Hearts Delight Torte Recipes

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll each puff pastry sheet into a 12 inch square.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheets.
• (Original recipe calls for: "Using an 11 inch heart pattern, cut each pastry into a heart shape" - either way works well).
• Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. (Do not underbake - it's a good idea to check your oven temperature. If underbaked, the pastry will fall.).
• Remove to wire rack to cool.
• Meanwhile, whisk milk and pudding mix until thickened, 1-2 minutes.
• In a mixing bowl, beat cream and 1/2 t vanilla until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold into pudding until consistent color but do not over stir.
• Split puff pastry sheets horizontally with a serrated knife.
• Place one layer on a serving plate and top with 1/3 of the pudding mixture.
• Repeat twice.
• Top with remaining pastry.
• In a small bowl combine confectioners sugar, water, almond extract and remaining vanilla and stir until smooth. (If necessary you can use a few drops more water if you find it difficult to spread but do not thin too much or you lose the white color which adds to its appearance).
• Carefully spread over top of dessert.
• Melt chocolate chips and shortening. Pipe in diagonal lines in one direction over frosting (if you don't have tips for piping, place in a plastic zip lock baggie,seal the bag and cut a small piece off the corner of the baggie to do the piping).
• Refrigerate until set - (remove from fridge about 15-20 minutes before serving to soften the top for easy cutting)
• This holds well overnight but we never seem to have any leftovers to keep any longer than that!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Cut an 11-in. heart-shaped pattern out of parchment or waxed paper., On a lightly floured surface, roll each pastry sheet into a 12-in. square. Using pattern and a sharp knife, cut a heart from each sheet; place on greased baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand until soft-set, about 5 minutes. In another bowl, beat cream and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until stiff peaks form; lightly fold into pudding. , Split each pastry heart into 2 layers; reserve 1 of the top layers. Place 1 of the remaining layers on a serving plate; spread with a third of the pudding mixture. Repeat twice; top with reserved layer., Mix confectioners' sugar, water, almond extract and remaining vanilla until smooth; spread over top pastry., In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Pipe or drizzle over top as desired. Refrigerate until set.

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with rack in center. Butter two 6-inch heart-shape cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper; butter parchment. Dust with cocoa powder, and tap out excess; set aside. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring often; set aside.
• Put butter and 1/3 cup sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in yolks, then vanilla and melted chocolate. Reduce speed to low. Mix in flour. Transfer batter to a large bowl.
• Put egg whites and salt into the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed until foamy. Raise speed to medium-high; gradually beat in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Raise speed to high, and beat just until stiff peaks form. Stir half the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in remaining egg whites.
• Divide batter between prepared pans. Tap firmly on counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake until centers are just set, 16 to 17 minutes. Let cool completely in pans on a wire rack. Turn out cakes; remove parchment. Reinvert onto rack.
• Trim cakes flat. Warm jam in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly runny. Stir in liqueur, if desired. Spread warm jam over 1 cake layer. Top with remaining layer.
• Make the ganache: Put chocolate into a large heatproof bowl. Bring cream just to a boil over medium-high heat; pour over chocolate. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir until smooth. Refrigerate, stirring every 10 minutes, until cooled and the consistency of corn syrup, about 30 minutes.
• Slowly pour ganache over top and down sides of cake (use an offset spatula to spread evenly, if needed). Let stand 30 minutes. Arrange truffles over top of cake. Serve.

Steps:

• Prepare cake batter according to package directions. Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. heart-shaped baking pans. Bake at 350° for 30-33 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a large bowl, combine yogurt and confectioners' sugar; fold in whipped topping. Cut each cake horizontally into two layers. Place bottom layer on a serving plate; top with a fourth of the yogurt mixture. Repeat layers three times. Spread pie filling over the top to within 1 in. of edges. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Steps:

• Prepare a 9 x 9" baking pan.
• In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and 1 tbsp sugar; spread on bottom of prepared baking pan to form a crust.
• Mix the Dream Whip topping according to directions on the package, then beat in the softened cream cheese into the Dream Whip a little at a time.
• Add the remaining sugar and vanilla until well blended.
• Smooth on top of the crust.
• Top with the cherry pie filling.
• Chill at least 3 hours (overnight is even better) if storing in the fridge overnight, cover with plastic wrap.

