Brownies get a bite from spice

When you taste a dessert that’s packing heat, it’s a game-changer

Mexican hot chocolate is often made 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 brownie.

A few things to note:

1. Yes, yes, I get the humour in having the word “pot” and “brownies” in the title.

I have another “one-pot fudgy brownie” in The Mom 100 Cookbook, and I’ve had to answer for the word choice more than a few times. Tee hee, very funny, but seriously, they are in fact made in one pot, so cleanup is awesome. 2. The kick from the spices — cayenne and cinnamon — is at first subtle, then more pronounced, and then fades, which means of course that you must go back and have another bite. And another. You could also add a pinch of ancho chili powder instead of the cayenne, or in addition to it if you’re feeling frisky as all get out. Don’t substitute regular chili powder or chili spice blend. These mixes have additional spices in them, like oregano and garlic, and while they might work wonderfully in chili or enchiladas, here they will confuse things. 3. When you add the eggs to the warm brownie batter, add them one at a time and beat them in quickly. This allows each egg to fully incorporate into the batter, and also ensures that the eggs blend in and don’t scramble while they sit waiting to be mixed in. There’s nothing wrong with a straight-up brownie, but when you experience chocolate that’s packing heat, that’s a gamechanger.

I first served these to a group of grown-ups and kids, and after everyone took one there were four left. One brave woman reached for seconds. The rest looked at each other until I cut the rest in half, and then there were none.