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Chili Chocolate Ice Cream

Chili Chocolate Ice Cream
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This isn’t your average chocolate scoop. It starts with a rich, velvety chocolate flavor that immediately cools your palate, followed by a warm, lingering kick of chili and cinnamon that blooms at the back of your throat. It tastes incredibly gourmet, yet skips the fuss of traditional egg-custard bases.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1½ cups Heavy whipping cream
  • ⅓ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • ⅔ cup Granulated white sugar
  • ½ cup Dark chocolate chips (60%+ cacao)
  • 1½ cups Whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1¼ teaspoons Ground cinnamon
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons Pure chili powder (pure cayenne or ancho)

Instructions

1. Cook the Base

Whisk the heavy cream, cocoa powder, and white sugar in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Keep stirring until the mixture reaches a full rolling boil and rapidly foams toward the top. Lift the pan off the heat instantly to prevent an overflow.

2. Melt the Chocolate

Drop the dark chocolate chips directly into the hot cream off the heat. Whisk vigorously until the chips melt completely, transforming the liquid into a thick, smooth, and glossy fudge sauce.

3. Infuse the Aromatics

Stir in the remaining cold ingredients: whole milk, vanilla extract, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, and chili powder. Whisk well to combine. The cold milk helps drop the temperature of the base quickly.

4. The Deep Chill

Pour the liquid base into a clean bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours (or overnight) until thoroughly ice-cold.

5. Churn to Perfection

Give the cold base one quick whisk, then pour it into your ice cream machine. Churn according to your manufacturer’s instructions (usually 15 to 25 minutes) until it reaches a thick, soft-serve consistency. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for 2 to 3 hours to firm up before serving.

Notes

Tips & Tricks

  • Watch the Spice Blend: Make sure your chili powder is single-ingredient (like pure cayenne or ancho). Avoid savory taco seasoning blends that contain garlic or onion!
  • No Ice Cream Maker? Pour the chilled liquid base into a shallow metal loaf pan. Freeze it, and vigorously stir or blend it with a hand mixer every 30 minutes for the first 3 hours to break up ice crystals.
  • Taste Before Freezing: The freezing process slightly numbs your taste buds. If the base tastes a tiny bit bolder on the spice right off the stove, it will be perfectly balanced once frozen.

Serving Suggestions

  • Garnish: Dress up your scoops with a light dust of cocoa powder, flaky sea salt, or dark chocolate shavings.
  • The Perfect Match: Serve alongside warm, crispy cinnamon churros or a buttery slice of pound cake. The hot-and-cold contrast is unbeatable.

Storage Wisdom

  • Prevent Freezer Burn: Press a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream inside its airtight container before snapping the lid shut.
  • Where to Store: Keep it in the back or deepest part of the freezer—never in the door, where temperature changes cause ice crystals.
  • Before Scooping: Because this recipe contains no chemical softeners, let the container sit on your kitchen counter for 5 to 10 minutes to soften naturally before scooping.

Find it online: https://icecreamin.com/chili-chocolate-ice-cream/