Just in time for Valentine’s Day
Ingredients:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup water
1½ teaspoon cider vinegar
1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Bittersweet chocolate glaze
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
8 oz bittersweet chocolate; chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
You’ll also need: 5 (4 to 4½ inch) individual heart-shaped springform pans, baking spray
Garnish: sugared pink rose petals (see note) and small raspberries (optional)
1. Cakes: Heat oven to 350F. Coat pans with baking spray. In bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt until blended. In 1-qt glass measure, whisk sour cream, egg, oil, water, vinegar and vanilla until blended; whisk into flour mixture until blended. Pour into prepared pans, filling each with about 2/3 cup batter. Place pans on a baking sheet.
2. Bake 30 to 32 minutes, until centers puff and a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Let cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack and remove pans. Cool completely.
3. Glaze: Heat cream, butter and corn syrup in a medium saucepan until simmering; remove from heat and add chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in vanilla. Pour glaze into a glass measure. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes or until slightly thickened.
4. With a serrated knife, trim rounded tops of cakes flat (reserve trimmings for snacking). Arrange cakes, flat bottoms up, on wire rack set on a baking sheet with sides. Spoon glaze over cakes, letting excess run down sides of cakes onto baking sheet (use a small spatula to cover any areas that the glaze missed). Refrigerate to set glaze. Garnish top with sugared rose petals and raspberries, if desired.
Note: To sugar rose petals, lightly brush unsprayed organic rose petals with light corn syrup and toss with granulated sugar. Let dry on a wire rack 1 hour.
Filed under Dessert by on Jan 27th, 2010. Comment. 
Strawberry filling
3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Shortcakes
2½ cups reduced-fat biscuit mix
1/3 cup SplendaNo Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
1 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Fat-free frozen whipped topping, thawed (optional)
Mint sprigs (optional)
Strawberry filling directions: Stir together strawberries, 2 tablespoons SplendaGranulated Sweetener and balsamic vinegar; let stand 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Shortcake directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
1. Combine biscuit mix and 1/3 cup Splenda Granulated Sweetener in a large bowl.
2. Stir together yogurt and vanilla; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead 3 or 4 times. Pat dough to a ½-inch thickness. Cut with a 2¼-inch round cutter, reusing dough scraps, if necessary. Place shortcakes on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Serve warm with sliced strawberries. Garnish, if desired.
Filed under Dessert by on Jan 25th, 2010. Comment.
Cake:
2¼ cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1¼ sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons strawberry or vanilla extract
2 large egg whites plus 2 whole eggs
1¼ cups buttermilk
Strawberry Meringue Buttercream:
1 (10 oz) package frozen halved strawberries in syrup; thawed
1¼ cups sugar
¼ cup water
5 large egg whites, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
4 drops liquid red food color
Filling:
1 lb container strawberries, hulled and diced
½ cup reduced-sugar strawberry preserves, scraped through a sieve
You’ll also need: baking spray, candy thermometer
1. Heat oven to 350F. Coat two 8×2-in round pans with baking spray. Line bottoms with parchment or wax paper rounds; spray parchment.
2. Cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In large bowl with mixer, beat butter, sugar and extract at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg whites and whole eggs until smooth. With mixer on low, alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk until incorporated. Continue to beat batter on medium speed for 3 minutes. Divide batter between prepared pans.
3. Bake for 38 to 40 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cakes on pans on wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen edge of cakes and invert onto rack. Cool completely.
4. Buttercream: Puree strawberries and syrup in blender; scrape through a fine sieve into a small saucepan to remove seeds. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer until reduced to 1/3 cup, about 8 minutes. Cool completely.
5. In saucepan, bring 1 cup of the sugar and the water to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil, without stirring, until syrup reaches 240F on a candy thermometer, about 5 minutes.
6. In a large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Gradually pour in boiling syrup in a thin stream. Increase mixer speed to high and beat until meringue is very thick and glossy, and completely cool, about 6 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine butter, strawberry puree and food color, and vigorously beat with a rubber spatula until well combined and smooth. Fold in meringue, in two additions, until combined. Refrigerate buttercream 1 hour or until spreadable.
8. To assemble: Using a serrated knife, halve cake layers horizontally. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on a serving plate; spread with 2/3 cup buttercream. Arrange 1/3 of the diced strawberries in a layer over buttercream. Spread 2 tablespoons jam on a cut side of second layer and place, jam side down, over strawberries. Repeat with remaining cake layers. Cover cake with buttercream. Pipe buttercream “kisses” on top if desired.
Filed under Dessert by on Jan 24th, 2010. Comment.
