Chocolate Velvet Ice Cream with Cherry Sauce #SundaySupper

I was dying to make this chocolate ice cream with cherry sauce, a combination I find irresistible. And the frozen cream here deserves the word velvet; though cheesy, it´s self-explanatory.

We´re having a heart´s celebration at the Sunday Supper table hosted by the lovely Jen of Juanita´s Cocina, since I guess it´s no mystery that the sweetest day of the year is almost here.

I will forever have mixed feelings about commercial celebration days. I love birthdays and new year, because, well it is a landmark, another year in your life has passed or a new year is beginning with all the potential it always brings. It´s sort of a rhetorical party in my opinion, you will be a year older and a new year will start whether you like it or not, as a bonus you also get to cheer that a crappy year is over if that suits you.

Other celebrations I´m ambivalent about, and valentine´s day is one of them. Why? It´s not because of the chocolate or love wishes from those I care about, or getting to be thankful for the persons that make up my close circle, of course not that would be ridiculous, but looking back in my well of experience, I find that romantically speaking, the best moments or dates happened without planning. As is usually the case in most aspects of life.

Like the time we were at a terribly boring wedding we had to go to due to business things, and after we ate, chatted with the father of the bride, our host, his wife, some random unknown persons at our table and spent the mandatory half hour on the dance floor, we silently left and ended up stopping, over-attired of course, at a bar on our way home, drinking cocktails, having the best time with a short haired bartender who told great stories and other clients who kept congratulating us for `whatever we were celebrating´ due to our suit and long dress. We got home when the sun was already up and forever held that unexpected outing as one of the best.

Another time, while on vacation, realizing the night was amazing with a semi-full moon, perfect temperature and a slight breeze, we prepared some bread, antipasti and wine on a tray and ate a very late dinner outside, stretched out on our deck chairs, our feet covered with a cotton blanket and had one of those interesting and perfect conversations that only happen with your spouse (my ex now) when you least expect it. And we woke up in the morning, with the birds chirping and the sun coming out.

So that´s why I don´t like to plan too much on days like these. What if I´m not particularly liking my other half that day? What if we got into one of those arguments and are having a couple of let´s-not-step-into-each-others-shadow kind of days?

But the food on valentine´s day is great. Fantastic. The kind you want to have an excuse to make, always. We`re talking about chocolate, berries, cakes, souffles, that perfect savory dish that is your favorite but don´t get to eat much. Any celebration that let´s you indulge in your perfect food is a good one.

So I did make what is at the moment my favorite chocolate ice cream, with fresh cherry sauce that is one of my most anticipated fruits. I can never tire of eating fresh cherries. Ever.

I found out while attempting many chocolate cake and brownie recipes, that one of the best ways to achieve a deep, semisweet chocolate flavor is to mix melted dark chocolate and unsweetened cocoa powder. But then I like dark chocolate directly from the package and it´s light years away from whatever my second choice is, which I don´t care to find out really. Dark, semisweet chocolate always wins.

This is a very old fashioned ice cream made with yolks and cream. The chocolate cream, once it´s very cold and ready to be put in the ice cream maker, is simply luscious, so creamy and unctuous you´d want to eat it like that. 

CHOCOLATE VELVET ICE CREAM
made exactly as written in Gourmet, august 1997

See recipe at epicurious.com

Fresh Cherry Sauce with Cassis

Ingredients

1 pound (450g) fresh cherries, pitted

2 Tbs light brown sugar

1 or 2 Tbs cassis liqueur (optional)

1 or 2 Tbs water

Directions

Put cherries in a saucepan, add the sugar and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add cassis and 1 or 2 Tbs water. If you´re not using the liqueur, increase water by 2 tablespoons. Let cook for about 5 minutes, until cherries soften a bit and the sauce is syrup-y.

Keep refrigerated.

We have prepared fantastic recipes today:

#SundaySupper Valentine’s Day Breakfasts, Apps & Main Dishes:

• Asparagus, Clam & Bay Shrimp Pasta from Galactopdx
• Bacon Double Cheese Burger Bites from In the Kitchen with KP
• Cheese Stuffed Cannelloni from Curious Cuisiniere
• Garlic Shrimp Bruschetta from MarocMama
• Green Olive, Goat Cheese & Basil Crostini from Hip Foodie Mom
• Indian Shrimp Pulao from Soni’s Food
• Individual Beef “Phyll-ingtons” from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Ranch, Bacon and Cheese Crisps from Daily Dish Recipes
• Red Velvet Pancakes with Cream Cheese Frosting from Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Rissóis de Camarão | Portuguese Shrimp Dumplings from Family Foodie
• Spicy Red Cabbage Quiche | Veggie Quiche Recipe from Masala Herb

#SundaySupper Valentine’s Day Sweet Eats:

• Banana Bourbon Blondies from The Messy Baker
• Banana Cream Napoleon from Food Lust People Love
• Brown Butter M&M Cookies from Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
• Brown Butter Rolo Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies from Damn Delicious
• Chocolate Baumkuchen from Webicurean
• Chocolate Bread Pudding from La Cocina de Leslie
• Chocolate Chip Banana Cake with Banana Cream from The Lovely Pantry
• Chocolate Covered Bacon from I Run For Wine
• Chocolate Covered Stuffed Strawberries from Country Girl in the Village
• Chocolate Mousse from Mom, What’s For Dinner?
• Chocolate Roll filled with Nutella Cream from Basic N Delicious
• Cinnamon Sugar Tortillas with Chocolate Sauce from The Roxx Box
• Coconut Sweetheart Cookies from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Coeur a la Creme from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Cream Cheese Mints from Simply Gourmet
• Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Mousse with Coconut Cream from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Dark Chocolate Raspberry Torte from Kelly Bakes
• #GlutenFree Chocolate Almond Cloudless Cake from Cooking Underwriter
• Heart Shaped White Chocolate Cakes with Raspberry Cream from Noshing with the Nolands
• Homemade Cherry Mash Candies from Juanita’s Cocina
• Maple-Date Bars from Diabetic Foodie
• Meyer Lemon Marmalade from Shockingly Delicious
• Mini Samoa Bundt Cakes from Ruffles & Truffles
• Molten Chocolate Lava Cake from Gotta Get Baked
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes from The Meltaways
• Pistachio and Chocolate Souffle from Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Raspberry Custard Tart from Kudos Kitchen
• Raw Fudge Love from Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Red Velvet French Macarons with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Filling from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Red Velvet Ice Cream Sandwiches from Cravings of a Lunatic
• Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies from Magnolia Days
• Red Velvet Sugar Cookie Bars from Chocolate Moosey
• Red Wine Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting from The Urban Mrs.
• Strawberry Shortcake! from The Foodie Army Wife
• Strawberry Valentine Cake Hearts from Ninja Baking
• Tres Leches Tea Cakes with Honey Riesling Soaked Fruit from Neighborfood
• Valentine’s Bakewell Tarts from Happy Baking Days
• Valentines Chocolate Apples from Big Bear’s Wife

#SundaySupper Valentine’s Day Drinks:

• Blood Orange Vodka Martinis from The Catholic Foodie
• Bloody Raspberry Cocktail from My Cute Bride
• Strawberry Gin Fizz from girlichef

#SundaySupper Valentine’s Day Tablescape: A Romantic Table For Two Please from An Appealing Plan


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