until each is fully blended in. Set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

In a third, bowl whisk together the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla extract, and red food coloring.
Now add a fourth of the dry ingredients into the buttermilk mixture

Next, add a third of the wet to the buttermilk mixture.

Slowly add some of the dry and then some of the wet ingredients into the buttermilk mixture, blending completely after each addition

Scoop into cupcake papers, about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way full.

Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool for one minute in the pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Now make the frosting-

Cream the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes.

Add vanilla extract and mix.
Add powdered sugar gradually, continually tasting to get to desired sweetness.

Spread onto cooled cupcakes.

Cheery Cherry Valentine's Day Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup finely chopped dried cherries
2.5 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup very cold butter
12 oz white baking/candy making chocolate, chopped
1/2 tsp vanilla
1-3 drops red food coloring
2 tsp shortening
Optional - red/pink sprinkles or red/pink sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 F.
In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar.
Cut in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
Stir in chopped cherries and 2/3 cup of the chopped white chocolate.
Stir in vanilla and food coloring (you choose how pink or red).
Knead mixture until it forms a smooth ball.
Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls.
Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet
Flatten balls to 1.5 inches wide
Sprinkle tops with some regular sugar and gently press it into the dough
Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes
Once done, cool for a few minutes then transfer to waxed paper.
In a small saucepan, combine remaining white chocolate and shortening.
While constantly stirring, heat over low heat until melted and consistency of syrup.
Dip a spoon into the melted chocolate and let some drizzle off the spoon onto the middle of each cookie, covering most of the top surface.
Sprinkle tops with colored sprinkles or sugar while chocolate is still wet.