Rich Chocolate Heart Cakes Food

CHOCOLATE HEART CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease or spray bottoms only of foil pans. Make cake batter as directed on box. Pour into pans.
• Bake 26 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Spread frosting over cakes. Decorate with candies. Store loosely covered.

MELTING HEART CAKES

Steps:

• For the frozen hearts: Press the softened sorbet into 4 cavities of an 8-cavity silicone heart mold (2 1/4-inch hearts). Freeze at least 6 hours and up to overnight.
• For the chocolate domes: Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Once completely melted, let the chocolate cool to about 90 degrees F. The chocolate should still be melted and warm, not set.
• Meanwhile, wash and dry the outside of 4 medium round balloons. Inflate the balloons so they are about 5 inches in diameter.
• Holding onto the tied end of a balloon, dip it into the melted chocolate so that two-thirds of the balloon is covered in chocolate. Let the excess chocolate drip off. Place the balloon chocolate-side up in a coffee mug. Repeat with remaining balloons and chocolate. Let set at room temperature until hardened, 4 to 6 hours.
• Once the chocolate is complete set and hard, very carefully pop each ballon with a knife and remove it from the interior of the chocolate dome. Place the domes open-side down on a warmed baking sheet and gently swirl to create a smooth edge. Transfer to a clean baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Store in a cool place.
• For the white chocolate sauce: In a medium pot, heat the cream over medium-low heat until hot and bubbling around the edges. Immediately add the white chocolate chips and vanilla and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and incorporated into the cream. Keep warm until ready to serve. You can make the sauce in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator; reheat in a pot over low heat before serving, adding more cream if needed to thin it out.
• For the assembly: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the crumbled sandwich cookies, brownies and fresh and freeze-dried raspberries. Gently toss to combine.
• Line up 4 plates or wide shallow bowls (like pasta bowls). Place a 3-inch ring mold in the center of one of the plates and spoon in a quarter of the fruit and crumble mixture. Carefully remove the cutter. Repeat on the remaining plates. If you don't have a 3-inch cutter, neatly spoon the mixture into the center of each plate in a circle about 3 inches in diameter.
• Make sure the white chocolate sauce is nice and hot and transfer to a measuring cup or small pitcher.
• Working quickly, remove the raspberry sorbet hearts from the molds and place one onto each portion of the crumble mixture. Carefully cover each heart with a chocolate dome. Present to your guests and pour the hot chocolate sauce over the dome to melt and reveal the dessert.

RICH CHOCOLATE SNACK CAKE

Steps:

• In a bowl, beat eggs and egg whites. Add the applesauce, oil, chocolate and vanilla; mix well. Combine the dry ingredients; gradually add to egg mixture just until combined. , Pour into a 9-in. springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan; remove sides of pan. Cut into wedges; serve with frozen yogurt.

SERIOUSLY RICH CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 170C/Gas 3/fan oven 150C. Grease a 23cm/9in springform cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper or baking parchment. Dust the sides with a little flour. Put the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Heat until melted, then remove the bowl from the pan and stir until smooth. Leave for about 5 minutes to cool slightly.
• Stir in the egg yolks, ground almonds, and the liqueur, if using. Put the egg whites into a large bowl, add a pinch of salt and whisk until soft peaks form. Continue whisking, sprinkling in the sugar a little at a time, until stiff peaks form. Stir 2 tablespoons of the whites into the chocolate mixture, then carefully fold in the remainder until no traces of white are left.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes until well risen and just firm to the touch. Cool in the tin (don't worry if the cake sinks and cracks slightly - it will still be fine). You can make the cake up to this stage up to four days ahead and keep it in an airtight container in a cool place. It also freezes well for up to one month.
• To serve, remove the cake from the tin and peel away the lining paper. Sift cocoa powder liberally over the top and cut into slices. Serve with crème fraîche.

