Today I have a Mexican brownies recipe for you. And it’s fair trade. And it’s delicious. Are you ready? Let’s go!

I love Mexican chocolate. I was first introduced to this wonderful flavor by my Mexican college roommate Estela. She brought me Abuelita Mexican hot chocolate tablets from home and I hoarded, um, I mean cherished them. (Okay, hoarded. I would not allow anyone to use that chocolate willy nilly!) Fast forward to today and basically if we go anywhere and anything is Mexican chocolate flavored, I order it. The hint of cinnamon and chile peppers paired with chocolate just makes me happy. (And it reminds me of Estela, too, which also makes me happy!)

Fair Trade USA approached me to help celebrate their Fair Moments campaign this month, which is all about showing how our small everyday decisions can have a huge impact, something I really believe. For the post I wanted to share a recipe that used lots of great fair trade ingredients, but for some reason I was having a hard time settling on something. Then, as I was sitting in my kitchen staring at a pile of fair trade goodies with the kids, discussing what we could make, Cate mentioned brownies. Then the cinnamon started chanting, “Abuelita, Abuelita, Abuelita” and I knew Mexican brownies had to happen. (Okay, maybe that last part didn’t happen, but whatever. Close enough.)

Brownies are one of our family’s favorites and probably the most frequently baked item around here, after chocolate chip cookies, of course. Anna and I decided to make the Mexican brownies together and had a great conversation about what fair trade means. We talked about which ingredients in the recipe were fair trade and about how they are ingredients we use all the time. It was really cool neat sharing this with my daughter and I was grateful I could show her how we actively support such a great cause day to day.

The best part was taste testing with Anna and my mom, trying to get the perfect amount of cayenne pepper and cinnamon in the brownies. In case you’re wondering, we succeeded. The brownies came out awesome and everyone in the family loved them (even my mom who was most certainly suspect when I used the words “cayenne” and “brownies” in the same sentence). The cinnamon and cayenne flavors come through but in a subtle way and without too much heat.

Before we get to the post, let’s do a Fair Trade giveaway! One lucky, randomly-selected winner will receive a package from Fair Trade USA with the following goodies:

• Wholesome Vanilla Frosting
• Cascadian Farm Organic Soft Baked Squares
• Marich Chocolates
• Mighty Leaf Tea
• Chuao Chocolates
• Honest Tea
• Larabar Chocolate Cherry Bites
• Frontier Natural Products Co-Op Cinnamon Sticks
• SunSpire Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
• Spectrum Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
• Arrowhead Mills Organic Coconut Flour
• Immaculate Baking Co.’s Organic Chocolate Chip Mix
• Lundberg Family Farms Organic Jasmine Rice
• High Brew Coffee Cold Brew

To enter this Fair Trade giveaway, please do the following:

• Leave a comment on this post! (Optional: Tell us your favorite fair trade ingredient that you use all the time!)
• Bonus entry: Like Fair Trade USA on Facebook! (Please leave a separate comment indicating you have done so. If you already follow, that counts!)
• Like This Week for Dinner on Facebook! (Please leave a separate comment indicating you have done so. If you already follow, that counts!)
• Follow This Week for Dinner on Pinterest! (Please leave a separate comment indicating you have done so. If you already follow, that counts!)
• All comments must be posted by Midnight PT on October 31, 2016.

And now, the recipe! I basically just used Ruth Reichl’s “A Better Brownie” recipe, which is one of my most favorite brownies. The brownies come out super fudgy and rich with this amazing crusty top that is to die for. Click here for the original non-spicy version. If you want to try the spicy version, here you go!

Mexican Brownies

 

Print

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

This is one of my favorite brownie recipes, originally written by Ruth Reichl. I've given the recipe a Mexican twist with sugar and spice and everything nice...and Fair Trade!

Author: Ruth Reichl (with Jane Maynard adaptations)

Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 5 ounces unsalted high-fat butter (I use regular old salted butter!)
• 5 ounces unsweetened fair trade chocolate
• 2 teaspoons best-quality, fair trade vanilla extract
• 1½ teaspoons fair trade ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon fair trade cayenne pepper
• 4 farm fresh organic eggs (Jane note: my eggs are not farm fresh, everything turns out fine!)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose white flour (spooned into a cup and leveled with a knife)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
2. Butter a 9x9 or 8x8 square pan and line the pan with parchment paper. Butter the bottom and sides once again.
3. Melt the chocolate and the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, cinnamon and cayenne pepper.
4. Beat the eggs and salt in a stand mixer. Add the sugar and beat on high for about 10 minutes, until the mixture has turned very light and thick. Add the chocolate mixture to the eggs, beating on low until just mixed.
5. Gently stir in the flour until it just disappears.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, place in the middle of the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 350ºF. Bake for 40 minutes; the brownies will be quite fudgy and a toothpick should come out not quite clean. Cool on a rack.
7. Lift the brownies out of the pan by pulling up on the parchment paper. Set on a cutting board and cut into pieces.

3.4.3177

The little plates in this post are from Q Squared NYC, in case you need to buy them because they are the CUTEST.