Best Treasure Chest Recipes

TREASURE CHEST CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with baking spray with flour. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan--except use 1 cup water, the oil and eggs. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• From center of cake, cut one 3-inch crosswise strip (see diagram). Cut the strip diagonally in half to make two 9-inch triangular wedges. (Discard 1 cake wedge or reserve for another use.)
• On tray, place a 9x5-inch cake piece. Stir food colors into frosting to make golden yellow. Spread 1 tablespoon of frosting on 1 edge of triangular wedge of cake. Attach wedge, frosting side down, to 9x5-inch cake piece on tray, placing wedge along top edge of larger cake piece. Freeze all cake pieces 1 hour.
• Spread 1 tablespoon of frosting on top edge of triangular wedge of cake. Attach remaining 9x5-inch cake piece to cake wedge to look like partially opened treasure chest. To seal crumbs, frost cake with a thin layer of frosting. Refrigerate or freeze 30 to 60 minutes to set frosting. Spread remaining frosting evenly over entire cake. Pull fork through frosting to look like wood grain.
• Use pull-and-peel licorice to make handles and straps. Fill chest with chocolate coins, candy necklaces, and other hard candies. Add gummy ring half for clasp. Store loosely covered.

TREASURE CHEST BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• In two batches, prepare and bake cakes according to package directions, using two greased and floured 13-in. x 9-in. baking pans. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to cool on wire racks., In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy; beat in the chocolate, vanilla, confectioners' sugar and enough milk to achieve spreading consistency. Center one cake on a 16-in. x 12-in. covered board; frost top. Top with remaining cake; frost top and sides of cake. With a metal spatula, smooth frosting to resemble boards., For chest lid, insert 4-in. skewers equally spaced into one long side of corrugated cardboard lid. Frost top of lid. Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert star tip #21. Pipe a shell border on edges of lid and for handles on side of chest., Place one 7-1/2-in. skewer on each side of cake top, about 3-1/2 in. from back of chest. Position lid over cake; gently insert short skewers into cake about 1 in. from back of chest. Rest lid on long skewers., Arrange candy in chest. Cut a small keyhole from a Fruit Roll-Up; center on front of cake. Position strips of Fruit Roll-Ups on front and back of chest.

TREASURE CHEST BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven 350 Grease and flour 15x10x1" jelly roll pan.
• Cream butter, white sugar and brown sugar.
• Add flour, baking powder, salt, milk, vanilla and eggs.
• Blend at medium speed until smooth.
• Stir in cherries, chocolate chips and nuts.
• Spread in pan.
• Bake 25-30 minutes until lightly browned.
• Icing: combine powdered sugar, butter, milk and vanilla.
• Spread on warm bars.
• Drizzle 1/2 square melted unsweetened chocolate over bars.
• Cool and cut.

TREASURE CHEST CAKE

Steps:

• Squeeze the juice from the orange, and then remove the white from the peel. Place the peel, nuts and raisins in a food processor, and grind coarsely. Add the orange juice to the nut mixture.
• Cream the shortening and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat the egg, and add it to the creamed mixture.
• Sift together the flour, soda, baking powder, and spices. Add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk to the creamed mixture. Stir in 3/4 of the nut mixture, and reserve the rest for the icing.
• Pour batter into a greased and floured 10 inch square pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 1 hour. Cool.
• To Make Frosting: Blend the cream and vanilla with the confectioners' sugar in a small mixing bowl. Add the remaining nut mixture and the grated orange rind. Frost the cooled cake with this icing.

TREASURE CHEST

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to the batter and mix well. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Spread into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. With a sharp knife, cut into four 7-1/2x5-in. pieces. Center one piece on a 15-in.-square covered board; frost the top. Repeat layers twice. Top with the last piece., Cut ends from the oatmeal container and discard; cut remaining portion into a 7-1/2-in. piece. Cut in half lengthwise to form lid (discard remaining pieces). Cover lid with foil. Frost to within 1 in of one long side. Carefully insert the unfrosted edge between second and third layers of chest. Frost top and sides of chest., Cut two licorice pieces into 7-1/2-in. lengths and two into 5-in. lengths; place horizontally around top edges of chest. From the remaining licorice, cut six 2-3/4-in. pieces and six 1/2-in. pieces. Press one 2-3/4-in. piece onto each corner and two vertically on the front of the chest., For handles, center a Lifesaver on the front and each side of chest; press two 1/2-in. licorice pieces on either side of Lifesavers. Press three jelly beans on either side of front chest handle between licorice pieces (see photo). Fill the top of the chest with chocolate coins, remaining jelly beans and lollipop rings if desired. Sprinkle brown sugar around chest for sand., To serve, remove and discard lid. Divide candy among plates. Cut treasure chest with a sharp knife and place on plates.

