Melting Heart Cakes Recipes

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.

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.

CHOCOLATE MELTING CAKE

Steps:

• Melt chocolate and butter in microwave at 50% power (Defrost)
• Sift flour into pitcher, add sugar, add eggs, mix together.
• Fold in melted chocolate and butter mix
• Pour into small Glass Ramekins (about 3" across)
• (Dessert can be made a day ahead, covered with plastic wrap, and stored in refrigerator.).
• Preheat Oven to 300.
• Bake at 300 for 12 - 15 minutes in serving dish. Dessert should be firm around edges and wiggly in the center.
• Place Heart Stencil on top of dessert and sift powdered sugar.
• Serve Warm.
• This may be accompanied by ice cream, and/or coffee with a shot of Bailey's Irish Cream.

WARM CHOCOLATE MELTING CAKE

Steps:

• Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler. Remove from heat.
• Mix four of the eggs with the sugar and whisk for a few minutes. Add flour and mix, then add the other three eggs.
• Add egg mixture slowly to the melted chocolate mixture.
• Pour the mixture into dessert ramekin cups.
• Bake directly in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes.
• Serve with vanilla ice cream, or garnish with shaved sweet chocolate, chocolate sauce or powdered sugar.