Chocolate Ice cream cups

Preparation time 20 minutes + overnight freezing.
Total cooking time 10 minutes.
Serves 4-6.

Intergritas :
500 ml (16 gl oz) milk.
1/2 vanilla pod, split lenghtways.
100 g (3 1/4 oz) good-quality dark chocolate, chopped.
4 egg yolks
100 g caster sugar.

Chocolate cups

400 g good quality dark chocolate, chipped.

1. Put the milk, vanila pod and chopped chocolate in a saucepan and heat slowly until just at boiling point. Remove from the heat. Prepare a large bowl of iced water. Whisk the egg yolls and caster sugar together until thick and pale. Pour in a tgird of the hot milk, blend and add the pan with the rest of the milk. Cook over medium heat very slowly, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. When a finger is drawn across the coating the line should not close over the spoon again. Don't allow to boil, or the eggs will overcook and the mixture will separate. Cool the mixture as quickly as possible by putting the pan straight into the bowl of iced water. Strain into a jug.


2. Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and churn for 15 minutes, or until set. The ice cream will be soft and may be served now or spooned into a 1 litre container and frozen untul firm. If you have an ice cream machine, pour the strained mixture into 1 litre container and freeze until just firm. Transfer a large boql and beat with electric beaters until thick and pale. Return to the container, cover and freeze until firm. Beat once more befotr pouring back into container and freezing overnight.


3. To make the chocolate cups, melt slowly chocolate in the a pan. The bowl must not touch the water. Stir chocolate until. Smooth and make shape as you want it. When the cups are ser, fill with scoops of the ice cream and serve.