chocolate heart box cake - can i do it?

[purple_hippo]

ok, well my parents' anniversary is coming up and i offered to make dinner.
now, you know how you can get chocolate boxes filled with chocolate mousse and other yumminess? we have a heart shaped cake pan - if i lined it, would it work making a heart shaped chocolate box, then a heart cocolate cake (trim to fit) and layer with chocolate cream and berries?

[GloryB]

If you already have a heart shaped cake pan, why not bake the cake in it?

[Kuolema Nox]

I don't see any reason it wouldn't work, provided you line the box and (if there's cream or other perishable ingredients in the cake) you refrigerate the cake and put it in the box at the last minute.

[rabid.dustbunny]

You mean pour chocolate into the pan and make a box from that, and then bake the cake in same pan and trim it down so it fits in said box? If so, it sounds gorgeous! I'd love to see it, whether or not it turns out.

[purple_hippo]

You mean pour chocolate into the pan and make a box from that, and then bake the cake in same pan and trim it down so it fits in said box? If so, it sounds gorgeous! I'd love to see it, whether or not it turns out.

Yeah, that's the basic idea. Make a chocolate box (the bit I'm worried about!!!!), then bake a cake in the pan, trim it, cut it into layers and layer it in the box with chocolate cream and top with berries

[Kuolema Nox]

You could probably do it as long as you could somehow stop the chocolate from sliding down from the sides of the tin and pooling into the bottom of it. If you have another tin of the same shape or a little smaller you could cover the outside of it with clingfilm or something and put it inside the first one with the chocolate in.

[norsgoebel]

The easiest way i have found to make chocolate boxes is to paint the choc. (use a brand new paint brush not one you have used for paint!) on the sides and bottom of the box, stick it in the freezer and let it set up then take it out and paint another layer of choc. and continue letting it set up and painting more on until it is thick enough to support  itself.

[TragicHitori]

I found this neat sort of tutorial on how one woman makes boxes out of chocolate.  It's sort of a construction job but it seems like it would work well.

http://www.shavkin.com/marydemo.htm

[purple_hippo]

ooh thanks. keep the ideas coming, but i might try the paint brush thing. what should i line the pan with so it will come out easily and smoothly?

[norsgoebel]

as long as it is a clean, dry metal pan you don't need to line it with anything.  Let it get pretty cold after the last layer of chocolate and it should pop out pretty easy.  I usually put them in the freezer for 5 minutes or so and the chocolate seems to be pretty durable, turn it over and give it a couple of shakes or use a finger on the inside of the chocolate to help it start to slide.