SPA PARTY: Spa Party Menus and Recipes

The inspiration for some of our fragrances can be found in our favorite recipes. We love rejuvenating with our spa treatments while enjoying treats and drinks with the same fragrance. You don't need to wait for a party to make these, but you may want to throw one when you find out how delicious these desserts and drinks are!

DELECTABLE DESSERTS
Buttercake with Buttercream Frosting (makes 1 three-layer 9-inch cake or 24 cupcakes):

Cake Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ? cups self-rising flour
1 ? cups all-purpose flour

Frosting Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
8 cups confectioner's sugar
? cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Make cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour three 9x2 ?inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with waxed paper. In a large bowl cream with mixer the butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating will after each addition. Mix the milk and vanilla together. Combine the flours and add in two parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla mixture, beating well after each addition.

Divide the batter among the prepared cake pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until done. Let cake cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.

If you're making cupcakes, line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers. Spoon the batter into the cups about three-quarters full. Bake about 20 to 22 minutes or until done. Frost with Buttercream Frosting.

Make frosting:

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, until icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency (you may not need all of the sugar). If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. Use and store icing at room temperature, as icing will set if chilled. Can store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.


Mint Chocolate Mousse Dessert Congratulations to Cintia N., who sent us a recipe for Mint Chocolate Mousse Dessert and won our entire Mint Chocolate collection! Although a lot of your recipes were delicious, this one stood out as our favorite.

(Makes 18 servings)

CRUST

2 cups vanilla wafers crumbs (40 wafers)
1/3 cup margarine or butter, melted

FILLING

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
3 eggs
1/2 gallon (8 cups) pink peppermint or green mint ice cream, slightly softened

SAUCE

4 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup margarine or butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 (5-ounce) can (2/3 cup) evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Heat oven to 350?F. In small bowl, combine crust ingredients; mix well. Press in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Bake at 350?F. for 10 minutes or until light golden brown.
2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add 2 cups powdered sugar; beat until smooth. Add melted chocolate; beat well. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour over partially baked crust.
3. Bake at 350?F. for 12 to 15 minutes or until filling is set. Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled.
4. Spread ice cream over chocolate layer. Cover with foil; freeze 4 hours or until firm.
5. Just before serving, in heavy medium saucepan, combine all sauce ingredients except vanilla; mix well. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
6. To serve, let dessert stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Cut into squares; place on individual dessert plates. Drizzle warm sauce over each serving.

Mint Chocolate Bark Candy Here's the runner-up recipe that we loved:

Congratulations to runner up Christina F., who sent us this simple yet yummy candy recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops green food coloring (optional - we preferred without)
12 peppermint candy swirls (we added this for texture)

Preparation:

1. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper
2. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl set atop a pot of simmering water over medium high heat. Stir until smooth.
3. Pour chocolate onto the cookie shet and spread it about 1/4" in thickness with the back of a spoon.
4. Using the same method, melt the white chocolate chips with the vegetable oil. Stir until smooth.
5. Add the peppermint extract to the white chocolate chip mixture (and food coloring if you are adding color). Stir well.
6. Pour the white chocolate chip mixture over the chocolate layer and spread to about 1/8" thickness with the back of a spoon.
7. Draw the tip of a butter knife through the layers to create swirls.
8. Place peppermint candy swirls in a sturdy zip lock back and break candy with hammer or other hard object
9. Sprinkle peppermint candy pieces over white chocolate layer while still warm
10. Let bark cool, then remove from pan and peel off the waxed paper.
11. Set the bark on a cutting board and cut into 2 dozen bars, or snap into pieces of various size (we liked it in pieces)

Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake with Cocoa Frosting
Cake Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups cold water
1 cup corn oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Frosting Ingredients:

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
5 cups powdered sugar
8 tablespoons (about) whole milk
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 15 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out; cool completely.

Place 1 cake layer, chocolate-chips side up, on platter. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Top with second cake layer, chocolate-chips side up. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Top with remaining cake layer, chocolate-chips side down. Spread frosting over sides and top of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; let stand at room temperature.)


