I did a lot of experimenting when I worked at Rosa Mexicano as the pastry chef, and trying out new ice cream flavors was one of my favorite things during my time there. I have always loved rum-raisin ice cream and thought raisins and tequila might also go well together. The reposado and añejo styles of tequila have been aged and come through very nicely, but I felt the ice cream needed another layer of flavor, so I added canela, which turned out to be just what was missing.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 1 quart

　　3/4 cup dark raisins

　　3/4 cup tequila (preferably reposado or añejo)

　　1 cup whole milk

　　1 (3-inch) piece canela

　　3/4 cup sugar

　　1 3/4 cups heavy cream

　　Pinch of salt

　　6 egg yolks

　　

Step 1

Combine the raisins and tequila in a small saucepan and simmer over low heat for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let steep for at least 2 hours (this can be done the night before).

　　

Step 2

Combine the milk, canela, sugar, 3/4 cup of the heavy cream, and the salt in a pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Whisk the egg yolks in a large heatproof bowl. Slowly whisk about half of the hot milk mixture into the yolks and stir rapidly. Return the mixture to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until it is thickened and coats the back of the spoon or spatula, 10 to 15 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, add the remaining 1 cup heavy cream and the liquid from the macerated raisins, and stir to combine. Chill over an ice bath, stirring, until cool. Refrigerate, covered, until completely cool, about 3 hours, and freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Add the plumped raisins once the ice cream has finished churning and freeze until fully set.

　　Reprinted with permission from My Sweet Mexico: Recipes for Authentic Pastries, Breads, Candies, Beverages, and Frozen Treats © 2010 by Fany Gerson. Photographs by Ed Anderson. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.Buy the full book from Penguin Random House, Amazon, or Bookshop.