How Sweet It Is - Recipes from the Stars

Instead of thanking the Academy, your guests may want to thank you for an advance peek at those desserts and snacks favored by their favorite television and movie stars.

For example, Bryan Cranston, who stars on FOX's "Malcolm in the Middle," says that Chocolate Decadence with Raspberry Sauce is one of his favorite recipes. "It is a really easy dessert to make, but when served, it seems really elegant, which makes people think I'm a fabulous cook. So I call it Chocolate Decadence Deception. It adds a bit of mystery to the recipe," said Cranston.

Chocolate Decadence Deception

• 1 cup Karo light corn syrup, divided
• 16 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups heavy cream, divided
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 10-ounce package frozen raspberries, thawed

1. Line a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap. In a large saucepan, stir 1/2 cup Karo, chocolate and butter over medium heat until melted.

2. In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup of the cream with the egg yolks; add to the chocolate mixture. Cook 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly; cool to room temperature.

3. Separately, beat the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cream, sugar and vanilla at medium speed until soft peaks form. Fold into the chocolate mixture until just combined. Pour into loaf pan; cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or chill in the freezer for 3 hours.

4. For sauce, puree raspberries; strain to remove seeds. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of Karo. Serve over Chocolate Decadence.

For a professional touch, decorate your pie plate with a swirl of corn syrup and top with cinnamon or colored sugar. Tap plate to remove excess.

Some tips that will help you make this entertainment season a breeze:

• Be sure to have staple baking ingredients such as sugar, flour, Argo corn starch, corn syrup and margarine on hand.
• To help your holiday pies and cakes stay put, add a dab of corn syrup to the plate to keep the dessert in place.
• Mix corn syrup with crushed fruit or preserves to make an easy and delicious topping on ice cream, cakes and pancakes.
• Use parchment paper when baking on cookie sheets to keep your clean-up to a minimum.

The deception of this delicious chocolate dessert is that guests won't know it's so easy to make.

Courtesy of NAPSnet.