Valentine's Day Cake

This has become my new Valentine's Day cake. I made it last year too. It's actually pretty easy and so yummy. It's kind of like a deflated chocolate souffle, and oh so yummy.

Ingredients:

Serves 8

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

6 large eggs, separated

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.with the rack in the center. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.Place butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until completely melted. Let cool slightly. Whisk in egg yolks.In a large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add granulated sugar, and continue beating until glossy stiff peaks form. Whisk 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture; then gently fold in remaining egg whites.Pour batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and is set in the center, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack; remove sides of pan. Serve at room temperature, dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Cinnamon Rolls

2 Pkg yeast 14 cups flour

2 cups water 3/4 cup melted butter

2 Tbs sugar 1 cup sugar

1 cup evaporated milk 6 eggs

1 cup boiling water 1 tsp salt

• Put 2 cups water and 2 Tbs sugar in bowl.
• Combine boiling water and evaporated milk and add to mixture.
• Add 3 cups flour with yeast sprinkled on top. Beat well.
• Melt butter and add 1 cup sugar. Add this to mixture.
• Add eggs, salt and remaining flour. Mix 10 minutes.
• If you do not have bread mixer add last flour and mix with hands. (will be soft dough).
• Let rise 2 hours or until double.

• Roll to about 1/8 inch thick.
• Spread with butter, sugar (I like to use brown sugar) and cinnamon.
• Can add pecans, walnuts, or raisins.
• Roll up like jelly roll and cut in 3/4 to 1 inch pieces.
• Place on greased cookie sheet.
• Let rise 1 hour
• Bake 10 - 15 minutes or until brown at 350° F.

Frost with glaze. I like to use a thin frosting made with cream cheese and powder sugar butter and canned milk.

Mom was always a high achiever - waking at 6 am to stuff the turkey, make cinnamon rolls and everything else from scratch! Wow... I get tired just thinking about it (but will a reminiscent smile on my face :)