Ultimate Valentine Cake...Seriously

This week on ShawnsPlate has been all about valentine sweets.  What better way to finish it out than with my favorite valentine inspired dessert?! The Heart Shaped Box, in my opinion, is the ultimate Valentine's Day cake.

I know, folks are always proclaiming "ultimate" on things.  I promise, this dessert does deliver.  Just look at it...a heart shaped chocolate box with strawberries spilling out from under it's marbleized lid.  When you thought it couldn't get any better, cut it to reveal a luscious cheesecake!

Back in my days of wedding cakes and specialty desserts, this was one of my most requested cakes. You haven't seen anything until you see it stacked 3-5 tiers, presented as a groom's cake or made using 3-inch molds to create tiny cakes!

While I wish that I could take credit for this lovely thing, I fell in love with it's look after seeing it on the cover of the February 1990 issue of Bon Appetit.  Although I often prepare this as a cheesecake, cheesecake brownie, or chocolate pound cake base, in the magazine, it was prepared with a white cake as the base.

On the next page, I've included the step-by-step on how to make this cake.  (and here's a video) You've got all weekend...So, make it!

Make the lid..The rest is just frosting the cake and stacking the berries.

Alternately drop spoonfuls of melted white and dark chocolate into parchment lined pan.

Tap pan on flat surface allowing chocolate to spread and air bubbles to come to the surface.

Prick any remaining air bubbles and tap pan again...Swirl through with a knife to create marbleized design.

Pretty! Pretty! Refrigerate until hardened and ready to use.

Time to decorate...

Frost cake with ganache..use knife/spatula dipped in hot water to smooth any imperfection.

Place strawberries in a single layer from middle to right edge....

Top with lid...

Remove parchment strips...

Beautiful!

Heart Shaped Box Cake
~Design completely copied from Bon Appetit Magazine, February 1990~

1 8-inch heart shaped cake, I used cheesecake(see recipe at bottom)
4 ounces white chocolate, melted
4 ounces dark chocolate, melted
Chocolate Ganache, cooled
1 pint fresh strawberries, washed and dried reserve 1-2 for garnish

Special Equipment:
1 8-inch heart shaped pan
parchment paper

Use a 8-inch heart shaped cake pan to make cake you desire.  You can even use a brownie mix if you want, I'm not telling or judging!  After it's cooled, remove from pan and wrap and refrigerate it until ready to use.

Use the pan to trace shape on parchment paper.  Cut out leaving "tabs" to easily remove chocolate from pan.  Place parchment liner in pan and alternately drop spoonfuls of melted chocolate in pan.  Tap the bottom of the pan on a flat surface to spread chocolate and release any air bubbles.  Prick any remaining air bubbles and tap pan again.  Swirl the point of a knife through chocolate to create a marbleized design.  Refrigerate until hardened and ready to use, about 1 hour.

When ready to decorate, cut some parchment into strips and arrange them between the cake and platter.  Starting with top then sides, frost cake with chocolate ganache.  After frosting, use a knife/spatula dipped in hot water to smooth chocolate ganache.

Place strawberries from center of cake to right edge, making one layer of berries.  Use tabs to lift chocolate lid from pan.  Peel off parchment and place tilted atop berry covered cake.  Remove parchment strips from cake platter and garnish platter with reserved strawberries.

Vanilla Cheesecake

makes one 8-inch cheesecake

1 cup cookie crumbs

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon milk or half & half

2 8-ounce bars cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Line pan with parchment, creating side tabs(same as with chocolate lid above).  In a bowl, mix cookie crumbs, melted butter, and milk until crumbly.  Press evenly into the bottom of the lined pan.

Place cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl.  Beat until light and fluffy, with no lumps of cream cheese.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well incorporated.  Mix in sour cream and vanilla.  Pour into cookie crust pan.  Bake for 45 minutes, until middle is set and lightly browned on edges.  Turn off heat and allow to cool in oven for 30 minutes.  Remove and finish cooling process, when room temperature, cover and refrigerate over night.  Remove cheesecake from pan, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.