Valentine Mini Cakes

I am completely enamored by beautiful chocolates.  It has to be the best part of Valentine's Day!  They speak to me, so luxuriously packaged and so deliciously decadent.  Not being a chocolatier, I decided to create these beautiful Valentine's desserts out of cake.  These luxurious mini chocolate cakes are decorated to look like decadent boxed chocolates.  A special thank you to Rosie at Sweetapolita, whose talent inspired me to create these.

Each mini cake starts with a 2" or 3" base of my Devil's Food Cake and is topped with a lavish filling and frosting before they get covered in handmade modelling chocolate or fondant. 

Rum (dome with sprinkles):  A base of Devil's Food Cake is covered with a dome of rum flavoured Swiss meringue buttercream frosting.  I wrapped this boozy treat in milk modelling chocolate and topped it with chocolate sprinkles.

Mocha (square with red squiggle):  I brushed two small tiers of Devil's Food cake with Kahlúa syrup and filled the tiers with coffee Swiss meringue buttercream before wrapping them in delicious dark modelling chocolate and topping the whole mini cake with a squiggle of red royal icing.

Classic (gold dome):  A dome of my classic Swiss meringue buttercream sits on top of a circle of Devil's Food Cake and is then wrapped in fondant, which I coloured with a gold lustre dust.

Almond & Apricot (square with dark squiggle):  A square of Devil's food cake is brushed with an apricot compote and topped with an Almond Dacquoise (it is an almond meringue) and the entire mini cake is frosted in Swiss meringue buttercream before being coated in dark modelling chocolate.  Yum!

Raspberry (pink heart):  A heart shaped cake is brushed with a raspberry compote and topped with raspberry Swiss meringue buttercream.  I then covered the cake with pink fondant, which I painted with an edible pink lustre dust - so pretty!

Salted Caramel (round with salt):  Two tiers of Devil's Food Cake are filled with handmade caramel and frosted in chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream.  Covered in milk modelling chocolate and topped with fleur de sel to make this decadent flavour extra delicious.

Chocolate Mint (round with dark swirl):  Two tiers of the cake are filled with a mint chocolate ganache and frosting in a mint Swiss meringue buttercream.  Covered in a dark modelling chocolate.  So good!

Double Chocolate (square with pink heart):  Two tiers of Devil's Food Cake, filled with chocolate ganache and frosted in chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream.  Covered in milk modelling chocolate and topped with a fondant heart.

These special Valentine chocolate cakes come complete in a pink or red box and a matching ribbon, ready to give your special someone, or to share with a number of your special someones!  Box of 9 mini cakes: $45.  Place your order early!  Pickup days are Saturday, February 11th until Tuesday, February 14th.

Valentine Mini Cookies

In a play on a box of decadent chocolates, this box is actually filled with cookies!  Make your Valentine extra happy with this box of most delicious all-butter sugar cookies disguised with royal icing to look like the best quality chocolates!  A special thank you to Maryann, the Cookie Artisan for the inspiration.

These special Valentine cookies come complete in a box with a lovely ribbon finish, ready to give your special someone!  Box of 16 1" cookies: $20.  Place your order early!  Pickup days are Saturday, February 11th until Tuesday, February 14th.

Sweet Valentine - handmade candies and chocolates

Just in time for Valentine's Day, I am offering "Sweet Valentine", a box filled with handmade candies and chocolates. Each and every treat in this box is made by hand.  This beautiful 8"x8" box, containing almost a pound of sweets, comes wrapped with a raffia ribbon, is completely ready for gift giving.

The box contains 6 varieties of chocolates and candies.

I start the "Rum Balls" by baking a beautiful pan of brownies. After cooling, I crumble them and mix the crumbs with the best rum and then I roll them in red sanding sugar. Really yummy!

"Heart-Shaped Marshmallows" are made by mixing sugar and gelatin together, cooking it and then whipping it. Using a small heart-shaped cutter, I cut the delicate shapes and dust them with confectioners' sugar. They just melt in your mouth.

To make the "Chocolate-Covered Almonds", I toast the almonds. Then I candy them. And then I dredge the almonds in melted semi-sweet chocolate, before finally tossing them in cocoa.

"Almond Croquant" is made by cooking sugar to the soft-ball stage and mixing it with crushed almonds. The result is a crunchy/chewy candy that is so sweet and delicious!

"Bourbon Pecan Chews" are made by mixing sugars and pecans with Bourbon - they will remind you of pecan pie.

Finally, "Chocolate-Covered Caramels" are made by cooking sugar, cream and butter until it reaches 245 degrees, making caramel. After cooling, I cut the round shapes, temper top quality bittersweet chocolate and then the caramel shapes are dredged through the chocolate. Topped with dragees, these beauties will delight!

Boxed and wrapped with a lovely Valentine ribbon, ready for gift-giving - $30.  Place your order early!  Pickup days are Saturday, February 11th until Tuesday, February 14th.

Valentine Heart-Shaped Cookies

These delicious all-butter sugar cookies make the perfect treats for your child's class on Valentine's Day, a wonderful treat for your office or just a nice treat with a cup of tea!

These special Valentine cookies come individually packaged, ready for gift-giving.  The 1 1/2" cookies (minimum order of 20) are $1.25 each and the 3 1/2" cookies (minimum order of 10) are $2.50 each.  Place your order early!  Pickup days are Saturday, February 11th until Tuesday, February 14th.

Valentine Milk Chocolate Mousse Cake

Sure to leave your sweetheart smitten!  This cake starts with three layers of Chocolate Génoise Cake.  I cover the layers with Bittersweet Ganache and top each layer with thick Milk Chocolate Mousse into which I mix bits of buttery cashew brittle.  The entire cake is topped with Whipped Bittersweet Ganache and decorated with cashew brittle hearts!  Everything about this cake is just spectacular!

This cake serves 12 and costs $90.  Place your order early!  Pickup days are Saturday, February 11th until Tuesday, February 14th.