Mole Brownies with Ancho Chile, Almonds and Toasted Sesame

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 175 °C for 10 min. Line the tin with baking paper, leaving two sides overhanging so you can lift the brownies out later.

   oven

2. Put the chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set it over a pan of barely simmering water on low heat (the bowl must not touch the water). Stir for 3 min until melted and smooth. Take it off the heat and stir in the sugar, ancho powder, cinnamon, vanilla and salt. In a microwave, melt in 30-second bursts instead.

   Add in this stepDark chocolate (60-70% cocoa) 45 gUnsalted butter 45 gSugar 75 gAncho chile powder ½ tspGround cinnamon ½ tspVanilla extract ½ tspSalt 1 pinch

   low heat

3. Let the chocolate cool slightly, then add the egg and beat hard for 1 min until thick and glossy. Sift in the flour and cocoa and fold with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain, then fold in the almonds. Over-mixing makes them cakey.

   Add in this stepBeaten egg (1 egg is about 50 g) 50 gAll-purpose flour 30 gUnsweetened cocoa powder 13 gToasted almonds, roughly chopped 20 g

4. Scrape the batter into the 15×10 cm tin, smooth the top and scatter evenly with the sesame seeds and flaky salt.

   Add in this stepSesame seeds 2 tspFlaky sea salt 1 pinch

5. Bake in the oven for 18 min. Take them out when the edges are set and the centre still has a slight wobble: a skewer should come out with a few moist crumbs. If it comes out clean, they are overbaked.

   oven

6. Cool in the tin on a rack for at least 30 min, then lift out by the paper and cut. Cut while warm and they crumble, so be patient.