Serves 6
At Casa Crespo, chocolate is made and sold upstairs from the cooking school. Using chocolate that was not only made in Oaxaca but produced in-house has made this ice cream that much more memorable for me. After the class, I picked up several discs to take home, each one infused with unexpected ingredients—chile peppers, florals, and warm spices—that add layers of complexity to the final dish. Varieties like Rosita de Cacao (made with the same dried flowers used to make tejate) and Chile Ancho lend subtle heat and aromatics, transforming a classic dessert into something distinctly Oaxacan. Oaxacan chocolate, notably the Taza brand, can be found at Mexican specialty markets throughout New Mexico.
Helado de Chocolate Oaxaqueño
Ingredients
- 7 ounces Oaxacan chocolate, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1 tablespoon guajillo or mild New Mexico chile powder
Instructions
- Prepare a saucepan with simmering water covered with a heatproof bowl, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Heat the chocolate. Stir until smooth, keeping in mind that Oaxacan chocolate is more coarsely ground and will have a thicker consistency than most European chocolates.
- In a blender, mix chocolate, cream, and evaporated milk. Blend until you get a very smooth mixture. Refrigerate for 2 hours to overnight.
- Pour into an ice-cream machine and follow manufacturer’s instructions. If you don't have an ice-cream machine, empty the mixture into a plastic container, put it in the freezer, and leave it for about an hour. When the ice cream is half frozen, transfer to a bowl and beat with an electric mixer or a balloon whisk until fluffy. Return the ice cream to the plastic container and place in the freezer for several hours to harden. Sprinkle the ice cream with red chile powder and serve.
Stephanie Cameron was raised in Albuquerque and earned a degree in fine arts at the University of New Mexico. She is the art director, head photographer, recipe tester, marketing guru, publisher, and owner of edible New Mexico and The Bite.
