Dark Chocolate Pasilla Negro Ice Cream
Here is my favorite ice cream of all time. Try it if you dare.
07/01/2009
Ingredients
5 dried pasilla negro chilies
3 to 4 cups of ice
2 cups half and half
2 cups milk
8 ounces dark, bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
8 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 vanilla bean, scraped
Method
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay chilies on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 minutes, until they are soft and fragrant. As they cool, they should become crisp. Carefully (use gloves, as the chilies will be hot) crack open the chilies, shake out all the seeds and discard them, along with the stems. Cover seeded chiles with hot water, and steep for 30 to 60 minutes. Pureé the chiles in a blender. Add some steeping water as necessary to form a smooth paste. Set aside.
2. Fill a large bowl with ice, and set another large bowl on top of the ice. Have a strainer at hand, and set it all aside, but keep nearby, until custard is cooked.
3. Combine half and half, milk and chocolate in a large saucepan. Heat gently, stirring until the chocolate is melted. Increase heat and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar and cocoa.
4. At the boil, slowly add ½ cup of the hot half-and-half mixture to the yolks and whisk quickly to combine. Pour the warmed yolks back into the saucepan and, over high heat, whisk immediately and vigorously until the mixture begins to resemble thick cream, about 2 minutes. Stir in chili paste and strain immediately into the bowl on ice. Stir periodically until cool.
5. When the custard is completely cool, strain it and stir in flavorings. Run through an ice cream machine, according to manufacturer's instructions. Pack the ice cream into containers and freeze for several hours for firm scoops.
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