Mexican Chocolate Brownies
Mexican chocolate can refer to several types of chocolate, including a hot chocolate drink, but all of these chocolates have one thing in common: they're spicy. Mexican chocolate, in just about every form, is flavored with a variety of spices. Cinnamon is always present and some variations use ground chilis to add some heat to the mix. I like these spicy chocolates (especially when served as a thick hot chocolate) and like to spice up my chocolate recipes from time to time using Mexican chocolate as inspiration. These Mexican Chocolate Brownies are definitely on the spicy side. The fudgy, slightly chewy brownies are made with dark chocolate and get an extra deep flavor from the addition of some cocoa powder. They're flavored with cinnamon, cayenne pepper and chili powder, as well as vanilla extract. The cinnamon, cayenne and chili all come together to give the brownies a nice balance of spice and heat that really compliments the chocolate. I also like to mix in some chocolate chips or chunks of chopped chocolate with this recipe, as the plainer chocolate helps to balance out the spices. The brownies are really complex, but not overwhelmingly hot or spicy. They taste better the day after they're made, as the spices have time to meld together in that time. If stored for a few days (in an airtight container), the cayenne will actually become stronger and your brownies will be a bit spicier. These are delicious as-is and I would only recommend cutting back on the cayenne if you are very sensitive to spicy foods, as a smaller amount will not be that noticeable against all that chocolate. If they get a little too spicy, warm them up and serve them with a side of cooling vanilla ice cream.
Mexican chocolate can refer to several types of chocolate, including a hot chocolate drink, but all of these chocolates have one thing in common: they're spicy. Mexican chocolate, in just about every form, is flavored with a variety of spices. Cinnamon is always present and some variations use ground chilis to add some heat to the mix. I like these spicy chocolates (especially when served as a thick hot chocolate) and like to spice up my chocolate recipes from time to time using Mexican chocolate as inspiration. These Mexican Chocolate Brownies are definitely on the spicy side. The fudgy, slightly chewy brownies are made with dark chocolate and get an extra deep flavor from the addition of some cocoa powder. They're flavored with cinnamon, cayenne pepper and chili powder, as well as vanilla extract. The cinnamon, cayenne and chili all come together to give the brownies a nice balance of spice and heat that really compliments the chocolate. I also like to mix in some chocolate chips or chunks of chopped chocolate with this recipe, as the plainer chocolate helps to balance out the spices. The brownies are really complex, but not overwhelmingly hot or spicy. They taste better the day after they're made, as the spices have time to meld together in that time. If stored for a few days (in an airtight container), the cayenne will actually become stronger and your brownies will be a bit spicier. These are delicious as-is and I would only recommend cutting back on the cayenne if you are very sensitive to spicy foods, as a smaller amount will not be that noticeable against all that chocolate. If they get a little too spicy, warm them up and serve them with a side of cooling vanilla ice cream.
- Carbohydrate 151.149810299394 g
- Cholesterol 1090.02500031093 mg
- Fat 114.346858070519 g
- Fiber 3.70436974139559 g
- Protein 30.0398164702701 g
- Saturated Fat 65.8564471526035 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (621g)
- Sodium 57028.7986720693 mg
- Sugar 147.445440557998 g
- Trans Fat 9.92287276867494 g
- Calories 1729 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8×8 or 9×9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease.
- In a small, heatproof bowl, melt butter and chocolate together. Stir with a fork until very smooth. Stir in cocoa powder until fully incorporated. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Whisking steadily, pour chocolate mixture into sugar mixture. Stir until smooth. Sift flour, ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper, chili powder and salt into the bowl and stir until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Pour into prepared pan and spread into an even layer.
- Bake for about 35 minutes, until brownies set and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the pan comes out with only a few moist crumbs, not batter, attached.
- Cool in the pan completely before slicing.
The Chemistry of Second-Day Spices
Complex spice blends require time for fat-soluble compounds to disperse through cocoa butter and dairy fats. Tasting a piece immediately after slicing reveals separate flavor notes of cinnamon, chili, and dark chocolate. Waiting until day two allows those individual components to meld into a unified flavor. The heat from the cayenne actually sharpens during storage as it interacts with the sugar and lipids. Keep the container sealed tightly at room temperature to prevent moisture loss during this resting phase.Temperature Contrast for Balancing Heat
Serving these spiced bars alongside cold dairy counters the capsainoid kick effectively. Fat molecules in dairy bind to capsaicin molecules, physically washing them off pain receptors on the tongue. Plate the squares slightly warmed in a microwave for fifteen seconds to soften the interior chocolate chunks. Pair each portion with a scoop of frozen vanilla dairy dessert to provide thermal and textural contrast.
