Living up to their name, these brownies pack a bit of heat
Mexican hot chocolate is a beloved beverage made from chocolate (yup, got it) and often 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. A few things to note:
1) Yes, yes, I get the humor 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.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with a straight-up brownie, but when you experience chocolate that packs heat, that’s a game changer. I served these to a group of grownups and kids, and after everyone took one, four were left. One woman reached for seconds. The rest looked at each other until I halved the remaining brownies, and then there were none. Katie Workman has written two cookbooks focused on easy, family-friendly cooking, “Dinner Solved!” and “The Mom 100 Cookbook.”