Midnight Madness Recipes

MIDNIGHT MINT BARS

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, heat the butter, cocoa and sugar over low heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring often.
• Remove from the heat.
• Stir in a small amount of hot mixture into egg; return all to pan.
• Cook and stir until mixture coats a metal spoon and reaches 160.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in cracker crumbs, coconut and walnuts.
• Press into a buttered 9 inch square pan; set aside.
• For filling, in a small mixing bowl, beat butter, confectioners sugar, milk and extract until smooth.
• Tint with food coloring if desired.
• Spread evenly over bottom layer; set aside.
• For topping, in a heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips and butter over low heat until blended and smooth, stirring often.
• Remove from heat.
• Cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
• Spread over filling.
• Cover and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
• Cut into bars.
• Store in the refrigerator.

MIDNIGHT MADNESS CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups or spray with cooking spray. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for cupcakes, using water, oil and eggs. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Spoon frosting into medium bowl; tint with purple food color. Frost cupcakes. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Top with rock candy. Cut out each snack cake to look like crescent moon. Garnish cupcakes with moon cutouts.

CHOCOLATE MIDNIGHT MADNESS

Steps:

• In a large bowl with the mixer at moderate speed, beat cream cheese and the all-purpose cream until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in chocolate and vanilla until smooth.
• Pour into the pie crust; place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 300° C in an oven 30 to 35 minutes or until set.
• Chill 4 hours. Serve cold. Drizzle with the peppermint syrup, if desired.