You have to end Fridays with a bang, right? So I figured this Molded Hearts Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe  from Williams-Sonoma would do just the trick.
Molded into hearts, this chocolate ice cream dessert is a little complicated to make, but well worth the time & energy. A great weekend treat, enjoy!
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Ingredients for Bittersweet Chocolate Ice Cream:
- 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- 3 cups half-and-half
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Ingredients for Semisweet Chocolate Ice Cream:
- 8 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 3 cups half-and-half
- 3/4 cup sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
What’s Next:
To make the bittersweet chocolate ice cream, put the chocolate in a bowl. Set aside.
In a saucepan, whisk together 3/4 cup of the sugar, the cocoa powder and salt until blended, then whisk in the half-and-half. Set over medium heat and heat until bubbles form around the edges of the pan, 5 to 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar until blended. Slowly add the half-and-half mixture, whisking constantly until fully incorporated.
Put the mixture in the top pan of a double boiler set over but not touching simmering water in the bottom pan. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until a finger drawn across the back of the spoon leaves a path, about 10 minutes; do not allow the custard to boil.
Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve set over the bowl holding the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is melted. Stir in the vanilla. Place the bowl in a larger one filled halfway with ice and water and let cool, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
Transfer the custard to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturerÂ’s instructions. Spoon the ice cream directly from the ice cream maker into the wells of a mini-heart silicone baking mold; fill each well halfway and press firmly on the ice cream. Place in the freezer.
To make the semisweet chocolate ice cream, put the chocolate in a bowl. Set aside.
In a saucepan, whisk together the half-and-half, 1/2 cup of the sugar and the salt until blended. Set over medium heat and heat until bubbles form around the edges of the pan, 5 to 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar until blended. Slowly add the half-and-half mixture, whisking constantly until fully incorporated.
Put the mixture in the top pan of a double boiler set over but not touching simmering water in the bottom pan. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until a finger drawn across the back of the spoon leaves a path, about 10 minutes; do not allow the custard to boil.
Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve set over the bowl holding the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is melted. Stir in the vanilla. Place the bowl in a larger one filled halfway with ice and water and let cool, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
Transfer the custard to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturerÂ’s instructions. Spoon the semisweet chocolate ice cream on top of the frozen layer of bittersweet chocolate ice cream and press firmly. Freeze for at least 3 hours.
To serve, invert the mold and pop out each dessert onto a plate. Makes about 24 heart-shaped desserts. Whew, you’re done! Relax & enjoy some well deserved chocolate time!