“Sweet Heat” Mexican Hot Chocolate Brownies

What You'll Need

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• 1 ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (you can use 1/8 teaspoon for a little less “heat”, if you’re not sure)
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli brand 60% cocoa chips)
• 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup, packed, brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso coffee granules (I use Medaglia D’Oro brand)
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon orange zest

How to Make It

1. Preheat your oven to 350°, and line a 11 x 7 x 1 ½” glass baking dish with enough foil so that there is a slight overhang (for easier removal), and lightly mist with cooking spray; place the prepared baking dish on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (You can use a 9 x 13 pan, too; just know that the brownies will be slightly thinner, and you will need to adjust the baking time to about 25-35 minutes.)
2. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne pepper, and set aside these dry ingredients.
3. Place the butter and the chocolate into a small to medium-size glass bowl, and place the bowl over a pot of very gently simmering water (double-boiler method); allow the butter and chocolate to melt together, stirring occasionally to blend.
4. Once the butter and chocolate is melted, carefully pour it into another large bowl, scraping ever last bit of it out, and allow it to cool slightly for about 5-10 minutes.
5. Next, add both of the sugars, plus the instant espresso coffee granules, into the melted butter/chocolate mixture, and using a whisk, gently whisk those in until well blended.
6. Add one egg at a time into the mixture, gently whisking until it is blended in; add in the vanilla and the orange zest, and whisk those in.
7. Next, add the dry ingredients into the mixture, and gently whisk those in until they are incorporated, taking care not to over-mix.
8. Pour the batter into your prepared pan, and bake for about 55 minutes, or just until a toothpick inserted comes out fairly clean (it’s not quite the same doing a “toothpick test” on fudgy brownies as it is a cake—you still may get a little batter, but it shouldn’t be too wet.)
9. Allow to cool in baking dish for about 10 minutes, and then using the overhanging foil, lift the brownies out and allow them to completely cool and set (which can take 3-5 hours!) before cutting.

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