Mexican Brownies

Ingredients:

2 sticks unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4-1/2 teaspoon pequen chili powder or cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. Press the paper into the corners of the pan and lightly grease the paper with butter.

Melt the 2 sticks of butter in a nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat; do not boil. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla to the saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.

Add the cocoa, flour, cinnamon, chili powder, salt and baking powder and mix until smooth. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out fudgy, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack, then use the parchment paper to lift out the brownies before slicing.

Ganache Frosting:
1 cup heavy cream or half and half
12 ounces good dark chocolate (chopped)

In a saucepan, heat up the cream to just below boiling
remove from heat and pour over chopped chocolate.  Use a wire whisk to mix until completely smooth and glossy.  Let cool* and spread thickly over brownies. Refrigerate before slicing into squares.

*The longer you allow the ganache to cool, the thicker it will set.

Ganache can be refrigerated for up to a month. or frozen up to 6 months.