RICH CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 350F.
• Line the bottoms of two 9x2-inch round pans with parchment paper.
• Melt chocolate in microwave (LOW or MED), stirring occasionally until smooth.
• You may use a double boiler too (make sure water is HOT, not simmering).
• Cool chocolate until tepid.
• Sift flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl.
• Add brown sugar.
• Using a paddle blade on electric mixer, combine the ingredients on low speed.
• Add butter and sour cream.
• Mix on med-low speed for 1 min to make a thick batter.
• Add eggs, melted chocolate and vanilla.
• Increase speed to high and beat for 2 mins.
• Stop and scrape down the bowl.
• Resume mixing at med-high, for about 5 sec.
• Reduce speed to low and slowly pour in the water just until thoroughly blended.
• Spoon batter into prepared pans and spread it evenly.
• Bake until tops spring back when pressed lightly in the centers and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 30-35 mins.
• Transfer to cooling racks and cool for 10 mins.
• Invert onto racks and remove pans.
• Peel off the parchment and cool the cakes right side up.
• NOTE: The cake can be baked 1 day in advance.
• Wrap the cooled cake layers tightly with plastic wrap to store.
• Or to freeze, over-wrapped with foil, for up to 2 weeks.

CHOCOLATE HEART-SHAPED CAKES WITH BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F. Spray the hollows of a 5-cup heart-shaped nonstick cake pan or an 8-cup silicone mold with cooking spray (see cook's note for product links). If not using silicone mold, line bottoms with parchment.
• In a medium heatproof bowl, dissolve espresso in hot water. Add chocolate and rum and place over (but not in) a pot of simmering water. Stir until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat; let cool slightly.
• In a heatproof bowl, combine eggs and granulated sugar. Place over (but not in) pot of simmering water and whisk until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch. Transfer to a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-high speed until mixture is thick, fluffy, and almost doubled in volume, about 3 minutes (or, if not using a stand mixer, you can beat with a hand mixer directly over the heat).
• Whisk cream with confectioners' sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Fold chocolate mixture into egg mixture, then gently but thoroughly fold in whipped cream.
• Divide mixture among hollows of prepared pan (about 1/2 cup per hollow for 5-cup; about 1/3 cup for 8-cup). Place filled pan in a large roasting pan on middle rack of oven. Add boiling water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake until a tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool completely in water bath. Remove from water, cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours. Just before serving, dip bottom of pan in warm water to loosen, about 1 minute. Run a small offset spatula around edges of cakes, then lift each out of pan; or cover with a platter and invert to remove. Remove parchment (if using). Use a pastry bag fitted with desired tip (Martha used a variety of star and leaf tips) to pipe buttercream or whipped cream onto cakes. Serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE HEART OF DARKNESS CAKES

Steps:

