My family decided to do Iron Chef Christmas – special ingredient: Cinnamon (go here to check out the fierce competition)! Each dish would be judged on flavor, presentation, and creativity. Cinnamon immediately made me think of Mexican hot chocolate, which I adore for its dark spicy sweetness. But just making Mexican hot chocolate seemed boring, so I decided to turn those flavors into a pot de creme, which I would present in espresso cups to look like mini hot chocolates. It was a creative execution that looked adorable and tasted great. Not only did I win the competition, but I also came up with a dessert I’ll be ready to break out next time I need something for a fancy party.
Guessipe
- 14 oz can coconut milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 2 TBSP Kahlua
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 7 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 TBSP vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 TBSP ground cinnamon
In a saucepan, whisk together the coconut milk, egg yolks, cinnamon, chili powder, Kahlua, and salt. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens to a custard that coats the back of the spoon (10-15 minutes). It should steam but not boil.
Place the chocolate in a bowl, and pour the warm custard over it. Let sit untouched for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, very gently stir to mix the melted chocolate into the custard. Once smooth, stir in the vanilla extract.
Divide the mixture into ramekins or espresso cups. It’s fun to use espresso cups so when you serve them they look like miniature cups of Mexican hot chocolate. Chill overnight.
When you’re ready to serve, whip the cream and vanilla extract together. Pipe the whipped cream onto each serving and dust with cinnamon. It’s a dark spicy dessert and looks super cute!
