Chocolate Covered Ice Cream Hearts Recipes

CHOCOLATE DIPPED ICE CREAM BARS

Steps:

• Scoop the softened ice cream/prepared no-churn ice cream mixture into a popsicle mold, filling up to the top. Ensure there are no gaps/air bubbles in each mold. Place the mold into the freezer for 40 minutes (set a timer!!!) and then insert a popsicle stick into each mold. Freeze the bars for 4-5 hours.
• In a microwave safe dish, melt the chocolate chips together with the coconut oil in 30 second increments, stirring until smooth and glossy. Allow the chocolate to come to room temperature.
• Remove the popsicle mold from the freezer. Run warm water over the base of the mold and then carefully extract each ice cream bar from the mold by pulling on the popsicle stick. Place the bars on a baking tray lined with wax paper** and return the tray to the freezer.
• One at a time, remove an ice cream bar from the freezer, dunk it into the chocolate up to the top of the stick, and then place the bar back into the freezer, on to the wax paper. Repeat with the remaining bars. Freeze for 1 hour before enjoying, or removing the bars from the tray and placing them in a freezer bag, sealing it tightly and storing it in the freezer for up to 2 months.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED ICE CREAM HEARTS

Steps:

• Lay a pint of strawberry ice cream on its side and cut into 1-inch-thick rounds with a large serrated knife; peel off the carton. Cut out hearts with a 2-inch cookie cutter, place on a rack set on a baking sheet and freeze 30 minutes. For the coating, combine 3 ounces chopped chocolate with 3 tablespoons coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth. Pour over the ice cream hearts. Freeze until set, then drizzle with melted candy melts.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED ICE CREAM CONE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 24 mini-muffin cups. Stand ice cream cones in additional mini-muffin cups., Prepare cake mix batter according to package directions. Fill each greased muffin cup with 1 tablespoon batter. Divide remaining batter among ice cream cones (scant 2 tablespoons each)., Bake until a knife inserted in center comes out clean, 15-20 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Transfer both plain and cone cupcakes to wire racks; cool completely., For frosting, beat butter and shortening until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla on medium speed until soft peaks form., To assemble, spread a small amount of frosting on bottom of each plain cupcake; attach to top of a cone cupcake. Spread remaining frosting over top cupcakes, rounding tops to resemble a scoop of ice cream. Freeze until frosting is firm, 5-10 minutes., For glaze, in a large metal bowl over simmering water, melt chocolate and shortening, stirring until smooth. Dip tops of cones in chocolate mixture. Decorate with sprinkles. Let stand until set.

CHOCOLATE ECLAIR HEARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Using a 2 1/2-inch heart cookie cutter and a pencil, trace 12 hearts on a piece of parchment paper, spacing 1 inch apart. Repeat with another piece of parchment. Lightly coat 2 rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray; line with prepared parchment, traced side down. Set aside.
• Make the pate a choux: Sift flour and cocoa powder into a medium bowl. Put milk, butter, sugar, and salt into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat, and add flour mixture all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until flour has been incorporated.
• Set pan over medium-low heat. Continue to cook, stirring, until dough pulls away from sides of pan and forms a ball, about 1 minute. Transfer dough to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until just warm to the touch.
• Raise speed to medium. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Transfer dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip (such as Ateco #802). Pipe onto prepared parchment, tracing outlines of hearts and then filling centers. Pipe another heart on top of first layer.
• Place hearts in oven. Reduce temperature to 400 degrees. Bake 10 minutes, then rotate sheets. Reduce to 350 degrees; bake 7 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks to cool slightly. Turn off oven.
• Using a serrated knife, halve hearts horizontally. Arrange, cut sides down, on wire rack. Place rack on baking sheet; transfer to oven. Prop open door slightly, and let hearts cool completely, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven; set aside.
• Make the filling: Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Pulse chocolate in a food processor until finely chopped. Put 1 cup cream and the sugar into a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Add hot cream mixture to the food processor. Carefully pulse until completely smooth. Transfer to a large bowl set in the ice-water bath. Let cool completely, whisking occasionally, 30 to 45 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve into a medium bowl.
• Put chocolate cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add remaining cup cream. Beat on low speed until medium peaks form (do not overbeat).
• Make the glaze: Pulse chocolate in a food processor until finely chopped. Put cream and corn syrup into a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring until syrup has dissolved. Add hot cream mixture to the food processor. Carefully pulse until completely smooth. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl; use a rubber spatula to eliminate air bubbles.
• To assemble: Spoon glaze over tops of hearts. Let stand until set, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, spread filling onto cut sides of bottoms of hearts. Sandwich tops and bottoms. Serve immediately, or refrigerate, uncovered, up to 4 hours.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED STRAWBERRY HEARTS

Steps:

• 1. In a large, microwave-safe bowl, microwave two-thirds of the bittersweet chocolate for 30 seconds, then stir. Repeat until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the remaining chocolate until melted. Transfer 2 tablespoons to a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag and snip a small hole in one corner.
• 2. Pipe 12 small (2-inch) heart outlines onto a wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate until set, about 5 minutes. Fold the strawberries into the remaining bittersweet chocolate. Divide among the heart outlines and carefully spread to fill in the hearts.
• 3. Repeat the melting technique above with the white chocolate. Pipe decorations onto the hearts. Let stand until set.

