Valentine's Love Ding Dongs

If you have some time on your hands - make these amazingly delicious Valentine's Ding Dongs! They take a while but were worth it in the end. I have not had a piece of cake in over a month and these little guys gave me a headache - but were worth it! Happy Valentine's Day!

Cake Ingredients

- 1 oz. chocolate chopped (I used dark chocolate chips)
- 1/2 cup coffee, hot
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa, unsweetened
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Frosting

- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg white
- 1/8 c. corn syrup
- 1 tbsp. water
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- dash of salt

Ganache

- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp. butter, unsalted
- 6 oz. chocolate, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 13"x8" or an 8"x11" cake pan with cooking spray.
2. Melt 1 oz. of chocolate in hot coffee, mix completely.
3. In your Kitchenaide mixer beat your egg. Slowly add sugar, buttermilk, vanilla, coffee mixture, and vegetable oil.
4. In a medium bowl mix all your dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to wet mixture.
5. Pour batter into cake pan and cook for 30-35 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, make your frosting by combining all ingredients and whisking together with your whisk attachment on your Kitchenaid Mixer. Mix on high for 5 minutes until thickened. Place in a small sandwich bag and place in the refrigerator.
7. When cake is cooled completely, cut our hearts with a heart cookie cutter. With a knife, cut out a little piece of cake from the middle, you will pour frosting inside it.
8. Make your ganache by placing your chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Boil your cream and butter on the stovetop, quickly add to chocolate. Let cool for 5 minutes and stir chocolate and cream together.

Assemble Cakes

1. Place frosting in the middle of each cake.
2. Allow to chill for 10 minutes in the fridge.
3. Place ganache on top of each cake and spread thinly, place back in the fridge for 20 minutes.
4. Flip cakes over and repeat the ganache on the other side. Place back in the fridge for 20 minutes.
5. Snip a small hole in the corner of your frosting bag and pipe "Love" on your cakes. Keep in refrigerator until ready to eat!

 Cooled cake with heart cookie cutter

 Heart Cakes

 Hole cut our of cake middles and filled with frosting

 Cakes covered in ganache

 Cakes covered in ganache on other side and "love" icing

 Valentine's Ding Dong

Frosting in the middle

Enjoy!

Brittney

French Onion Pot Roast

Looking for something to make that is hearty and easy on a cold day? Well this pot roast is amazing! It only takes about 10 minutes to prepare and then you let your oven do the rest. We are getting ready for some fun Valentine's Day activities, which I hope to share with you this weekend!

French Onion Pot Roast

- 2 lb. chuck roast
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1/2 tbsp. oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 onions, sliced thinly
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1/2 tsp. thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 3 tbsp. cornstarch
- 1/3 cup water

1. Pat down your roast and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet and add your butter and oil. Once butter is crackling, sear the roast for 2-3 minutes on each side.
2. Remove roast to a plate.
3. Add a little more oil and add your onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Add your roast and all ingredients accept cornstarch/water to your dutch oven. Cover your dutch oven and place in oven. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
5. Remove meat from the oven. Mix your cornstarch and water together. Place your dutch oven on the stove top and heat to a simmer. Add your cornstarch mixture and allow gravy to thicken.
6. Serve with mashed potatoes or noodles.

Pot Roast in Gravy

Enjoy!

Brittney