Valentine's Heart Cake

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  Valentine's Heart Cake Romantic Heart Couple Yield: 4 servings, 1 eight-inch cake

Ingredients

 * 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
 * ⅓ cup all purpose flour
 * ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
 * ¼ teaspoon salt
 * 4 large eggs
 * ¾ cup sugar

Mousse Base

 * 1 cup heavy whipping cream
 * 4 cinnamon sticks, broken in half

Mousse, Cake Assembly, and Glaze

 * ⅔ cup cherry jam
 * 2 tablespoons kirsch (clear cherry brandy)
 * 4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
 * ½ cup heavy whipping cream
 * ¼ cup water
 * 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
 * 1 teaspoon chai-spiced tea leaves or lapsang souchong smoked black tea leaves (from 1 tea bag)
 * 5 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions

 * 1) Buy chocolate

For cake

 * 1) Preheat oven to 400°F.
 * 2) Place 8x2-inch heart-shaped cake ring on sheet of foil.
 * 3) Wrap foil up sides of ring.
 * 4) Brush foil and inside of ring with 1 tablespoon butter; dust with flour.
 * 5) Place on baking sheet.
 * 6) You could also use a buttered and floured 8-inch round cake pan with 2-inch-high sides.
 * 7) Sift flour, cocoa, and salt into medium bowl.
 * 8) Combine eggs and sugar in large metal bowl.
 * 9) Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water).
 * 10) Whisk until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.
 * 11) Remove from over water.
 * 12) Using electric mixer, beat mixture until thick and billowy and heavy ribbon falls when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes.
 * 13) Sift half of dry ingredients over; fold in gently.
 * 14) Repeat with remaining dry ingredients.
 * 15) Transfer ¼ cup batter to small bowl; fold in 3 tablespoons butter.
 * 16) Gently fold butter mixture into batter; do not overmix or batter will deflate.
 * 17) Transfer batter to ring.
 * 18) Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
 * 19) Transfer cake with foil to rack; cool completely (can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature)

mousse base

 * 1) Bring whipping cream and cinnamon sticks just to simmer in heavy medium saucepan.
 * 2) Remove from heat; let steep 1 hour at room temperature.
 * 3) Cover and refrigerate cinnamon cream overnight.
 * 4) For mousse, cake assembly, and glaze: blend jam and kirsch in small bowl.
 * 5) Cut around sides of cake; lift off ring.
 * 6) Using metal spatula, loosen cake from foil and transfer to rack.
 * 7) Using serrated knife, cut cake horizontally in half.
 * 8) Using tart pan bottom, transfer top cake layer to work surface; turn cut side up.
 * 9) Spread half of jam on cut side of both cake layers.
 * 10) Strain cinnamon cream into large bowl; beat until soft peaks form.
 * 11) Stir finely chopped chocolate in heavy small saucepan over low heat until smooth.
 * 12) Quickly fold warm chocolate into whipped cream (chocolate must be warm to blend smoothly).
 * 13) Immediately drop mousse by dollops over bottom cake layer; spread to within ¾ inch of edge.
 * 14) Gently press second layer, jam side down, atop mousse.
 * 15) Smooth sides of cake with offset spatula.
 * 16) Chill assembled cake on rack while preparing glaze.
 * 17) Bring cream, ¼ cup water, corn syrup, and tea to boil in small saucepan, stirring constantly.
 * 18) Remove from heat; steep 5 minutes.
 * 19) Strain into another small saucepan; return to boil.
 * 20) Remove from heat.
 * 21) Add coarsely chopped chocolate; whisk until smooth.
 * 22) Cool glaze until thickened, but still pourable, about 30 minutes.
 * 23) Place rack with cake over baking sheet.
 * 24) Slowly pour glaze over cake to cover, using spatula if necessary to spread evenly.
 * 25) Chill until glaze is firm, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
 * 26) Place cake on platter and serve.