• Make the dark chocolate truffle hearts. Place 8 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate in a small bowl. Heat 3/4 cup heavy cream in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to a boil. Pour the boiling cream over the chopped chocolate. Set aside for 5 minutes before stirring with a whisk until smooth. Pour the mixture (called ganache) onto a nonstick baking sheet and use a rubber spatula to spread the ganache in a smooth, even layer to within about an inch of the inside edges of the pan. Place the ganache in the freezer for 15 minutes, or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, until firm to the touch. Line a 10 to 12-inch dinner plate with parchment paper or waxed paper. Remove the firm ganache from the freezer or the refrigerator. Portion 12 heaping tablespoons (a bit more than an ounce each) of ganache onto the paper. Wearing a pair of disposable vinyl (or latex) gloves, individually roll each portion of ganache in your palms in a circular motion, using just enough gentle pressure to form a smooth orb. This is a traditional truffle. You should refrain from indulging in them since absence of a truffle in a cake will make the heart grow darker. Return each formed truffle onto the paper lined plate, and place in the freezer while preparing the cake batter.
• Make the chocolate cocoa cakes. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly coat the inside of each individual nonstick muffin cup with the 2 teaspoons melted butter. Set aside until needed. In a sifter, combine 2/3 cup all-purpose flour and a 1/2 cup cocoa powder. Sift onto a large piece of parchment paper (or waxed paper) and set aside until needed. Melt 8 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate and 5 ounces butter in the top half of a double boiler over medium-low heat. Use a rubber spatula to stir the chocolate and butter until completely melted and smooth, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside at room temperature until needed. The chocolate and butter may also be melted in a medium glass bowl in a microwave oven set at medium power for 2 minutes. After removing the chocolate and butter from the microwave oven, use a rubber spatula to stir until smooth.
• Place 3 eggs, 2 egg yolks, and 1/2 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat on a medium-high speed for 2 minutes until the mixture is slightly frothy. Add the melted chocolate and butter and mix on low speed to combine, about 15 seconds. Continue to operate the mixer on low while gradually adding the sifted dry ingredients. Once all the dry ingredients have been incorporated, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix on medium to combine, about 15 seconds.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the batter until thoroughly combined. Portion 3 heaping tablespoons (about 2 1/2 ounces) of the cake batter into each individual muffin cup. Place the muffin tin on the center rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove the truffles from the freezer.
• Remove the muffin tin from the oven, and moving quickly, place a single frozen truffle in the center of each portion of cake batter, pressing each truffle about halfway down into the batter. Immediately return the muffin tin to the center rack of the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake (not the truffle) comes out clean, about 17 to 18 minutes. Remove the cakes from the oven and cool at room temperature for 20 minutes. To remove the cakes from the muffin cups, hold the top edges of the baked batter part of a cake, and give each cake a slight twist to loosen it from the inside cup. Then insert the pointed tip of a knife into a top outside edge of a cake and loosen it so that you can gently pull each baked cake out of each cup. Serve immediately while still warm.
• After the Chocolate Heart of Darkness cakes have cooled to room temperature, you may keep them covered with plastic wrap for up to 24 hours at room temperature, or in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. The cakes may be rewarmed in a microwave oven, and they are extraordinary. Make sure the cakes are at room temperature, then heat them 1 or 2 at a time for 30 to 40 seconds in a microwave oven set on defrost power. Instead of drying out, the cake will be warm and moist, and the truffle center will be a hot ooze of ecstasy. For extra indulgence, serve the warm Chocolate Heart of Darkness cakes with white chocolate ice cream or unsweetened whipped cream. For me, a glass (forget the golden goblet) of Warre's 1985 Porto will have a salubrious effect.

RICH CHOCOLATE HEART CAKES

Steps:

• Separate rosemary into small bunches. Beat egg white with a drop or two of water until it is very loose. Place superfine sugar in a small, shallow bowl. Lightly brush one sprig of rosemary with the egg white. Sprinkle superfine sugar over the damp bunch of rosemary; shake to remove excess. Transfer rosemary to a cooling rack to dry, at least 1 hour. Repeat until all rosemary is used; set aside sugared rosemary. (It will keep at room temperature for about 24 hours.)
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees with two racks centered. In the top of double boiler, or in a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water, melt butter and chocolate together, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Set mixture aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, lightly beat egg yolks, and stir them into the cooled chocolate mixture. Add granulated sugar, flour, and baking powder to the chocolate mixture, and stir to combine.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites just until soft peaks form. Stir one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining egg whites, just until combined. Spoon the batter into twelve 3 3/4-inch heart molds with removable bottoms. Transfer molds to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until centers spring back when touched, about 45 minutes. Transfer molds to a wire rack, and let sit 5 minutes. Unmold cakes. (After they have cooled, if not using right away, cover cakes lightly with plastic wrap.)
• To serve, place a cake on serving plate. Pour warm ganache over it; sprinkle with praline, if using. Top with a second and then a third cake layer, drizzling each with ganache. Repeat to make 3 more servings. Sprinkle cakes with praline if desired, and garnish with sugared rosemary. Serve.

