The Ultimate Valentine Cake Pt 1

–CAKE–
9 oz Imported white chocolate;
-(such as Lindt or
; Tobler), chopped
5 lg Eggs; separated, room
; temperature
1/2 c Plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 tb Framboise liqueur or Grand
-Marnier
1 ts Vanilla extract
6 tb Unsalted butter; melted,
-warm (3/4
; stick)
3/4 c Cake flour

-ICING-
12 oz Bittersweet; (not
-unsweetened) or
; semisweet
; chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 c Unsalted butter; (2 1/2
-sticks)
3 tb Light corn syrup
3 tb Framboise liqueur or Grand
-Marnier

ASSEMBLY
1 1 pint basket strawberries;
-hulled and halved
1 1/2 pt Basket raspberries
1 1 pint basket strawberries
-with stems; halved through
-stem
; end (stems left
; intact)

BERRY COMPOTE
2 1 pint baskets strawberries;
-hulled and sliced
3 tb Sugar
2 tb Framboise liqueur or Grand
-Marnier
2 1/2 pt Baskets raspberries

To make heart lid:

Cut heart-shaped piece of waxed paper about 4 inches larger than 8×2-inch
bottomless heart-shaped cake pan. Place on cookie sheet. Lightly oil inside
of heart pan with vegetable oil. Butter outside of pan. Place heart pan
atop paper on cookie sheet. Press waxed paper up onto outside of buttered
pan to adhere, to prevent chocolate from leaking out. Place white chocolate
in bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water; stir until smooth.
Remove from over water. Place bittersweet chocolate in another bowl. Set
bowl over saucepan of simmering water; stir until smooth. Remove from over
water.

Drop white chocolate by spoonfuls inside heart, spacing apart and allowing
some to touch inner edge of pan. Drop bittersweet chocolate by spoonfuls
into spaces. Move heart pan gently from side to side to distribute
chocolate evenly and fill in heart completely. Swirl mixtures together
using tip of knife. Holding cake pan to cookie sheet with hands, tap sheet
firmly on counter to flatten chocolate. Freeze until firm, about 20
minutes.

Run small sharp knife around outside of pan to loosen chocolate. Remove
pan. Refrigerate chocolate lid until ready to use. (Can be prepared 1 week
ahead. Cover with plastic wrap.)

To make cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 8×2-inch bottomless
heart-shaped cake pan. Cut heart-shaped piece of heavy-duty foil 4 inches
larger that heart cake pan. Butter and flour foil. Place on heavy large
cookie sheet or double-stacked cookie sheets. Center heart pan on foil.
Wrap foil around outsides of pan, folding, pressing and crimping firmly to
adhere, to batter from leaking out. Place white chocolate in bowl. Set bowl
over sauce-pan of simmering water; stir until smooth. Remove from over
water.

Using electric mixer, beat yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl until pale
yellow and slowly dissolving ribbon forms when beaters are lifted, about 3
minutes. Beat in framboise and vanilla, then butter. Add melted chocolate
and beat until just combined.

Using electric mixer fitted with clean dry beaters, beat whites in large
bowl to soft peaks. Gradually add remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and beat
until just stiff. Mix flour into chocolate mixture (batter will be very
thick). Stir in 1/4 of whites to lighten. Gradually fold in remaining