Little cake hearts

'The town is getting painted red', literally, with Valentine's day just around the corner. Everywhere across the city you see heart shapes of all sizes and the colour red in everything. The flower shops are getting geared up with red flowers and the card shops have stacked themselves with cards that express love. 

I have never understood the importance of one particular day to express love. But a Valentine's day is of utmost importance to me as it is the day I got married to the love of my life, my husband Vishal. We have never been flower and card crazy, but yes I love to make something special for this memorable day. 

This year, I took the cheats way and made these little cake hearts out of leftover cake and chocolate ganache. It requires a bit of patience to shape them in perfection and the rest is a breeze. Just dip them in your favourite melted chocolate, milk or dark and let it set. For the more experimental lot, try binding the cake crumbs with some rum or vodka instead of the ganache and you have some boozy little chocolate hearts. 

Ingredients : No fixed measurements. I made these with some leftover brownie and leftover ganache. You may use any cake recipe. Try one of these : Comfort chocolate cake, Perfect chocolate cake, Everyday yoghurt cake, brownies. 

• 1/2 cake crumbs (crumble the cake you are using with a fork or with your fingers)
• 1 tbsp chocolate ganache ( made with equal quantity of chopped dark chocolate stirred in hot cream(Amul cream) ) 
• melted Milk chocolate or dark chocolate compound for the coating on top
• melted white chocolate for drizzling on top

Procedure : 

Take cake crumbs in a bowl and mix with the ganache. If not using ganache, use a little bit of butter or cream to bind the cake crumbs. If you want to be more experimental, try binding the cake crumbs with some alcohol like rum or vodka. 

When squeezed between your fingers the cake should bind together. 

Make little heart shapes with the cake dough.

Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes.

Dip these little cake hearts in the melted chocolate. Keep on a sheet of parchment paper/butter paper and allow to set completely. If in a hurry refrigerate them. 

Take melted white chocolate in a piping bag and snip off the end. Drizzle the white chocolate on top of the cake hearts and allow to set. 

It can't get easier than these bite sized little delights. For the lazy bakers, these can even be made with store bought cake. All you need is a little bit of patience, some melted chocolate and loads of love to make them. 

My little valentine, my daughter Vaanya enjoying her cake hearts. After much cajoling (and more cake hearts) she agreed to pose for some pictures. 

Happy little cake hearts relishing

Amrita