Chocolate Cherry Heart Recipes

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CAKE I

Steps:

• Combine cake mix, cherry pie filling, and three eggs. Mix until well blended.
• Bake in well greased and floured 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 to 40 minutes.
• To Make Frosting: Combine sugar, butter or margarine, and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook 1 minute.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in chocolate pieces until melted and smooth.
• Frost when cake is cool.

DARK CHOCOLATE CHERRY LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment, allowing it to hang over the sides. Spray the parchment with baking spray and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, milk, melted butter and eggs until smooth. Fold in the chocolate chunks. Add the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Place the loaf pan on a sheet pan and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool slightly before removing it from the cake pan, then allow the cake to cool completely, about an hour.
• For the cherry glaze: Mix the powdered sugar, preserves and milk until thoroughly combined; it should be thick but pourable. Add the food coloring and mix through. Pour the icing over the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Sprinkle over the mini chocolate chips. Slice and serve.

CHOCOLATE HEART THROBS

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.

HEART-SHAPED DRIED CHERRY AND CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES

Steps:

• Butter and flour baking sheet. Whisk 2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Add butter and grated orange peel; rub in with fingertips until coarse meal forms. Mix in chocolate chips and dried cherries. Whisk buttermilk, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract in small bowl to blend. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients; stir with fork until dough comes together in moist clumps. Gather dough into ball. Press out dough on lightly floured surface to 3/4-inch thickness. Using 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out scones. Gather scraps, press out dough and cut out additional scones. Transfer to baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush scones lightly with milk; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until scones are crusty on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15 minutes (or up to 20 minutes if refrigerated). Serve warm or at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY HEART PIE / CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Allow both crust pouches to stand at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove one crust from a pouch and unfold. Press to smooth the fold lines.
• Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour over the crust. Lay the crust, floured side down, on an ungreased baking sheet. Using a paper pattern as a guide, cut the crust into a heart shape. Prick the crust all over with a fork.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool.
• Repeat with the remaining crust so that you have 2 heart-shaped crusts.
• Combine the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and almond extract and beat in an electric mixer set on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or until smooth.
• Add the heavy cream and beat until thick.
• To assemble, place one heart-shaped pie crust on a serving plate and spread with 1/3 cup hot fudge.
• Carefully spread half of the cream cheese mixture over the hot fudge. Spoon two thirds of the cherry pie filling over cream cheese.
• Spread second crust with remaining hot fudge and set on top of the cake, fudge side up.
• Then gently spread the remaining cream cheese mixture and cherry pie filling, leaving about a 1-inch border on the top.
• Decorate with cream cheese mixed with cherry juice or the liquidy (jelled) part of pie filling and whole or half cherries.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
• Note: To make pattern, cut a piece of paper into a heart shape about 10 1/2 inches high and 10 inches wide.
• Source: FamilyTime.