How To Make Hot Chocolate Mezcal Ice Cream
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The combo tastes just like a churro stick dipped in thick, gooey Mexican chocolate. Make sure you use a Mexican (also called Ceylon) cinnamon stick, which is papery and soft, not hard.
HOT CHOCOLATE MEZCAL ICE CREAM
Makes about: 1 1/2 Quarts
Active time: 15 to 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 (3-inch) Mexican cinnamon stick (see headnote)
Chocolate Custard Base (recipe below), made with cinnamon stick added to cream mixture before boiling
Zest of 1 orange, grated on a Microplane
1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
1/4 cup mezcal anejo or reposado
Procedure
Remove cinnamon stick before adding chocolate to base. Refrigerate as directed. Add zest, cayenne pepper, and vanilla to base. Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Add mezcal during last 2 minutes of churning.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
CHOCOLATE CUSTARD BASE
Makes about: 1 1/2 quarts
Active time: 10 to 15 minutes
Use the freshest eggs available for best results. If possible, refrigerate the base for a full 24 hours — the longer it’s chilled, the better it is. We like to chill our bases in plastic or stainless-steel pitchers with airtight lids for easy pouring into the ice cream maker after chilling.
Ingredients
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
8 large egg yolks
3⁄4 cup bittersweet chocolate (64% to 72% cacao), chopped
Procedure
1 In a 4-quart saucepan, combine milk, cream, and half of sugar. Set over high heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a boil, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk yolks and remaining sugar until smooth, heavy, and pale yellow, about 30 seconds. When cream mixture just comes to a boil, whisk, remove from heat, and, in a slow stream, pour half of cream mixture over yolk-sugar mixture, whisking constantly until blended. Return pan to stovetop over low heat. Whisking constantly, stream yolk-cream mixture back into pan. With a wooden spoon, continue stirring until mixture registers 165 to 180 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes. Do not heat above 180 degrees, or eggs in base will scramble. Mixture should be slightly thickened and coat back of spoon, with steam rising, but not boiling. (If you blow on the back of the spoon and the mixture ripples, you’ve got the right consistency.) Remove from heat and immediately add chopped chocolate, whisking until smooth.
Pour base into a clean airtight container and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours before using. Use base within 3 to 5 days.
Reprinted with permission from the publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt from the Coolhaus Ice Cream Book by Natasha Case and Freya Estreller with Kathleen Squires. Copyright 2014
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