The Jewish holiday Hanukkah begins at Sunset on December 11th. It is a time to gather with friends and family and to celebrate old and new traditions. Why not start some new traditions this year?
Such memory-filled moments should be captured and shared year after year. A perfect way to do this is to make a Hanukkah scrapbook, a family heirloom to be shared with future generations.
Collect mementos from dinners and gatherings with family and friends. Using a digital camera, take plenty of pictures of your decorated dinner table, family or friends enjoying each others company, and pictures of the children playing traditional Hanukkah games. Include mementos such as matchbooks or napkins from restaurants, a child’s handmade drawing, or a special Hanukkah card that just arrived in the mail. Don’t forget to label pictures in your scrapbook with names, and dates so these memories can be relived for years to come.
The great thing about a family tradition is that it’s never too late to start one, so if your family doesn’t have any Hanukkah traditions you can start one this year!
A tradition that will be passed down from child to child is as simple as decorating the house together or baking cookies. Forgo a gift in lieu of donating to a charity.
If all the members of your family really like to eat almonds, play the Dreidel game using almonds instead of the customary gelt. Maybe nobody in your family can carry a tune, in which case, starting the tradition of reciting the Hanukkah blessings instead of singing them may be in order.
What ever traditions you decide to carry on or start, may your holiday be blessed and full of peace. All King’s Cupboard sauces are Kosher Dairy Certified

THE KING’S CUPBOARD BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

This is a fabulous “do ahead” recipe for any special occasion. It should be made at a minimum of 8 hours (up to 2 days) before serving. The chocolate wafers absorb moisture from the mousse and assume a cake texture.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups chilled heavy cream
10 oz jar of The King’s Cupboard Bittersweet Chocolate sauce
9 oz package of chocolate wafers
shaved bittersweet chocolate (garnish)
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large chilled stainless steel or glass bowl, beat the heavy cream and chocolate sauce at medium speed until firm peaks form.
2. Spread about ½ cup of the whipped chocolate cream on a long rectangular platter to form a 3×10” rectangle.
3. Using a small offset spatula, spread 1 tablespoon of the chocolate cream on 35 chocolate wafers. Arrange 5 stacks of 7 wafers with no cream on one side of the top and bottom wafers.
4. Arrange wafer stacks on their sides as close together as possible on the platter’s chocolate cream rectangle.
5. Spread all but ½ cup of remaining chocolate cream over the cake, fixing any wafers that tilt or slide.
6. Press a long sheet of plastic wrap over the cake, gently flattening the top and sides. Refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours (up to 2 days). Also refrigerate the remaining chocolate cream.
7. When ready to serve: discard the plastic wrap and frost cake with the remaining chocolate cream, smoothing the top and sides.
8. Garnish with chocolate shavings. Cut into slices wiping the knife after each cut.

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This entry was posted by Monica Anderson on Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 at 11:02 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.