Black Forest Sweet Heart Tarts for Valentine's Day

With Valentine's day only a week away, today I am beginning a series of Valentine-themed recipes leading up to the 14th of February.

The tarts below are based on a chocolate cake, and any of the following may be used for the base: Chocolate Roulade, Chocolate Doberge Cake, Lamb Mould Cake, Vanilla Cake Mix Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Cake Mix Cake, Chocolate Sponge Cake, Chocolate Devil's Food Cake or Brownie Mix Brownies.

Black Forest Sweet Heart Tarts

Serves 8

Ingredients:

8 slices of chocolate cake (each about 3cm [1 in] thick and about 5cm [2 in] square). An
250ml double (heavy) cream, whopped
4 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
225g (8 oz) tin of cherry pie filling (or tinned black cherries)
1/2 tsp almond extract
chocolate curls, to decorate
slivered almonds, to decorate

Method:

Take the cake sliced and cut into heart shapes.

Place the cream in a bowl and beat with the icing sugar until soft peaks form. Fold in the vanilla extract.

Turn the cherry pie filling into a bowl and mix in the almond extract.

Take each piece of shaped cake in turn and spread over the cherry pie filling. Top with the whipped cream.

Finally decorate with chocolate curls and slivered almonds.

Chill slightly before serving.


For a history of Valentine's day, and a collection of Valentine-themed recipes, why not visit the Celtnet Valentine's day history and Valentine's day recipes page?