EXTRA RICH CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a nine-and-a-half-inch springform pan or nonstick cake pan.
• Melt the chocolate with the coffee, butter and granulated sugar in the top of a double boiler over gently simmering water. Stir until blended. Set the mixture aside, uncovered, to cool.
• When the mixture has cooled, whisk the egg yolks into the chocolate one at a time. Add the flour and whisk until smooth.
• In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they stand up in stiff peaks. Add one-third of the egg white to the chocolate mixture. Fold them in carefully until blended. Fold in the remaining whites gently until there are no streaks left.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the cake is firm. A toothpick or skewer inserted into the cake about three inches from the center of the pan should come out clean (the cake should not be too dry). Cool on a rack before unmolding. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

SUPER RICH CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Grease and line an 18 cm cake pan, dust with flour.
• Melt 300gm chocolate in a double boiler. Set aside.
• Pre-heat oven to 160 Celsius.
• Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer for 5 mins until pale and creamy.
• With the motor running add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing in between to incorporate.
• Add the flour and beat to combine.
• Add the brandy, mix.
• Pour in half of the melted chocolate, beat until half incorporated.
• Fold through the rest of the chocolate.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
• Fold through 1/3 of the egg whites through the chocolate mixture to loosen. Fold through the rest of the egg whites, taking care no to over-mix.
• Spoon the mixture into the cake-pan and bake in the center of the oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Smother with chocolate ganache.

RICHEST EVER CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Separate the eggs and beat the egg whites until stiff, and set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar. Melt the chocolate in the hot water. Beat in the egg yolks, then the melted chocolate, buttermilk, and vanilla.
• In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat into the chocolate mixture. Stir in about 1/3 of the egg whites to lighten the batter and then fold in the rest gently but thoroughly.
• Turn the batter into a greased and floured tube pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 1 hour, or until the cake tests done with a toothpick. Let cool on a rack. Makes 16 servings.

RICH CHOCOLATE GANACHE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease two 6-inch pans with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
• Pour the Devil's Food Cake batter into the prepared pans and bake, as directed, adjusting the cooking time to 25 to 30 minutes for the smaller size.
• While the cakes are cooling, bring the ganache to a workable consistency (about the consistency of peanut butter) by heating it over a double boiler and then allowing it to cool slightly, at room temperature.
• Place the bottom cake layer over a piece of parchment or waxed paper to catch the ganache if it drips when you spread it. (You can reheat the ganache that has dripped and reuse it as desired, as long as it is free of cake crumbs.)
• Spread the ganache about 1/2 inch thick onto the bottom layer and then gently press the second cake layer on top. Spread a thin layer of ganache around the sides and top of the cake as a crumb coat and let it set at room temperature. (See Icing a Cake, page 14.)
• Once the crumb coat has set, reheat the ganache, if necessary, just until it is spreadable once again, then finish icing the cake with the ganache.
• While the ganache is still soft enough for the hazelnuts to stick to it, gently press the hazelnuts, one small handful at a time, into the sides of the cake until it is covered. Let the cake set at room temperature for 20 to 40 minutes before serving.
• The cake can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Bring the cake to room temperature for about 1 hour before serving.
• Polish your look
• By simply changing the flavor of the ganache, this cake can be perfect for all sorts of occasions. Here are some suggestions:
• For an Asian-inspired dinner party, make the ganache with sake instead of hazelnut liqueur and sprinkle the top lightly with mixed black and toasted sesame seeds.
• For anniversaries or other celebratory events, make the ganache with champagne instead of hazelnut liqueur and decorate around the perimeter of the top with rock sugar crystals.
• For holiday cheer, make the ganache with peppermint extract instead of hazelnut liqueur and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
• For a not-all-chocolate version, make the ganache with Campari or Grand Marnier instead of hazelnut liqueur and use it only to fill between the two cake layers. Ice the outside with orange Citrus Cream Cheese Icing (page 146) and garnish with candied orange peel.