Mexican Fried Ice Cream

3 cups ice cream
2 beaten eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Vegetable oil (for deep-fat frying)
4 1/2 cups sweetened corn flakes or
    crisp rice cereal, crushed

Place six scoops (about 1/2 cup each) of ice cream in a small pan. Freeze for 1 hour or until firm.

Combine eggs and vanilla extract in a small mixing bowl.

In a pie plate, combine cereal and cinnamon. Dip each frozen ball in egg mixture, then in cereal mixture. Return coated ice cream balls to pan and freeze 1 hour or until firm. Reserve remaining cereal mixture. Cover and chill remaining egg mixture.

Remove coated ice cream balls from the freezer. Dip balls in remaining egg mixture, then roll them in remaining cereal mixture. Return to pan. Cover and freeze for several hours or until firm.

Fry frozen ice cream balls, 1 or 2 at a time, in deep hot vegetable oil (375 degrees F) in a deep fat fryer or heavy saucepan for 15 seconds or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain for a few seconds. Return fried ice cream balls to the freezer while frying the remaining balls.

Serve immediately with ice cream topping, if desired.