Mexican Chocolate Brownie Pie

I always enjoy desserts that incorporate – or are inspired by – Mexican chocolate. a coarsely ground chocolate that is made with coarse sugar (in fact, the chocolate sometimes still has chunks of sugar in it when it is in tablet form) and spices, like cinnamon and cayenne pepper. The exact recipes vary from maker to maker, but they are all delicious and deliver lots of rich bittersweet chocolate and warm spices. This Mexican Chocolate Brownie Pie is inspired by the flavors in Mexican chocolate, a sweet, spicy dessert that is perfect for chocolate-lovers.

The batter starts with a generous amount of unsweetened cocoa powder, which gives the dessert a wonderful bittersweet chocolate flavor. It includes cinnamon and cayenne pepper, along with vanilla and almond extracts, for just the right amount of spice to evoke Mexican chocolate. I usually fold in a generous amount of dark chocolate chunks, leaving a few reserved to sprinkle on top for visual appeal. If I happen to have a tablet of Mexican chocolate in my kitchen, I will chop up some and add a handful of that to the batter, as well. Either way, everything comes together very easily and can be ready to go into the oven in less time than it takes to preheat!

The pie has a rich chocolate base that is reminiscent of classic brownies, but is a bit more tender and not quite as dense as your typical brownie recipe is. After each bite you’ll taste the heat of the cinnamon and cayenne – both of which will leave you wanting a second bite! While it could be baked into squares, baking it in a pie dish elevates the dish slightly and turns it into a dessert that is an excellent choice for entertaining. The brownies can be served at room temperature or slightly warm, topped with vanilla ice cream.

Mexican Chocolate Brownie Pie
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
5 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
2/3 cup dark chocolate chunks, divided
or 1/3 cup coarsely chopped Mexican chocolate and 1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate and dust with cocoa powder. In a small bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, salt and baking soda.
In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and almond extract until smooth. Add in flour mixture and whisk until the batter comes together, then stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chunks (and the Mexican chocolate, if using).
Pour batter into prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle with remaining dark chocolate chunks.
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the pie is firm around the outer edge and just set in the center.
Allow pie to cool to room temperature before slicing. Heat each slice for a few seconds in the microwave to warm it before serving.

Serves 8-10.