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Sorry hot dog ice cream—you're not the only savory-sweet hybrid treat taking over New York's dessert scene. Ice cream tacos are making a comeback, thanks to the Cronut king himself, Dominique Ansel, and Alex Stupak, the erstwhile pastry chef turned Mexican-food champion behind the restaurant group Empellón (Cocina, Taqueria). Take a bite out of this sweet breakdown of their collaborative sweet-corn ice cream taco, available Friday 15 to Sunday 17 at Dominique Ansel Kitchen. Your move, Choco Taco.
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The taco shell
The batter for the fresh masa “shell” is flavored with brown butter and cocoa powder before it’s pressed in a waffle iron and shaped into a taco while still warm.
The ice cream
“Corn is such a versatile ingredient, and it’s one of those things that can cross the line between sweet and savory,” says Stupak. Fresh-off-the-cob yellow-corn kernels are heated with milk and cream, steeped and then blended with egg yolks, milk powder and sugar. The mixture is chilled before it’s poured into an ice cream machine and churned until smooth.
The caramel
Fresh corn kernels are roasted in sticky-sweet caramel, deglazed and cooked down with cream and brown sugar, then blended with butter. Next, the caramel is swirled inside the sweet-corn ice cream.
The rim
The edge of the taco shell is sprinkled with a margaritalike mixture of fresh lime zest, Maldon sea salt and sugar.
The garnish
Key lime wedges are served on the side. “Even though this is a dessert, I suggested balancing it like a taco, hence the tart squeeze of key lime,” says Stupak.
The dipping sauce
Smoky, dried pasilla Oaxaqueña chilies add a fiery pop to sweet tomatillos, avocado, lime juice, agave syrup and a pinch of salt.
Paul Wagtouicz