Iced Mexican Chocolate Express Recipes

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Split the vanilla bean and add to the boiling water. Add sugar, cinnamon, espresso, and a pinch of salt. Simmer for 1 minute and add the bittersweet chocolate. Whisk until it gets thick. Add milk and simmer 1 minute. Serve immediately with a dollop of vanilla ice cream and a sprinkling of chili powder on top.
• You may make this ahead and reheat. Make sure to either whisk it or blend it in a blender to make it light and foamy before serving. (The classic Mexican chocolate was whisked with a special wooden tool called a 'molinillo'.)

Steps:

• Halve vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds into a 3-quart heavy saucepan. Add chocolate and half-and-half and bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking. Remove from heat.
• Lightly beat eggs with salt in a bowl, then add hot chocolate mixture in a slow stream, whisking. Transfer custard to cleaned saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard registers 175°F on thermometer, 1 to 5 minutes. Immediately pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a metal bowl. Put bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and cool, stirring occasionally.
• Freeze custard in ice cream maker. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and freeze until hardened, about 1 hour.

Steps:

• Line bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with ladyfingers. Line sides of pan with ladyfingers, standing ladyfingers side by side and rounded side out. Stir 3/4 cup whipping cream, unsweetened chocolate and 1/4 cup sugar in heavy small saucepan over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove saucepan from heat and cool to room temperature.
• Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla in large bowl until blended. Beat in cooled chocolate mixture. Combine remaining 2 cups cream, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and cinnamon in another large bowl. Using clean dry beaters, beat until firm peaks form. Fold half of whipped cream mixture into chocolate mixture.
• Spread half of chocolate filling in ladyfinger-lined pan. Top with layer of ladyfingers, then remaining chocolate filling. Pipe or spread remaining whipped cream mixture over filling. Sprinkle with grated semisweet chocolate. Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.) Remove pan sides from cake and serve.

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Whisk cream, 1/4 cup hot water, and espresso powder in heavy small saucepan to blend. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Stir in cinnamon. (Sauce can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm sauce over low heat just until pourable before using.)
• For tortilla crisps:
• Mix butter, sugar, and cinnamon in small bowl to blend. Spread butter mixture evenly over tortillas. Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges. Place wedges on 2 baking sheets, buttered side up, spacing apart. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover with foil; let stand at room temperature.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake tortillas uncovered until crisp, puffed, and golden, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven.
• Place large scoop of ice cream in each of 8 dessert glasses. Drizzle warm chocolate sauce over. Stand 4 tortilla crisps in each glass. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired, and serve.