CRÈME DE BRIE TREASURE CHEST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Place 1 sheet of puff pastry on a flat surface and brush the top of the entire sheet with egg wash. Place remaining sheet directly on top and roll lightly with a rolling pin to assure adherence to the bottom sheet. Divide the sheet into 6 or 8 rectangles. Score each rectangle with a knife inside the edge about ½ inch to create a lid. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown and completely risen. Let cool to room temperature. Carefully remove scored section for lid and remove any excess puff pastry for the interior to form hollow cavity. Set aside. In a large sauté pan heat oil over medium high heat. Sauté scallops and shrimp for 1 minute. Add vegetables and deglaze with Brandy. Reduce heat. Add Alouette® Crème de Brie and milk or cream and bring to a simmer. Place 1 puff pastry chest in the center of a plate and spoon in seafood mixture. Garnish with cut scallions and top with puff pastry lid. Serve immediately.

TREASURE CHEST CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Mix all marinade ingredients in a large zip lock or large container with lid.
• Make 3 or 4 deep slashes in each chicken breast.
• Add all the remaining ingredients (the veggies, fruit and chicken) to the container with marinade and toss to coat evenly. Put contents into large baking pan reserving as much of the marinade as possible and arrange the chicken so that is on top. Rub the remaining marinade all over the chicken and into the slashes.
• Place in oven on an upper rack. After 40 minutes for bone-in chicken and 30 minutes for boneless chicken check to see if the chicken is no longer pink. If your vegetables are cut into larger chunks make sure they do not need additional cooking time at this point. If so, remove chicken and keep warm and return veggies to the oven.
• For a crisp skin turn broiler on for 5 minutes before removing from oven.

TREASURE CHEST CAKE

Steps:

• cut 1/2 inch slice off top of cake set aside.
• Hollow out center of cake leaving 1/2 in.
• shell on bottom and sides.
• Spoon 1 cup of the whipped topping into cake shell.
• Frost sides with 1 1/2 cups whipped toping.
• Refrigerate Just before serving, place assorted jewels over whipped topping in the cake shell.
• Angle reserved cake slice over jewels using pretzel rod pieces in each side, to resemble open chest lid.
• Frost slice with remaining whipped topping.
• Decorate cake with candies.
• Add pretzels for handles.

MERINGUE TREASURE CHEST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Trace a 9-inch circle on parchment paper and turn over; set aside.
• Beat egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until foamy. Add salt, vanilla powder, and lemon juice; beat to combine. With the mixer running, gradually add sugar; beat until stiff peaks form and sugar has dissolved. Using a rubber spatula, transfer egg whites to circle traced on parchment, mounding in the center.
• Transfer to oven and bake for 1 1/4 hours. Turn off oven heat and let meringue cool completely in oven.
• Place chocolate and 2 tablespoons water in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until melted. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment beat together heavy cream and confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form. Whisk in vanilla. Gently fold chocolate mixture into whipped cream.
• Remove meringue from oven and, using a serrated knife, cut in half horizontally and remove top portion; set aside. Mound whipped cream in the bottom half and top with remaining half. Serve immediately.

HIDDEN TREASURE CHEST CAKE

Steps:

• Microwave chocolate and cream in large microwaveable bowl on MEDIUM (50%) 2 to 3 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 1-1/2 min. Cool slightly. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating with electric mixer on high speed until mixture is well blended and of desired spreading consistency.
• Use a serrated knife to cut off top one third of cake. Set top aside. Place bottom of cake on large serving platter; spread with chocolate frosting. Scatter candies and some of the coins around cake as desired. Replace top of cake; spread with the remaining chocolate frosting to resemble a treasure chest.
• Decorate top of chest with string licorice and some of the remaining candies. Sprinkle wafer crumbs onto platter to resemble sand. Arrange any remaining coins and candy in "sand." Store in refrigerator.

TREASURE CHEST BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan. In large bowl, combine all bar ingredients except chocolate, cherries and nuts. Blend at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. By hand, stir in chocolate, cherries and nuts spread in greased and floured pan. Bake at 350°F. for 25 to 30 minutes or until light golden brown.In small heavy saucepan over medium heat, brown butter until light golden brown, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons milk blend until smooth and of desired spreading consistency. Spread over warm bars. Cool completely.HIGH ALTITUDE - Above 3,500 feet: No change.Nutrition Per Serving (1 bar): Calories 120 Protein 2g Carbohydrate 15g Fat 6g Sodium 55mgFrom "Pillsbury Best of the Bake-Off® Cookbook." Copyright 2004 General Mills. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.