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. 
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon extract
3 or 5 drops liquid red food color
You’ll also need: candy thermometer, heart-shaped lollipop molds, 4 to 6-in lollipop sticks (depending on size of molds)
1. Lightly grease molds with cooking spray; wipe with a paper towel to remove any pools of oil so molds are evenly coated. Set lollipop sticks into position.
2. Combine sugar, water and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat; stir with a rubber spatula to blend. Bring mixture to a boil
3. Attach candy thermometer to saucepan; boil syrup, without stirring, just until it reaches 300F or hard-crack stage. Remove from heat; working quickly, transfer mixture to a 1-qt glass measure. Add extract and food color; gently stir with a spoon to blend. Carefully pour into prepared molds, making sure the sticks are covered with mixture. Cool completely in molds before removing lollipops.
Filed under Uncategorized by on Jan 26th, 2010. Comment.