Steps:

• Get your equipment ready (see tips below). Break the chocolate in small pieces into a large heatproof bowl. Spoon in the syrup and pour in about a quarter of the cream. Stand the bowl over (not in) a pan of hot water over the lowest possible heat and leave until the chocolate has melted, about 15-20 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir to combine. Leave until barely warm - dip your little finger in to check.
• Get your cake tin ready. Do this while you are waiting for the chocolate to melt and cool so you're not hanging around. Cut open the plastic folder along the bottom, then cut out a disc to fit in the bottom of the tin and 3 strips to line the sides. (See step 2).
• Pour the rest of the cream into a very large bowl and tip in the coffee and cinnamon. Whip with a balloon whisk until the cream looks like step 3. When you shake the bowl the cream should wobble like a thick milkshake, and when you dribble some cream from the whisk, the trail it leaves in the cream below should disappear in 1-2 seconds.
• Fold the two together. Pour the cooled chocolate into the bowl containing the cream. With the largest metal spoon you've got, fold the cream and chocolate together in a figure-of-eight motion. Don't be nervous - keep going until they are evenly and smoothly mixed and the mixture has a soft, pillowy, downy texture - you will see and feel it thicken as you fold.
• Set the torte. Pour the chocolatey cream into the tin and level the surface with the back of the spoon. Put the tin in the fridge and leave to firm up. This can happen in under an hour, but you may need to leave it longer, depending on the coldness of your fridge (you can leave it overnight if this is more convenient).
• Unmould and serve. Unclip and remove the side of the tin, then remove the pieces of plastic around the sides. Invert a serving plate over the torte and turn the torte upside down on to it. Lift off the tin base and peel away the plastic. Dust all over with cocoa (including the plate if you wish to be fashionable) and serve in thin slices.

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add the egg, buttermilk and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture. Pour into a greased 9-in. heart-shaped or round baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Split cake in half; place one layer on a serving plate. Spread with one can of pie filling; top with second cake layer. Pipe whipped topping around edge; garnish with chocolate chips. Spoon cherries from the second can of pie filling onto the top of the cake (refrigerate any remaining filling for another use).

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add the egg, buttermilk and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture. Pour into a greased 9-in. heart-shaped or round baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Split cake in half; place one layer on a serving plate. Spread with one can of pie filling; top with second cake layer. Pipe whipped topping around edge; garnish with chocolate chips. Spoon cherries from the second can of pie filling onto the top of the cake (refrigerate any remaining filling for another use).

Steps:

• Cake - Preheat oven.
• Grease and flour two round 9" cake pans.
• Mix cake as directed on back of package.
• Gently add the grated bittersweet chocolate and the ground espresso to the prepared cake mixture, then pour into pans and bake.
• Cool cakes completely on wire racks.
• Slice each cake layer into two even layers.
• Buttercream Icing - Beat the butter until it is light and fluffy, then add the icing sugar slowly, until well blended.
• Divide the buttercream icing into four bowls equally.
• In #1 bowl add the melted chocolate to the icing, in #2 bowl add the coffee liquid to the icing and in #3 & #4 bowls add 1 tbsp vanilla to both bowls of icing.
• To assemble the cake, place first cake layer.
• on plate.
• Sprinkle cake with 2 tbsps of frangelica and spread chocolate buttercream onto cake.
• Top cake with second cake layer, sprinkle cake with 2 tbsps of frangelica and spread.
• vanilla buttercream onto cake.
• Top cake with third cake layer, sprinkle cake with 2 tbsps of frangelica and spread coffee buttercream onto cake.
• Top cake with fourth cake layer, sprinkle cake with remaining frangelica and spread vanilla butter cream onto top and sides of cake.
• Press the sliced hazelnuts into the sides of the cake and garnish the top with the ground hazelnuts.
• Chill cake in fridge for several hours.
• One hour before serving remove cake from fridge and allow to slowly come to room temperature.