Banana Pudding with Vanilla Wafers
Ingredients:

1 ? cups cold water
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup instant vanilla pudding powder
3 cups heavy cream
one box Nilla wafers
3 to 4 medium bananas, sliced

Preparation:
On the low speed of an electric mixer, blend the water, milk and pudding powder until thoroughly mixed, about 1 minute. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight) until firm.

In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold the pudding mixture into the whipped cream until well incorporated. In a large bowl, (glass is ideal so the layers show!) starting with the wafers, make five to six layers Nilla wafers, sliced bananas, and then the pudding mixture, until all of the


DELECTABLE DRINKS
Passion Fruit Cocktail We love this recipe from one of our favorite chef's, Rachael Ray. Especially when we're getting foot massages with our Passion Fruit Cocktail Sinfully Rich Shea Body Butter!

Ingredients:

1 ounce vodka
2 tablespoons passion fruit sorbet
1 teaspoon lime juice
2 tablespoons simple syrup (sugar dissolved in equal parts water)
Ice cubes and crushed ice
4 fresh mint leaves

Preparation:
Combine the vodka, sorbet, lime juice, simple syrup and 5 ice cubes in a cocktail shaker and shake for 20 seconds. Strain into a glass filled with crushed ice and garnish with the mint.


Pina Colada This variation on the classic Pina Colada is served at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico; it's finished with a dark rum float for extra flavor.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup pineapple juice
6 tablespoons canned sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco L?pez)
3 tablespoons white rum
2 cups ice cubes
4 teaspoons dark rum

Preparation:
Combine first 3 ingredients in blender. Add ice and blend well. Pour into 2 tall glasses. Spoon 2 teaspoons dark rum over each and serve.

Serves 2


Brandied Peach Parfait
Ingredients:

1 lb firm-ripe peaches
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons brandy
1/2 cup sugar
1 pt vanilla ice cream, softened

Special equipment: 4 (4-oz) parfait or other tall narrow glasses

Preparation:
Cut a shallow X in bottom of each peach with a sharp paring knife and blanch in a 3-quart saucepan of boiling water 10 seconds. Transfer peaches with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water and let stand until cool enough to handle. Peel peaches, then halve lengthwise and pit. Cut peaches into 1-inch pieces, then toss with lemon juice and 2 tablespoons brandy in a bowl.

Serves 4

(Note: Brandied peaches keep, covered and chilled, 1 week.)


Bellini
Ingredients:

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 to 3/4 pound ripe white peaches
2 teaspoons sugar
A few raspberries, if desired, for color.
1 bottle chilled champagne or sparkling wine

Preparation:
Puree peaches with lemon juice, water and sugar. Refrigerate until cold, then pour cold peach pur?e into a pitcher. Add one bottle of chilled champagne or sparkling wine and stir gently. Pour into glasses and drink at once. Add raspberries for color if desired.


Betsy's Homemade Bailey's
Ingredients:

8 oz. whipped topping (thawed, not frozen)
14 oz. condensed sweetened milk
1 pint half & half
4 Tbs of chocolate syrup
1 tsp of vanilla
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cup Canadian whiskey

Preparation:
Mix all the ingredients, except the whiskey, in a blender. Transfer into a serving pitcher. Add the whiskey and stir or shake well. Chill until served.


Check back regularly to find more great recipes!
Congratulations to Betsy D. of St. Paul, MN who sent us her own home-made recipe for the most indulgent drink we have ever tasted. Betsy won our entire Pink Coral Casino collection! We love this decadent drink not only because it's sweet and yummy, but because you can make it for a crowd in a large pitcher!

Make frosting:
Beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in 3 cups sugar. Beat in 6 tablespoons milk and vanilla. Add cocoa and remaining 2 cups sugar; beat until blended, thinning with more milk if necessary.

Make cake:
Preheat oven to 350?F. Butter and flour three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Mix water, oil and vanilla in large bowl. Whisk in dry ingredients. Divide batter among pans. Sprinkle 1/2 cup chocolate chips over batter in each pan.

---

» Be Pampered
» Be Creative
» Be Talented