South of the Border Hot Chocolate Ice Cream

There's nothing better after a hot day at the beach than some cool Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream; but here on STT, it costs $6-$8, so it's too expensive to buy each week! (Not to mention over 1500 kcals per pint!

For less than $60 you can buy an ice cream maker and make your own! The challenge I found is to create smooth and tasty ice cream at home, with a consistency that is creamy rather than icy, flavorful and delicious while being lower in fat.
I changed the standard custard-base vanilla ice cream by adding the delicate flavour of Dutched Chocolate, replacing some of the sugar with stevia (plant-based sweetener), warming it up with cinnamon, and adding a kick from cayenne! The result is a creamy homemade ice cream, which takes only 15 minutes of active time that results in a Chocolate lover's dream that leaves the guilt aside!

1/8 c. water
3 cups Organic 2% Reduced Fat milk (I used Horizon Organic)
3 whole eggs (I use free range)
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract (it's easy to make your own or use vanilla pod seeds)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (Frontier non-irradiated organic)
1/4 tsp cayenne (ditto)
1/2 c. sugar
2 squirts liquid stevia
1/4 Dutch Cocoa powder (smoother, deeper chocolate flavour)
2 Tbsp. Kahlua liquer (coffee liquer)

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, bring the water to a boil.
Add 1 c. milk (water and hot pan reduces tendency of the milk to scald), heat til very warm to touch. Whisk in eggs, continue to heat until too warm to touch, add remaining milk.
Always whisking!
Add vanilla, spices, stevia, and sugar.
When too hot to touch, add cocoa.
Bring to just under boil. This means you will see steam rise from liquid, but it will not quite boil. Boiling can cause custard to curdle. The mixture will thicken as it heats up. Keep whisking!
Remove from heat, stir in Kahlua and allow to cool to room temp then place in frig until cold ( hour or so).
Pour into ice cream machine and 20 minutes later: eat!!

I named this after the Mexican-style hot chocolate that is flavoured with cinnamon. The cayenne offers a subtle residual kick that complements the smooth Dutch Cocoa. This recipe sounds time consuming, but it truly takes less than 20 minutes to prepare! This is referred to as a custard-style ice cream because the milk base is cooked and uses egg yolks. Most recipes call for 5 yolks, I substituted 3 whole eggs to achieve the same thick consistency with less fat but all the flavour.

You know me, I never measure anything and go by taste, so adjust the spices accordingly to your liking while cooking.
You can replace stevia with another 1/2 c. sugar.
The kahlua prevents the ice cream from forming ice crystals and freezing rock hard; and less creamy as a result. The same science is behind adding liqueurs to make sorbet: it won't freeze rock solid.

Let me know how it turns out.

copyright 2009 Regina J. McMurray

---