Valentine Petit Fours

I saw this recipe on my friend, Melinda's blog and HAD to try them! Mine did not turn out quite as pretty as Melinda's, but they were extremely yummy! Recipe copied with Melinda's permission!

How mine turned out:

How Melinda's turned out:

Ingredients:

• Box of cake mix - Melinda used red velvet, I used Devils Food
  
• 1/2 a container to a whole container of icing - we both used Cream Cheese icing
• A package of Vanilla or Chocolate Almond Bark - Melinda used both. I used milk chocolate and white chocolate chips.
  
• Sprinkles
• Parchment paper

To make these yummy, albeit very rich, little goodies, here's what you do:

1. Make cake according to box directions.
2. Before it has a chance to cool, dump cake into a large bowl
   
   
   
   and crumble using a fork.
   
   
   
3. Then add your desired amount of icing and mix well.
   
   
   
4. Melinda shaped each heart by hand (I started out doing this and quickly gave up....).
   
   
   By starting with a ball and then using her pinkie to make the crevice, gently placing them on parchment paper, and pressing into the desired shape, she eventually got this:
   
   
   Note: I took her advice and used a heart shaped cookie cutter. I pressed the cake/icing mixture til it was about half and inch thick and then used my cookie cutter to cut out the shapes. Perfect!
5. Once you have your heart shaped cakes, place them in the freezer for a couple of hours.
6. Using a double boiler, melt your candy coating/almond bark. (If you don't have a double boiler, you can create your own - directions to follow). I was able to melt my chocolate chips in the microwave on half power, stirring frequently.
   
7. Gently dip each cake in the candy coating and place it back on the parchment paper to cool. This was hard for me!
   
8. Next is the fun part - DECORATE! Melinda melted some chocolate almond bark and drizzled it over the top. Before it had a chance to dry, she sprinkled with pink sprinkles.
   
   
   
   I think they turned out kind of cute!
   
   

How to make your own double boiler:

1. Take a pot and a heat-safe bowl that fits snugly into the pot without it touching the bottom.
   
   
   
   
2. Fill the pot with an inch or two of water. When your heat-safe bowl is placed in the pot, you do not want it to touch the water.
   
   
   
3. Now, boil your water and THEN place the heat-safe bowl into the pot and melt your chocolate.
4. Make sure you watch the level of your water in the pot because it will evaporate which will burn your pot and possibly the chocolate.