Delicious ways to personalize your wedding

Whether planning an intimate brunch or a formal dinner reception, here are several delicious ways every bride and groom can add their own special touch to their wedding festivities.

Greeting Out-of-Town Guests

• For a sweet way to surprise visitors, have homemade cookies, a thermos of cold milk or hot cocoa and some Hugs and Kisses waiting for hotel guests.

Dessert Ideas for

Wedding Festivities

• For a small wedding or rehearsal dinner, make your own Celebration Cake, and decorate it with a removable centerpiece made from Hugs and Kisses.

• For an extra dessert treat, set a silver bowl filled with Hugs and Kisses on the dessert buffet next to the wedding cake.

• Host a post-wedding brunch for the bride and groom at the home of a family member or friend, and serve home­­made coffee­cakes, scones and crescents made with cinnamon chips.

Decorations & Favors With Flair

• Spread Hugs and Kisses across the place card, guest book and wedding cake tables to add a sophisticated silver and gold touch.

• Wrap several homemade sweets in colored cellophane or Hugs and Kisses in lace or tulle, and tie them with a satin bow to match your wedding colors.

Monogrammed Mini Chocolate Cakes

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

1/2 cup water

3 tablespoons Hershey’s Cocoa

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/3 cup dairy sour cream

COCOA GLAZE (recipe follows)

Decorating icing in tube, desired color

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line 13x9x2-inch baking pan with parchment paper or waxed paper.

2. Combine butter, water and cocoa in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils; remove from heat. Stir together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Stir in hot cocoa mixture. Add egg and sour cream; beat on medium speed of mixer until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack; carefully remove parchment or waxed paper. Cool completely.

4. Cut cake into small pieces, each about 2×1-3/4 inches. (Cake will be easier to cut if frozen for several hours or up to several days.) Place on cooling rack. Prepare COCOA GLAZE. Spoon over top of each piece of cake, allowing glaze to run down sides. Allow glaze to set. Garnish with monogram, using decorating icing. Place in foil cup, if desired.

Makes about 24 mini cakes.

COCOA GLAZE: Bring 1/2 cup water and 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter to boil in small saucepan. Stir in 1/2 cup Hershey’s Cocoa. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Gradually add 3 cups powdered sugar, stirring with whisk until smooth. Stir in 2 tea­spoons vanilla extract. About 1-1/2 cups glaze.

Easy Cinnamon Chips Brunch Crecents

2 cans (8 ounces each) refrigerated quick

crescent dinner rolls

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1-2/3 cups (10-ounce package) Hershey’s

Cinnamon Chips, divided

CINNAMON CHIPS DRIZZLE (recipe follows)

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Unroll dough; separate into 16 triangles.

2. Spread melted butter on each triangle. Sprinkle 1 cup cinna­mon chips evenly over triangles; gently press chips into dough. Roll from shortest side of triangle to opposite point. Place, point side down, on ungreased cookie sheet; curve into crescent shape.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Drizzle with Cinnamon Chips Drizzle. Serve warm.

Makes 16 crescents.

CINNAMON CHIPS DRIZZLE: Place remaining 2/3 cup chips and 1-1/2 teaspoons shortening (do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil) in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 1 minute; stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth.

David Martinelli

David Martinelli has worked for the Mountain Democrat since 1999. He currently is the Online Editor at the newspaper.

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