Wake Up Your Bowl Of Chocolate Ice Cream With One Spicy Topping

Pure bliss comes in abundance every time there's chocolate ice cream around. All that chilly bittersweetness melts decadently onto the taste buds, and no matter how many times you've had it, the magic is still present. It's rich, comforting, and most of the time, very predictable. If not enjoyed on its own, it's usually topped with a dollop of whipped cream, melted chocolate, or a bit of chopped nuts. While there's nothing wrong with these choices, branching out is also a good idea every once in a while. You wouldn't think it was possible at first, but sriracha (yes, it's the infamous hot sauce we're talking about) and chocolate is the out-of-this-world combo that might just leave you in awe.

Before you recoil, consider the curious contrast that these ingredients hold when combined. Chocolate ice cream is sweet and creamy with a delectably bitter hint. Sriracha, on the other hand, is all the way spicy and tangy, with a garlicky aroma to make anything it touches interesting (there are a lot of creative ways to use sriracha). The ice cream's rich sweetness tempers the sharp heat while the fiery hot sauce adds vibrancy to the chocolatey depth. Together, they create a dessert experience that's anything but ordinary. Each spoonful is one intrigue after another: First sweet, then subtly spicy, and finally, a bitter, tangy undertone lingering behind in the aftertaste.

A little goes a long way with sriracha, so you only need around 1 teaspoon for 2 scoops of ice cream and can add more if you feel like it. That drizzle is only the beginning, as you can dress the dessert up with other toppings to enhance both the taste and texture. Hot sauce is an unconventional ingredient for a sundae, but it still works quite well with the dish's usual staples like sweet sauce, whipped cream, sprinkles, and maraschino cherries.

Leaning further into the spicy elements, fall spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, and allspice are worth a try. They bring an extra spiced layer to the ice cream, one that's not quite as bold as the hot sauce, but delicately warm instead. Another unexpected condiment you can use for fiery ice cream is chili crisp. It packs quite a punch, so be mindful of the amount, especially when there's already sriracha. That said, when done right, it offers an exquisite complexity that's sure to wow the taste buds.

Saltiness is another interesting flavor match for the overall sweet-spicy tone, and you can easily achieve it with just a bit of sea salt or salted pretzel crumbs. Chopped peanuts or walnuts, on the other hand, are lovely for those who like a little crunch in their ice cream — not to mention the hint of nuttiness that plays right into the savory undertone the hot sauce offers.