Mexican hot chocolate is a beloved beverage made from chocolate (no surprise there) combined with cinnamon and another spice or two to bring up the heat. The combination of spicy and chocolate just plain works, and I wanted to see how it would translate into another beloved treat, the good old American brownie. Again, it just plain worked.
These brownies are on the fudgier side, which I happen to love. The kick from the spices — cayenne, cinnamon and ancho chili powder — is at first subtle, then more pronounced, then fades. All of which means, of course, that you must go back and have another bite. And another.
Don’t be tempted to substitute regular chili powder or chili spice blend. These spice mixes have additional spices in them they may work wonderfully in a beefy chili, but won’t bring anything to the party here, and will in fact confuse things. Buy pure ancho chili powder for this recipe, which is made from the ancho pepper. It has a mild, slightly smoky and somewhat fruity flavor. And be sure to keep it on hand to use for spicing up all kinds of Mexican dishes.
It is no accident that this recipe makes a large pan. Valentine’s Day may be meant for couples, but these brownies are meant for sharing.