Make Ahead

Mexican Hot Chocolate Ice Cream

March 13, 2021
4.4
5 Ratings
  • Serves 6
Author Notes

Forget regular chocolate ice cream. I've upped the ante with spicy cayenne pepper and zingy cinnamon, and I promise you'll never look back. Mexican hot chocolate is a comforting drink that is just as decadent and smooth in ice cream form. —Full-thyme Student

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 3/4 cups half and half
  • 1 cup cups heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (up to 1/4 teaspoon, if desired)
  • 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 4 fresh egg yolks
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
  1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together half and half, heavy cream, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Continue whisking together until ingredients are evenly mixed. Heat mixture until milk is just barely foaming on surface. Whisk in chopped bittersweet chocolate until it is melted and mixed through. Remove cream mixture off heat and set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, vigorously whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and salt until sugar is dissolved and the yolks take on a pale yellow color, about 3 minutes. Using a 1/2-cup measuring cup, measure 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture and pour into egg mixture. Whisk vigorously until combined. Continue to add 1/2 cup of hot cream one at a time, whisking after each add, so that the temperature of the eggs slowly increase without cooking the egg yolks.
  3. Once cream and egg mixtures are completely combined, pour the entire custard mixture back into the saucepan over medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, stir mixture every 1 minute or so. After about 5 minutes, mixture will slowly thicken. Once the custard coats the back of the wooden spoon, use your finger to swipe the coated spoon, and the streak should stay set. Custard should reach about 170 to 175 degrees F. Pour the mix into a clean bowl or glass pitcher and allow to cool on countertop for about 30 to 45 minutes.
  4. Once custard is cool, whisk in vanilla extract until combined, and chill custard overnight in the refrigerator.
  5. Follow your ice cream machine's instructions, and pour the custard into a running machine with a chilled base. The ice cream will churn for about 25 minutes. Remove the ice cream and transfer to an air-tight container. Freeze for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve with whipped cream and/or a sprinkling of cayenne pepper and cinnamon.
Contest Entries

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Dale Rohrbaugh
    Dale Rohrbaugh
  • mensaque
    mensaque
  • Lisa raymond
    Lisa raymond
  • Full-thyme Student
    Full-thyme Student

7 Reviews

mattginsberg March 13, 2021
Incredibly careful directions about controlling the heat when you cook the custard, but I burned it! Stirring once a minute is just not often enough. Went from fine to burned in less than a minute, on medium high as recommended. Instructions at simplyrecipe.com are simply much better. Sorry.
 
jcasare May 11, 2020
My kids made this for Mother's Day yesterday. Absolutely delicious! Highly recommend.
 
Full-thyme S. May 29, 2020
Thanks jcasare!! Glad you enjoyed.
 
Dale R. June 7, 2019
I would recommend including the full 1/4 tsp. cayenne (or even a little more) if you enjoy a spicy hot chocolate. This recipe turned out beautifully, but I put something in between 1/8 and 1/4 of a tsp. of cayenne, and I found the cinnamon overpowers most of the cayenne flavor. I will definitely add a bit more cayenne next time to see if I can get more of a kick out of it. But spicy or not, this is a delicious recipe.
 
mensaque June 4, 2013
We had a soap opera in Brazil titled "Chocolate com pimenta",or "Peppery chocolate" and ever since I tried it,I fell in love with this combination...can't wait to try your recipe!
 
Lisa R. June 4, 2013
How much chopped bittersweet chocolate? I don't see it in the list of ingredients. This sounds wonderful.
 
Full-thyme S. June 4, 2013
Thanks! I just fixed the accidental delete -- 6 ounces is the amount :)