This delightful and Easy 7-Ingredient Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream tastes like Mexican hot chocolate in every cool and creamy bite. Toasted almonds deliver a little nutty crunch.
I always have a box of Abuelita Chocolate in my baking cupboard. It’s my everyday go-to for Mexican Hot Chocolate. However, any Mexican-style chocolate tablet will work here as well. Some even come flavored with chili peppers or other spices, so feel free to experiment until you find your favorite. However, in this recipe for Easy 7-Ingredient Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream, I use the original chocolate with subtle cinnamon notes and impart the nutty flavor of almond through the use of almond milk and bits of roasted, salted almonds.
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Mexican hot chocolate memories in this Easy 7-Ingredient Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream
When I was a kid, I loved sipping on Mexican hot chocolate. So much so, that it became something I shared with my daughter as well when she was little. I loved the hint of cinnamon and foamy top from all the agitation of the molinillo. Even the task of feverishly twirling the molinillo in the pot to whip up the hot chocolate into a froth was a fun activity.
I love my molinillo because of the memories I have whipping chocolate with my daughter when she was little. There’s something very satisfying about holding the handle between both hands and rotating it back and forth as fast as you can. The magic happens as you see your hot chocolate begin to froth before your eyes from all the agitation. However, for this chocolate ice cream recipe, I gave my molinillo the day off and enlisted a little help from my trusty ice cream maker.
A little salty…..but in a good way
If there’s one bit of cooking wisdom you’ll hear me tout over and over again, it’s that a little bit of salt can do wonders to elevate the flavor of a dish – especially desserts. Salt naturally brings out all the best flavors in food. Too much is, well, too much, but the smallest sprinkle of salt can be the ingredient that takes a dish from good to great.
The addition of a 1/4 teaspoon of salt in the ice cream custard brings out the earthy richness and cinnamon notes of the Mexican chocolate. And the addition of the chopped roasted, salted almonds provide complexity and texture to this soft dessert. It’s just enough to make your taste buds say, “Hey! There’s something different and interesting here,” before it fades away into the background of the sweet, cool ice cream.
Mexican chocolate has sugar and other spices incorporated into the disks, so this recipe doesn’t require a lot of added sugar or flavorings. Because it is a sweeter chocolate, the addition of a little salt brings balance to this sweet treat. So remember, it’s OK to be a little salty – just not in an urban dictionary sort of way.
What to pair with this delicious chocolate ice cream
Absolutely nothing at all. If you’re looking for a cool dessert to serve on a hot summer day, then this Easy 7-Ingredient Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream recipe will stand quite nicely all on its own, or on top of a waffle cone. However, if you simply must serve it with something, a slice of chocolate cake or a side of fresh strawberries or raspberryes will make a delicious compliment.
Easy 7-Ingredient Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream
Course: DessertCuisine: Mexican AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings10
minutes10
minutes30
minutes2
hoursThis delightful and Easy 7-Ingredient Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream tastes like Mexican hot chocolate in every cool and creamy bite. Toasted almonds deliver a little nutty crunch.
Ingredients
6 ounces Mexican Chocolate (roughly 2 rounds, give or take depending on the brand)
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups unsweetened, original almond milk
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup roasted, salted almonds, chopped medium-fine (optional)
Directions
- Prepare your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions
- Break chocolate up into segments.
- In a medium-size saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, almond milk and chocolate. Heat until it just reaches the boil and chocolate is melted. Approximately 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
- In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and salt until light and smooth. Approximately 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the warm cream mixture to the egg yolks to temper, and whisk until incorporated. Add another 1/4 cup of warm cream to the mixture – for a total of 1/2 cup of warm liquid. This step will ensure the egg yolks do not curdle when added to the warm cream mixture.
- Add the tempered egg yolk mixture to the warm cream. Stirring constantly, cook over low heat until slightly thickened and mixture coats the back of the spoon.
- Remove from heat and cool completely. If you’re not in a rush, place the custard mixture in a covered container and store in the refrigerator overnight before churning. However, if you need to speed up the process, you can chill the custard mixture over an ice bath until it becomes cold to the touch. It’s important that the custard is cold; however, otherwise it will not churn properly.
- When ready to churn, add the cold custard to the ice cream machine and churn for 25-30 minutes until mixture thickens. If including almonds, add them at the very end of the churn cycle and continue to mix for approximately 1 minute to incorporate throughout the ice cream.
- Transfer ice cream to a covered container and allow to chill in the freezer until firm. Approximately 2 hours.
