Chocolate Heart Of Darkness Cakes Recipes

Steps:

• Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving excess on all sides to fold over the top. In a medium bowl, combine the sprinkles and 1/2 cup of crumbs from the Heart-Shaped Blondies. Set aside.
• Soften 1/2 cup of the ice cream and spread in an even layer on the bottom of the loaf pan. Freeze the layer of ice cream until set, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place the 12 heart-shaped blondies in a row and press them together as tightly as possible.
• Soften all of the remaining ice cream until smooth and easy to spread. Remove the loaf pan from the freezer and spread another 1/2 cup of softened ice cream over the bottom. Carefully place the log of blondies, heart lobes down against the ice cream, in the center of the pan. There should be a 1/2-inch gap between both ends of the log and the ends of the loaf pan.
• Spread the remaining softened ice cream around the log, filling the loaf pan to the top. Work carefully to keep the blondies pressed together tightly. Top the loaf with the blondie crumb/sprinkle mixture in an even layer. Fold the plastic wrap over the cake. Freeze until set, about 4 hours.
• Invert the pan to remove the ice cream cake. Peel off the plastic wrap and discard. Slice the ice cream cake like a loaf of bread, revealing the hidden heart inside. Serve immediately.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Put the sugar in a large bowl, add the butter and stir to combine. Cool to room temperature. Beat in the red food coloring, vanilla and eggs.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until a smooth batter is formed.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Lay another sheet of parchment paper over the batter and place an inverted baking sheet over the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool the blondies in the baking sheet slightly before inverting them onto a cooling rack. Cool completely.
• Cut the blondies into 12 hearts using a small heart-shaped cookie cutter with straight edges. The hearts should be about 1/2 inch thick. Crumble the remaining blondies into coarse crumbs.

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch heart-shaped cake pan with cooking spray and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
• Prepare the cake batter according to the package directions and pour into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Invert the cake pan onto a plate to remove the cake from the pan, then invert back onto the rack to let cool completely.
• For the sugar glass: Line a baking sheet with parchment. Stir together the sugar, corn syrup and cream of tartar in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave in 2-minute intervals, stirring in between each, until the sugar starts to dissolve and the mixture turns a very light golden, about 4 minutes. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and smooth with an offset spatula into a thin rectangle about 9 inches by 7 inches. Refrigerate until hardened completely, about 15 minutes. Use a meat mallet to break the sugar so that it resembles broken glass.
• For the frosting: Melt the chocolates and heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
• For the whipped cream: Whip the heavy cream and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form.
• Assemble the cake: Once the cake has cooled, use a serrated knife to shave off the top to make it flat (it domes as it bakes). Cut the cake in half horizontally to make 2 even layers, then, keeping the layers stacked, use a paring knife to cut jagged edges in a zigzag formation down the middle of the cake so that you have 2 halves of a broken heart.
• Place the 2 bottom halves on a cake stand or plate so they are separated a little. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the bottom halves. Top with the 2 top halves and drizzle the melted frosting over the top so that it covers the top and drips down the sides of the cake. Decorate with the broken sugar glass and refrigerate until the chocolate has hardened, about 15 minutes. Slice and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 17-inch sheet pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment or waxed paper.
• Sift together the 3 cups of sugar, the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Transfer to a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer) and blend briefly.
• Whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Add to the dry ingredients and mix at low speed for 5 minutes. Gradually add the hot water, mixing at low speed just until combined. The batter will be quite thin.
• Pour the batter into the pan. Bake until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean (a few crumbs are okay) and the center feels firm to the touch, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan. Chill, covered, until ready to cut the cake.
• With the heart cutter, cut out hearts and place them on a sheet pan.
• To make the marshmallows: Combine the 1/4 cup water, the corn syrup, and the sugar in a saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Bring to a boil and boil to "soft-ball" stage, or about 235 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form.
• Sprinkle the gelatin over the 2 tablespoons water and let dissolve. When the syrup reaches 235 degrees F, remove it from the heat, add the gelatin, and mix.
• Pour the syrup into the whipped egg whites. Add the vanilla and add a few drops of red food coloring to turn it pink and continue whipping until stiff.
• With a large plain tip in a pastry bag, pipe marshmallow on half the cake hearts to cover the surface entirely. Top with remaining cake hearts to form sandwiches. On top of the cakes, pipe 2 teardrops in a V meeting at the bottom to form a heart. Sprinkle the marshmallow lightly with red sugar.