White Chocolate Bavarian Christmas Tree

• Ready In: 8 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 14

Ingredients

• 1  cup half-and-half
• 2  teaspoons vanilla
• 2  envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 6  eggs, separated
• 12  ounces  high-quality white chocolate or 12  ounces  high-quality  semisweet chocolate
• 1  teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 1⁄2 cups  whipping cream, whipped

• Decorations

•  spearmint candy leaf
•  red cinnamon candies
•  candy-coated licorice pieces
•  green miniature jaw breakers

Directions

1. SUPPLIES: 8-cup tree mold or other decorative mold.
2. Use only clean, uncracked grade-A eggs.
3. Combine half-and-half and vanilla in medium saucepan.
4. Sprinkle gelatin over mixture;let stand 1 minute.
5. Stir over low heat until gelatin is completely dissolved.
6. Beat egg yolks in small bowl.
7. Stir about1 cup gelatin mixture into egg yolks; return egg yolk mixture to saucepan.
8. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
9. Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over hot, not boiling, water, stirring constantly.
10. Stir gelatin mixture into chocolate.
11. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature.
12. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form.
13. Gently fold cooled chocolate mixture into beaten egg.
14. whites.
15. Fold in whipped cream.
16. Spoon mixture into 8-cup tree or other decorative mold.
17. Refrigerate until set, 8 hours or overnight.
18. To unmold, pull chocolate mixture from edge of mold with moistened fingers.
19. Or, run small metal spatula or pointed knife dipped in warm water around edge of mold.
20. Dip bottom of mold briefly in warm water.
21. Place serving plate on top of mold.
22. Invert mold and plate and shake to loosen chocolate mixture.
23. Gently remove mold.
24. Decorate with candies.