Mexican chocolate chile ice cream

Heat a griddle. Pull the stem end off the pasilla chili, pull out the veins and knock out the seeds.

Toast the chili on the hot griddle a few seconds per side.

Cut off a portion of the Mexican chocolate and chop it.

In a saucepan, combine the Mexican chocolate, the bittersweet chocolate, the toasted chili and the half and half; bring to a simmer over medium heat, turn off the fire and steep about 10 minutes.

Blend until as smooth as possible.

Set a stainless steel bowl over water heating in a large pan as a double boiler.

Put the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl, scrape in the chocolate chili base, and cook until steamy and noticeably thickened on the back of a wooden spoon.

Strain into a bowl set in an ice water bath; add the heavy cream, Mexican vanilla and coffee liqueur and stir until very cold.

Pour into the frozen canister of the ice cream maker and churn until the consistency of soft-serve, about 20 minutes.