Chocolate Chili Ice Cream

• Chocolate chili ice cream delivers a fiery chili kick that contrasts with the cool sweetness of chocolate ice cream. Soaking dried chili peppers in the milk used to make homemade ice cream transfers some of the spiciness without letting it overpower the overall flavor of the dessert. One small pepper per cup of milk should give the mixture the right level of heat.

Chili Pots de Creme

• A pot de creme is a simple single-serving custard dessert often presented in a small ramekin or even a teacup. The chili pot de creme adds a little variation to this usually sweet treat. Like chili ice cream, the secret is to soak chopped, dried chili peppers in the cream before adding sugar, chocolate and egg yolks. Beat everything together and bake. The peppers should be strained out before the ingredients are mixed.

Chili Creme Brulee

• Creme brulee and pot de creme have many similarities, but dried ancho chilies play a larger role in the chili creme brulee than in its cousin. In this dish, the dried, chopped chilies are mixed together in cream with cumin and cinnamon and boiled together before bittersweet chocolate and egg yolks are added. The ancho chili provides a deep heat that complements the chocolate's rich flavor.

Chili Churros

• This dessert pays homage to the Central American origins of chocolate and chili by adding a little spice to a Spanish and Mexican favorite. Churros are golden doughnut-like desserts usually served rolled in powdered sugar and cinnamon, then dipped in a rich chocolate sauce. This variation adds ground dried chili pepper and vanilla pod to the sugar mixture, giving it a hotter, more complex flavor that stands up well to the powerful dark chocolate.

Quick and Easy Desserts

• Ground dried red chili pepper and ancho chili powder can be added to both brownie recipes and cake frosting for easy go-to desserts. You can bake the goods from scratch, but you can also add the chili powders to commercial mixes and frostings for an even quicker bit of zest. Sifted cocoa powder topped with flaked, dried red pepper and sanding sugar makes a pretty and spicy garnish for chocolate-iced cupcakes. You can also add chili powder to homemade hot chocolate mix or simply chop up a chili chocolate bar to top desserts.