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.
* Make guests feel pampered by leaving a goodnight Hug and Kiss on their hotel room pillow.
Decorations and 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.
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.
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 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 13-by-9-by-2-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-by-1 1/3 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. 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.
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Cinnamon Chips Brunch Crescents
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 375F. 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. 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 percent) 1 minute; stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth.
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Tuxedo Brownie Hugs Cookies
60 Hershey's Hugs Chocolates
1 package (1 pound 6.5 ounces) original
supreme brownie mix with syrup pouch
1/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1. Remove wrappers from Hugs Chocolates. Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
2. Stir brownie mix, pouch of syrup, cocoa, water, oil and eggs in medium bowl until well blended. Drop by scant teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet.
3. Bake 8 minutes or until set. Cool 1 to 2 minutes. Press a Hugs Chocolate into center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 5 dozen cookies.
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Wedding Cake Topper
Completed craft is for decorative purposes only and should not be eaten.
Materials Needed:
* 65 each Hershey's Kisses Chocolates
and Kisses With Almonds Chocolates
* Low temperature hot glue gun
* Floral wire
* Clear cellophane wrap
* 2 packages white silk rose leaves, approximately 1 1/4 inches long
* Floral tape
* 1 plastic bouquet holder with Styrofoam center (available at craft stores)
* 5 yards 1/4-inch wide silver wired ribbon
* 1 bunch baby's breath
* 3 yards 2-inch wide gold edged white ribbon
Kisses Rosette Decorations: Spread glue on bottom of one foil-wrapped Kiss. Firmly press bottom of another Kiss to it. Insert a 3-inch floral wire into one pointed end of double Kisses. Wrap 4-inch square of clear cellophane around the double Kisses, twisting tightly. At bottom of rosette, place one white silk rose leaf; wrap floral tape around wire and leaf stem. Continue wrapping tape down the stem, adding second leaf approximately 1 inch below the first.
Cake Topper: Create seven each of silver and gold Kisses Rosette Decorations. Arrange rosettes by inserting stems into Styrofoam center of bouquet holder, alternating silver and gold rosettes. Decorate with curls of silver ribbon and sprigs of baby's breath.
