
I have been a fan of Rick Bayless’ for quite some time now. I have purchased his books, cooked his recipes, watched his shows, and cheered for him as he competed on both Iron Chef America & Top Chef Masters, So of course it is just natural for me to want to review his newest book Fiesta at Rick’s.
This book is just that, a fiesta. Rick does a wonderful job breaking down all the elements of a great party and how to prepare for it. He starts off with a guacamole bar & a selection of cocktails that include traditional drinks such as the Mojito, as well as a few signature drinks from his restaurants. He runs through a whole gamut of ceviches and entrees of pork, chicken and beef. He also includes instruction on how to build your own fire pit.
But most who know me well, know that what will get my attention and keep it would be the desserts. Let me tell you that they definitely got my attention. I expect to find flan and tres leches cake in a book dedicated to Mexican Cuisine, but I didn’t expect to find Ice Cream.

I have made a few Ice Creams in my day, and I can honestly say that when I think of making Ice Cream, the last person that would come to my mind while searching for Ice Cream recipes is Rick Bayless. I also don’t think of Chile as a an ingredient that I would normally use for Ice Cream. And yet as I peruse Fiesta at Rick’s, looking for something to cook, eat, and share, I find a lovely selection of Ice Creams. The Chile in this recipe actually lends more of a fruity flavor to this dish than anything. It is a delicious summer dessert and I hope you give it a try.
Dark Chocolate-Chile Ice Cream
Ingredients:
1 Large Pasillo chile (Dried Ancho Chiles. You can find them by the produce section or in the Mexican Section of your grocery store). Stemmed and seeded
1 1/3 cups half and half
4 oz. bittersweet (preferably 70%) chocolate, chopped int small pieces
1/2 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (preferably Mexican)
2 Tablespoons Kahlua or other coffee liqueur.
Directions:
Make the chile infusion In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the chile, pressing it down with a metal spatula for about 10 seconds on each side. Place the chile in a small sauce pan, add the half & half and heat over medium until just steaming but not boiling. Cover and let steep for 10 minutes, then pour through strainer into back into pan.
Set up a double boiler Set up a 4 qt saucepan with 1 inch of water and choose a 3 quart stainless steel bowl that will fit on top with out touching the water. Bring to a boil while you are preparing the custard base.
Cook the base Reheat the half and half mixture until it just begins to steam. Spread the chocolate into a thin layer on the bottom of a bowl. Pour the warmed chilie infused mixture over the chocolate and stir until it begins to melt . In the stainless steel bowl whisk together the sugar and egg yolks until combined, then whisk in the chocolate mixture. Reduce the temp to maintain a gentle simmer. Set the bowl with the custard base over the water, and whisk frequently scraping the sides of the bowl regularly with a spatula, until the mixture thickens noticeably (about 5 min). The custard is sufficiently cooked when it reaches a temp of 180 degrees. You can also test it on the back of a wooden spoon by dipping into the custard and drawing your finger through it, if the line holds the custard is sufficiently thickened. For the finest texture, pour the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a similar sized stainless steel bowl.
Cool the base Fill a large bowl with ice. Nestle the custard in the ice and whisk regularly until completely cool. Refrigerate if not using immediately.
Finish the base, freeze the Ice Cream Stir the heavy cream, vanilla and Kahlua into the base. Freeze in an Ice Cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. Scrape into a freezer container and freeze for several hours to firm.
I chose to sprinkle with a few cocoa nibs in a bowl with a cone on the side, but feel free to garnish and serve with your favorite toppings.