DB: Chocolate Valentino Cake

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef.
We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

Chocolate Valentino
Preparation Time: 20 minutes

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
5 tablespoons of unsalted butter
3 med eggs separated

1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.
2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.
4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).
5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.
6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.
7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter. {link of folding demonstration}
8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F
9. Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C.
Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.
10. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.

Classic Vanilla Ice Cream
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Recipe comes from the Ice Cream Book by Joanna Farrow and Sara Lewis

Ingredients
1/2 Vanilla Pod
1 1/4 cup coconut milk
4 large egg yolks
6 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp corn flour {cornstarch}
1 ¼ cups Heavy Cream
A big handfull of toasted coconut

1. Using a small knife slit the vanilla pod lengthways. Pour the milk into a heavy based saucepan, add the vanilla pod and coconut and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and leave for 15 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse
Separate coconut from the milk Lift the vanilla pod up. Holding it over the pan, scrape the black seeds out of the pod with a small knife so that they fall back into the milk. SET the vanilla pod aside and bring the milk back to the boil.
2. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and corn-flour in a bowl until the mixture is thick and foamy.
3. Gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over a gentle hear, stirring all the time
4. When the custard thickens and is smooth, pour it back into the bowl. Cool it then chill.
5. By Hand: Whip the cream until it has thickened but still falls from a spoon. Fold it into the custard and pour into a plastic tub or similar freeze-proof container. Freeze for 6 hours or until firm enough to scoop, beating it twice (during the freezing process – to get smoother ice cream or else the ice cream will be icy and coarse)

(I made a second one with the left over coconut milk some cinnamon and brandy with honey to sweeten)

Tempers Take:
Indra declared it a fail, She didn't like the chocolate I choose (requested a repeat with white or milk chocolate) and the texture of the ice cream didn't work for her (she is not a fan of custards).

I declared it a learning experience, I needed to whip my cream better and measure the ingredients better (my scale broke, I realized this when it told me I had 123oz of chocolate), and most importantly TRUST MY INSTINCTS.

I thought the chocolate was A. a little too bitter for Indra (ok, and me) B. to thick, it crushed my whipped cream. :( and C. the heart mold was hokey (it was valentines day, I had a good excuse). Lastly I really need an icecream maker to make good icecream.

Definitely going on my list to try again, both cake and icecream.