HEART-SHAPED CHOCOLATE ÉCLAIRS

Steps:

• Prepare the pastry cream: Cut vanilla bean in half crosswise, then cut a slit lengthwise down each half. Use the edge of the knife to scrape out all the seeds. Discard the pods or reserve for another use.
• Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, egg, egg yolks, milk, and vanilla seeds in a saucepan; whisk until well combined.
• Place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom surface of the pan, until thick, about 10 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and whisk to release some steam. Add butter and keep stirring until melted. Pass through a fine sieve to remove any fibrous bits from the vanilla pod. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream to cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 to 3 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner (such as Silpat®).
• Combine butter, water, and salt for the pate choux in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer. Add flour and stir with a wooden spoon until a buttery dough forms. Continue to cook and stir until a starchy film forms on the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat and continue stirring for 1 more minute.
• Transfer to a bowl. Add one egg and mix it in with a little dough. Once that's incorporated, mix it in with the remaining dough. Repeat with the second egg. Continue stirring until you have a very sticky dough. Use a spatula to clean off the whisk if necessary.
• Transfer the dough into a pastry bag and snip off the tip making a ½-inch opening. Pipe two 6-inch heart shapes on the prepared baking sheet. Start by making thin shapes and then pipe extra dough to make them thicker. To fine-tune the hearts, dip your fingers in water and fix any imperfections if desired.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until beautifully browned, about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat, leave the pastries in the oven, and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon. Let sit until crispy and dried out, about 1 hour.
• Use a serrated knife to slice the hearts in half horizontally.
• Remove pastry cream from the refrigerator and transfer to a pastry bag. Generously pipe cream into the bottom half of each heart, then place the top halves on the cream.
• Heat cream in a saucepan until simmering.
• Place chocolate chips in a small bowl and pour hot cream over top. Let sit for 2 to 3 minutes, then whisk until chocolate has melted and ganache is thick and shiny. Let cool for about 5 minutes.
• Spoon ganache on top of each heart. Reserve any remaining ganache for another use. Refrigerate éclairs until the ganache is firm, about 15 minutes.
• Place éclairs on serving plates. Fill the center of each heart with raspberries and sift cocoa powder over top. Sift powdered sugar over just the raspberries and serve. (Each éclair is enough for two people.)

CHOCOLATE COVERED ICE-CREAM BALLS

Steps:

• Sprinkle gelatine over water in a small bowl.
• Place bowl over a container of hot water until the gelatine is dissolved, then cool.
• Beat ice-cream until creamy, add gelatine and liqueur and beat until just combined.
• Pour ice-cream mixture into a container and freeze for several hours or overnight until firm.
• Before making these ball put an oven tray into freezer to become very cold.
• Working very quickly using a melon baller scoop out balls of ice-cream and put on cold tray. It helps to dip the melon baller into cold water before rolling out each ball.
• Place tray with balls, back into the freezer and freeze until firm.
• Remove tray from feezer and push small wooden sticks (toothpicks) into each ball at a slight angle then replace tray in freezer.
• Once you get to this stage put chocolate and shortening in a bowl over simmering water to melt.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
• Pour chocolate into a small drinking glass then dip each ball into mixture, coating each one well.
• Put chocolate covered balls on to a cold tray and return to freezer until firm.

MOUSSE-FILLED CHOCOLATE HEARTS

Steps:

• For Hearts:
• Turn two 15x10-inch baking sheets bottom side up. Dab butter on corners. Cover each pan bottom with parchment paper; press paper into butter to anchor.
• Stir white chocolate in top of double boiler over barely simmering water until melted. Spread white chocolate over 1 sheet of parchment. Stir semisweet chocolate in clean top of double boiler over simmering water until melted. Spread semisweet chocolate over second sheet of parchment. Chill both sheets until chocolates are dry but still slightly flexible when edge of parchment is lifted, about 3 minutes for dark chocolate and 5 minutes for white chocolate (do not let chocolate harden completely).
• Press heart-shaped cookie cutter about 3 inches long by 3 inches wide into chocolate, forming 12 hearts on each sheet (do not move or lifts hearts). Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• For Mousse:
• Combine both chocolates and butter in small saucepan. Stir over low heat until smooth. Cool slightly.
• Combine sugar, 2 tablespoons water and corn syrup in heavy small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil until candy thermometer registers 238°F, tilting pan if necessary to submerge bulb of thermometer and brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, about 4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, using electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add boiling syrup to whites, beating until firm peaks form and meringue is completely cool, about 5 minutes. Gradually fold lukewarm chocolate mixture into cooled meringue.
• Beat cream and vanilla in small bowl until firm peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture. Chill until cold, about 1 hour. (Hearts and mousse can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately; keep chilled.)
• Turn 1 sheet of hearts out onto work surface. Peel off parchment. Cut around hearts, if necessary, to free from sheet of chocolate. Place on baking sheet and chill; transfer trimmings to small saucepan and reserve. Repeat cutting out hearts from second sheet, reserving trimmings in another small saucepan.
• Arrange 12 hearts on baking sheet. Spread 1/4 cup of mousse over each, leaving 1/2-inch border. Top each with another chocolate heart. Refrigerate.
• Using fork, stir dark chocolate trimmings over very low heat just until melted. Using another fork, stir white chocolate trimmings over very low heat just until melted. Using another fork, stir white chocolate trimmings over very low heat just until melted. Dip tines of fork into dark chocolate; wave fork over hearts to form pattern. Repeat with white chocolate. Chill 1 hour to 8 hours. Serve cold.