1-Gather and Prepare Your Ingredients: Before you begin, gather all ingredients and measure them precisely for smooth cooking. Warm the milk gently on medium heat, making sure it doesn’t boil to keep the texture just right. Soak the gelatin in cold water to bloom it, which is a simple step that helps everything blend well later.

2-Mix and Cook the Cream Base: Whisk the egg yolks with sugar until they turn pale and fluffy, creating a smooth base for your custard. Slowly pour the warm milk into this mixture while whisking continuously to avoid any lumps or curdling. Then, return everything to the stove and cook on low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens to a custard-like consistency.

Once thickened, add the bloomed gelatin and vanilla extract, mixing until fully dissolved. For the cream base specifically, combine 14 grams of unflavored gelatin with 1 cup milk in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking until it begins to steam but does not boil, then remove from heat and let it cool. Blend 1 cup sugar, 16 oz sour cream, and 16 oz Cool Whip in a mixer on medium speed until smooth, and slowly add the warm milk and gelatin mixture while mixing.

3-Assemble and Chill: Spray an 11 x 13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking, then pour in the cream base and smooth the surface for a neat finish. Cover and refrigerate it to chill while you prepare the chocolate topping. For the topping, combine 5 tablespoons each of cocoa powder and sugar with 7 grams of unflavored gelatin in a small saucepan, then whisk in 1 cup cold water and 5 tablespoons milk.

Heat this mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly until it boils, then remove from heat and cool for 1 hour. Pour the cooled chocolate topping evenly over the chilled cream base and refrigerate for at least 5 hours before serving. Tips like avoiding boiling the gelatin mixture and continuous whisking will help keep things lump-free and preserve the texture.