Recipe: Choco Tacos

The secret to these is using the ice cream from the supermarket with the oblong packaging, and a sharp, serrated knife. From start to finish, this process takes an hour and will make 16 choco tacos. I use dark chocolate to seal the tops of these bad boys, yet use whatever is your favorite. This recipe requires freezer space, and the ability to work close to your freezer as you will be pulling every step in and out of the freezer to keep them cold. I used the Chef’s Choice Waffle Cone maker to make these.
2 oblong containers ice cream, desired flavors

Chocolate Taco Recipe

2 packages chocolate chips
2 tbsp. canola oil
1.5 c. chopped nuts
1.5 c. sprinkles
OR roughly 3 c. desired topping
Chocolate Taco
1 c. sugar
4 egg whites
1/3 c. Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
2/3 c. AP flour

Mix ingredients together, set aside. When you are ready to use, place into a large piping bag, then snip the tip off. You will want to preheat your waffle cone maker to ‘Setting 3’.

I line a two half-sheet pans with a double layer of parchment or wax paper – there is a reason for both as you will use one for the cut pieces of ice cream and one for the assembled chocolate tacos. Place a cutting board on your counter. Take out one of your containers of ice cream, remove the lid and set top side down onto cutting board. Imagine a 2″ center in the middle and cut along both sides of that imaginary line. Place that middle section into a container and back in the freezer to use however you wish later. Take one rounded half, remove the packaging from the side and place the cut side down onto your cutting board. Cut into four equal slices – as best as possible, this is not rocket science. Remove the top layer of parchment and lay the cut pieces of ice cream on top, repeating with second half of first ice cream – cover the slices with the second layer of parchment and place back into freezer right away. Remove second ice cream flavor and repeat with the process you just went through, placing it onto the parchment that is on top of the first layer of cut pieces, and back into freezer to stay cold.

You will want to have a timer available that will allow you to reset repeatedly for one minute – I use my phone. Also, you will need a metal spatula to remove the waffle cones from the maker – the one I used is roughly 3″ wide by 5″ long – a large offset icing spatula would work great for this. Last, lay a metal pan down on the counter to place your cooked tacos on – the metal will help to pull the heat from the taco so you can handle it right away. Preheat waffle cone maker to ‘Setting 3’ and when it is ready – pipe roughly 2 tbsp. batter onto surface, close and lock waffle cone maker – set time for one minute. What you want to see when you open the griddle is that most of the surface is covered with the taco so you can make sure and cover your ice cream slices. Some of them won’t get completely covered, yet that is all right since it is later getting dipped in chocolate.

Once the minute is up, turn off timer then open waffle maker and using spatula begin to run it underneath the waffle cone to release from griddle. Once it is all released, pick up with spatula and lay onto metal pan. Go into freezer and grab one slice of cut ice cream. Place cut side down into the middle of the chocolate taco and bring the sides up. Place taco back into the freezer on the second half-sheet pan. Repeat this process using the other cut pieces of ice cream.

Using the double boiler method, place chocolate chips and oil into a metal bowl over simmering water until the chips are 3/4 of the way melted, then remove from heat and continue to stir until they are fully melted. The reason for this is so that the chocolate does not get too hot and therefore it will provide a sufficient layer to seal the choco taco.

Place whatever garnishments you desire into bowls with sides low enough to dip the tacos lightly into.
Remove taco from freezer and break off any excess taco around the ice cream. Don’t worry about it not breaking evenly or uniform, you are dipping the top in chocolate so it will not even show. Dip top edge into melted chocolate, getting the top covered. I pick it up and make sure that it is sealed so to speak – if I see any crevices, I use a spatula to pour some chocolate into it and seal.

Then I place the taco close to the bottom inside of the bowl and run it along from top to bottom in an effort to remove any excess chocolate, and therefore it will run down back into the melted chocolate in the bottom of the bowl. I hope this makes sense.

I gently dip the chocolate into chopped nuts and sprinkles, then place onto a Silpat-lined half-sheet pan, and repeat until 8 slices are done – then place that pan into the freezer to keep the choco tacos cold.