Qixi - A Chinese Valentine's Day!What to give on such a wonderful day?Mobile phone?Wristwatch?Handbag?Ornaments?Too cool!If you can make a special American chocolate cup for your beloved,mousse with Italian handmadeice cream,I think it will be an absolutely super surprise!If you document the process of making it, I believe your beloved will be incredibly touched. If there are kids, doing this together would add endless fun and is very entertaining!Give it a try everyone!How to make homemade ice cream:

Ingredients and tools needed

Main ingredients:Milk (200 grams)Grape syrup (150 grams)Light cream (250 milliliters)Lemon (half a piece) Chocolate (a big block) Balloons (10 pieces) Auxiliary materialsEgg yolks (3 pieces)Honeydew melon (300 grams)Sugar (40 grams)Vitamin Chicory powder (10 grams)Aluminum foil (one piece)Kitchen tools: Juicer, Whisk, SaucepanDifficulty level and flavor categorySweet techniqueSeveral hours of advanced difficulty

Step-by-step guide to make homemade ice cream:

The process is divided into two steps: first, make the Italian-style ice cream; second, make the American chocolate cup.

Firstly, prepare all the ingredients for making Italian-style ice cream!Mix vitamin chicory powder with milk and heat it on low until it boils.

Vitamin chicory is commonly used in high-end European ice creams because it improves stability and enhances health by providing vitamins, minerals, aiding digestion, detoxification, weight loss, regulating blood sugar and cholesterol levels.In recent years, many high-end Italian ice creams use vitamin chicory powder!Adding vitamin chicory powder definitely shows good results!Mix the sugar with three egg yolks in a bowl!Whisk until well combined!Whisk to this extent.

Cool the milk slightly and then pour it into the egg yolk mixture in three parts. This step must be done slowly; otherwise, it will become scrambled eggs.

Stir while pouring in milk continuously!

Because the egg yolks are raw now, they need to be heated but not too high!

Add cubed honeydew melon into the juicer and make juice.Pour the honeydew juice back into the cooled milk and egg yolk mixture and then heat it again.This step is very important. Please pay attention; the fire should be moderate, not too big or too small. Stir constantly until the mixture becomes thick.

Add lemon juice, stir well, cover the pot and turn off the stove!

Prepare a bowl with ice water!

Quickly place it in the ice water to cool down quickly!While that cools, we can start whipping the cream!Pour the light cream into a container.

Whip until it is at this state.Some friends say that whipping cream is difficult. Actually, you don't understand its principles. The optimal temperature for whipping cream is between 2~6 degrees Celsius; thus, chilled but not frozen cream is easier to whip.Then mix the whipped cream and cooled milk mixture three times into one container and stir well!

Pour in the soaked grapes after cooling, gently washing them first so they are neither too soft nor hard. Approximately 5~6 hours of soaking works best!Place it in the freezer, stirring every two hours until completely frozen.This completes a homemade Italian-style ice cream with fantastic taste; I almost drooled when digging out ice cream balls!Making pure Italian-style high-end ice cream isn't as hard as you think. Give it a try yourself!

After making the ice cream, we need to prepare for making the American chocolate cup.Firstly, blow up the balloons and do not make them too large; otherwise, your chocolate cup will be too big!

Cover a cardboard with aluminum foil as a base for the finished chocolate cups!Prepare the chocolate by breaking it into small pieces to melt it.

Place it in a double boiler.Stir constantly and keep temperature below 30 degrees Celsius; this way, it is easier to coat the balloon. High temperatures can damage the balloons!

Prepare some corn oil. Any other type will do, just avoid heavy-flavored oils!Gently apply a thin layer of oil on the surface of the balloon.

Continue stirring the chocolate until the temperature drops below 30 degrees Celsius; follow my previous instructions carefully!

Place a small amount of melted chocolate in the aluminum foil to form the base, making it circular. Do not overfill.Start sticking the chocolate onto the balloon; more is better this time as I used less and found it easier to stick on. Then place the decorated balloons into the refrigerator's chill compartment!After about half an hour to an hour, take them out, use a pin to puncture the balloons.Remove the deflated balloons, completing the chocolate cups!Enjoy this American-style chocolate cup with homemade Italian ice cream on Valentine’s Day. The most important thing is enjoying the making process; sometimes material wealth doesn’t equate to happiness. Sharing joyful moments with family makes you happier, right?Happy Valentine's Day!Tips:

1. Adding vitamin chicory powder during ice cream preparation enhances its quality and health benefits. Use European high-end versions if possible.

2. When making chocolate cups, be cautious of the temperature; high temperatures can damage the balloons. Also, do not apply too much oil!Italy is far away, but enjoying genuine Italian artisan ice cream doesn't have to be difficult; why not give it a try yourself?After making the ice cream, we need to prepare for the American chocolate cup!

20. To make the American chocolate cup, you will need balloons, aluminum foil, and chocolate!

21. First, blow up the balloon, but don't inflate it too much; otherwise, your chocolate cup will be too large!

22. Prepare a hard cardboard outerbreadlayer of aluminum foil, this is for placing the finished chocolate cups on!

23. Then, break the chocolate into pieces and prepare to melt it!

24. Melt the chocolate over heat.

25. Once melted, stir continuously; be careful about the temperature, generally keeping it below 30 degrees Celsius!or even lower for easier adherence; high temperatures can burst the balloon!Be careful not to get splattered all over yourself!High temperatures make it harder to adhere as well!

26. Prepare somecornoil.Other options are fine, but avoid those with strong flavors!

27. First, lightly coat the surface of the balloon with oil; just a thin layer will do!

28. Continue stirring the chocolate sauce while keeping the temperature below 30 degrees Celsius as mentioned above!

29. Then, place a small amount of melted chocolate on the aluminum foil to form a base, a circular ring is sufficient!Don't use too much!

30. Next, begin attaching the chocolate to the balloon; more chocolate makes it easier to adhere!

31. Once the chocolate has been applied to the balloon, place it on the base and quickly put it in the refrigerator's freezer compartment!

32. Freeze for about half an hour to an hour before removing.

33. Carefully remove the balloon by popping it with a pin.

34. A perfect American chocolate cup paired with authentic Italian ice cream; this Valentine's Day, treat yourself and your loved ones with great satisfaction, most importantly, enjoy the process of making it!Material abundance doesn't always equate to happiness; spending quality time with family doing joyful things is even more fulfilling!

Tips:

1. During ice cream preparation, add vitamin inulin; ordinary inulin isn't as good as European high-end ice cream uses vitamin inulin.2. When making the chocolate cups, be mindful of the temperature; high temperatures can prevent adherence to the balloon, and don't use too much oil!