Mexican hot chocolate brownies
My *not so* little obsession
Over the last month I’ve been working and baking in a hostel in Merida, Mexico. It was my first time in Mexico and to say I loved it would be an understatement. The people, food, streets all of it was so different and beautiful.
During day of the dead, a celebration of family, memories and loved ones. We made thick hot chocolate which we dunked slices of pan de muerto into.
Since then I have grown a healthy obsession with the ‘bebida caliente’. Mexican hot chocolate is usually made with dark unsweetened cocoa, cinnamon, a little chilli, vanilla, sugar and milk, in *my* opinion it is one of the best things ever created.
As always I love sharing my favourite things with bakery customers but instead of just a drink I wanted to turn these flavours into a bake…brownies were the perfect vehicle.
But these aren’t any brownies, they’re spiced with cinnamon, cocoa, chilli and vanilla, then topped with a dark chocolate ganache and caramelised marshmallow crust.
Ingredients
120g dark 70% or more chocolate
120g unsalted butter
2 eggs
170g golden caster sugar
70g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1tbsp cocoa powder
1 sprinkle salt
1-2tsp cinnamon (depending on preference)
1/2tsp chilli flakes (optional)
1tsp vanilla paste or essence
To top:
70g Mini or chopped marshmallows
70g dark chocolate
2tbsp cream or coconut milk
Method
Preheat your oven to 180c/350f
1) Melt your butter over a low heat in a medium saucepan, once melted add your chocolate (chopped or in chips), stir until melted then set aside.
2) In a medium bowl, stir together your flour, baking powder, cocoa, cinnamon, chilli and salt. Then in a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar into a frothy batter. Pour in your chocolate. Stir into a batter then fold in your flour mixture.
3) Pour the brownie batter into a lined baking tray (roughly 9” or 23cm). Bake for 20-25 minutes (edges should be set but middle should be very soft).
4) To top; melt your dark chocolate, either in a microwave or bowl over boiling pan of water, whisk in your cream to create a ganache. Spread the ganache over the brownie, sprinkle over your marshmallows and pop back in the oven with the grill on for 2-3 minutes until the marshmallows have caramelised.
Cool for 30 mins then enjoy! I like to put the brownies into fridge and cool into a solids block and eat them cold…but that’s just me and well, I’m a little weird.
Brownies will last 2-3 day at room temp and up to a week in the fridge;)