Blackforest Ice Cream Mooncake - Stone Fruits #1

Like I told you, I don't like eating tradtional mooncakes, but I never said, I don't like all sort of mooncakes. This is ice cream, made in the form of mooncakes. Give me any amount, I'll gladly take them! LOL

I had this idea, that instead of making carrot juice yolks, why not I just use beautiful cherries as the moon ?
I have a few other crazy ideas in my head, but I think let's leave them for next year and I hope I get them realized instead of letting them stored up in my brain. This idea was actually thought of last year in 2012 but until now, whatever I planned last year, haven't been done.

I gave one to my kid's ex nanny and she asked me for orders... sadly I had to say no. I seriously dare not accept any orders due to having 3 kids around, things can easily happen and they will come as my priority and I will have to break my promise. I don't like landing myself in that kind of situation.

This ice cream mooncake idea is not new, but I like mine to be filled with homemade ice cream, like how I like my traditional mooncakes to be filled with homemade lotus paste.Try to make your own ice cream to fill your mooncakes and taste the difference. Store bought ice cream just don't taste the same, that is unless you use Haagen Daz and those of the same type. Use full yolks for ultimate smoothness, but sometimes I'm just plain lazy to do that and settle the remaining whites later.

Blackforest Ice Cream Mooncake
by WendyinKK
Makes: 8 pcs (4 round 4 square)

1 egg (or 3 egg yolks)
2 egg yolks
100gm sugar
250ml milk (just don't use low fat)
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
250ml whipping cream

500gm fresh cherries, pitted
250gm dark chocolate (top)
125gm dark chocolate (bottom)

1. Prepare custard. Beat egg, egg yolks and sugar together until very frothy. Put vanilla and milk into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour 1/4 of  the boiling milk into the egg mixture, whisking all the while, then add another 1/4 and whisk. Pour in all and whisk until smooth. Pour all this back into the saucepan (if you think you need to wash the saucepan before this, go ahead, but it's not necessary) Cook the custard mixture on low heat (don't let it boil) until it thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon. Remove from heat, strain and cover with a piece of cling wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let this cool down totally. (you can do this step way a day ahead and keep the custard chilled)
2. Meanwhile, pit cherries with a cherry pitter or you can use this method.
3. Melt 250gm dark chocolate, let it cool down slightly and take on a thicker consistency. Coat mooncake moulds with the thick melted chocolate. Put it in the fridge (best is have the air cond blowing at it) as you prepare the filling
4. Beat cream in a cold bowl until thick and stiff. Pour in the cooled custard and mix it with the lowest speed until a smooth mixture is achieved..
5. Make sure the chocolate in mould is no longer runny and has partially set (or fully set). Fill 1/3 of the mould with the filling. Put 4 pitted cherries into the filling and top with more filling until 3-5mm from the rim. Level the cream filling and put it into the freezer for about 30 minutes or until the surface of the filling has hardened.
6. Meanwhile melt the balance of chocolate and when the filling's surface is set, cover the filling's surface with a generous amount of melted chocolate.
7. Freeze it for a few hours or overnight. Cut the ice cream mooncakes with a warm clean knife.

*Take note that round moulds have bigger capacity than square moulds