Ghirardelli Dipped Hearts

We are on a bit of a dipping role around here. It all started with my trip to San Francisco a few weeks ago. Seeing as how my little sister is going to SFU, we tend to visit San Fran quite often.

One of my obligatory stops is the Ghirardelli Outlet in Oakland. You can literally smell chocolate from a block away. I always stock up on baking chips. This time, knowing full well that Valentine's Day was around the corner, I also stocked up on Ghirardelli Melting Wafers. 

I love the Melting Wafers because they have a fine grind for a smooth texture and easy melting. Seriously, look at how smooth the hearts are! Made with a proprietary blend of quality ingredients these Melting Wafers deliver a rich yet balanced taste sensation, making these little hearts the perfect Valentine's Day dessert.

These were so much fun to make and even more fun to eat! We had made some extra cake and decided to make some cake pops. I think that this is honestly the first time that the coating on my cake pops was smooth! These melting wafers are so rich and creamy that they would make a perfect dipped strawberry, pretzel, or for a dessert fondue. Ghirardelli Melting Wafers can be found at grocery and club stores nationwide!

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Ghirardelli Dipped Hearts

Author: Jackie

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated white sugar
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ½ cup butter , melted
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee (or 2 teaspoon instant coffee in 1 cup boiling water)
• 2 cups chocolate hazelnut spread or chocolate frosting
• 2 cups Ghirardelli Dark Melting Wafers
• ½ cup Ghirardelli White Melting Wafers
• Sprinkles for decoration

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease one large casserole dish or two cake pans.
3. Mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
4. Using a mixer or beater, add eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Carefully stir in hot coffee.
5. Batter will be very runny.
6. Pour batter into the pan/s and bake on middle rack of oven for about 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.
7. Allow cake to cool completely.
8. Once cooled, crumble cake into fine pieces into a large bowl.
9. Add chocolate hazelnut spread or frosting and mix with a wooden spoon until completely combined.
10. Line a small jelly roll pan with wax paper.
11. Press cake into an even layer (about 1 ½ in thick).
12. Using a heart shaped cookie cutter, cut out mini cakes and place on a clean wax paper lined cookie sheet.
13. Continue until all cake has been used.
14. Place heart cut outs into the freezer for at least 2 hours.
15. Before removing hearts from the freezer, start melting dark chocolate wafers.
16. Using a double boiler (or a small pan with a heat proof glass bowl on top) begin to heat the water on medium low.
17. Add the 2 cups of dark melting wafers to the top of the boiler or to the glass bowl and stir with wooden spoon until melted.
18. Once melted, dip the frozen heart cakes into the melting wafers and place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet or a cooling rack.
19. Continue process with the rest of the hearts.
20. Repeat melting process with the white melting wafers.
21. Using a spoon, drizzle melted white wafers over chocolate hearts and decorate with sprinkles.
22. Allow cakes to harden at room temperature for at least an hour or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.