Nancy Zaslavsky stopped by the Good Food studio to share a new product that she discovered called Taza. You can find it at La Monarca Bakery in Santa Monica. It’s an organic chocolate used to make Mexican Hot Chocolate (Taza’s recipe here). She also told us about her mole brownies. The recipe follows.
Nancy Z’s Chocolate-Chile Mole Brownies
Makes 16 large or 25 smaller brownies
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more to butter the dish
½ lb good-quality bittersweet chocolate
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup flour
¼ tsp kosher salt
2 tsps ground Mexican canela (pure Ceylon cinnamon)
3 Tablespoons pure ancho chile powder
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds
1 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts
1. Preheat the oven to 325˚F. Line an 8 x 8-inch metal baking pan with aluminum foil, allowing it to overhang two ends by about 2-inches. Generously butter or spray with vegetable spray.
2. Melt the butter and bittersweet chocolate in a medium metal bowl set over simmering water until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the brown sugar until dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
3. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until completely blended and the mixture is shiny and smooth; the mixture will have thickened.
4. Stir together flour, salt, canela, and ancho chile powder. Mix these dry ingredients into the egg mixture until blended. Stir in the toasted sesame seeds and walnuts.
5. Using a spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake 30-35 minutes, until almost set and a toothpick comes out moist with a hint of batter. Do not overbake, and don’t let the edges get dark. Cool in the pan, on a rack.
6. Using the overhanging foil as handles, lift and carefully move the brownies to a cutting board. Peel off the foil. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.
Note: Be sure to toast the sesame seeds and nuts for maximum flavor!
© Nancy Zaslavsky 1995