Mexican "Hot" Chocolate

December in Texas was the warmest on record since 1889 so it was a refreshing sign when temperatures dropped in January. The cooler temperatures call for some hot chocolate and Mark had suggested a variation - Mexican hot chocolate - that seemed perfect for the season.

Rating: 4 scoops

There's nothing like warming up with some "hot" chocolate! And with that bite, you'd be warming up indeed! I liked it although next time I would temper the heat by skipping the pinch of cayenne powder. This recipe is based on my delicious chocolate ice cream base with the added spices of cinnamon, chile, and cayenne.

This recipe started off with research into what makes Mexican hot chocolate (the hot drink). Cinnamon was included in every recipe I found, so some cinnamon sticks were infused in the hot base. From there, the recipes started to vary with the ratios of chile powder and cayenne. I made a decision to whisk in some of both of those spices on the lower bound of the ranges I found so the flavors could come across without overpowering the chocolate. I was also hoping that frozen foods tend to dull the flavor, but I wasn't sure what would happen with spicy chile and cayenne.

When you first bite into it, the chocolate and cinnamon come across quickly but it gives way to the heat of the cayenne within a few seconds, which lingers on your palette for a little longer. It's also possible the chile powder could have contributed to the spiciness, but I'd have to make some additional batches to narrow down what actually contributed the most. I had some chipotle chile powder in the cabinet from another recipe so I used that.

This idea courtesy of Mark Bollom.