My final Frozen Friday flavor is inspired by Biga Pizza in Missoula, MT. Last April I spent a Saturday with a couple coworkers and a bunch of middle school girls doing a STEM workshop. Since we are software engineers, we had the girls write down a “program” telling us how to build s’mores, and then we acted as computers and ran the program. The results were quite delightful and it was a lot of fun, despite being a long day.

In any case, we arrived the night before (it’s a 3-hour drive) in time for dinner, and opted to get pizza at a popular local spot. The one we chose was sweet potato, bacon, hazelnut, something else I’m forgetting, and topped with a maple chipotle drizzle. The sweet potato + maple + chipotle combo really stuck with me and I’ve been using the trifecta quite a lot recently. (Related post pending…still practicing to make it pretty enough for pictures.)

Although I have a very low spice tolerance, it turns out that maple and chipotle are a beautiful, delicious combination and I am super glad I was introduced to it. During one of my practice rounds at the aforementioned post-in-the-making, I had the idea that it might work well as an ice cream flavor, and promptly did a bit of research on how to make it work. Last May my mom randomly gifted me an awesome book of ice cream recipes and though I’ve still yet to specifically make any of them, I recalled maple being a flavor in there. That recipe calls for maple extract, so I immediately ordered some off Amazon and impatiently waited for it to arrive.

Fantastically, my first attempt turned out perfect for me. Smooth and creamy, full of maple flavor and with an unexpected chipotle kick, this ice cream is unusual without being too crazy (like matcha). It reminds me of Mexican hot chocolate, in that it’s a fun twist on an otherwise standard treat.

I used a half teaspoon of ground chipotle which was perfect for me, but it is easily tailored to your personal spice preferences. The maple extract is optional, but it does really boost the maple flavor and I highly recommend using it. I always use pure extracts, but I’ll only judge you a little if you go the imitation route. (They are admittedly much less expensive.)

As a bonus, this ice cream is less sugary than other flavors, being purely sweetened by the maple syrup. If you’d prefer a sweeter experience, feel free to add a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar to the mix, although I think it’s perfect as is.

Kick your summer up a notch and make a batch of this spicy ice cream for your next Taco Tuesday!

Maple Chipotle Ice Cream 

Inspired by Molly Moon
Makes ~6 cups

Ingredients

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup half and half
1 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup egg substitute
1 tsp maple extract (optional but highly recommended)
1/4 – 1 tsp ground chipotle

Directions

1. Whisk together all ingredients, starting with 1/4 tsp chipotle. Taste and add additional spice to your preference. (I used 1/2 teaspoon and I thought it was perfect, but I also have a pretty low spice tolerance.)
2. Transfer container to the fridge until completely chilled, or overnight.
3. Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s directions, then place in a freezer-safe bowl to freeze for an additional three hours, or overnight.
4. Serve plain or topped with a sprinkle of extra chipotle powder.