BY AMEE VALENTINE
This spicy, sweet and salty treat is the perfect addition to your Dia de Muertos celebration.
Moles [MOE-layz} are complex. Not just in their laborious creation, but also in their many variations and origins. This recipe, however is neither complex in its creation nor its origin (it’s a super easy recipe I just invented!).
While many countries do know the source of their national dishes, the roots of Mexico’s Mole are the stuff of legend. Myths about this sauce range from a humble breeze drifting spices from the windowsill into a simmering pot below, to a grandiose gift to the Gods by Aztec king Montezuma himself. Oh, and did you hear the one about the 16th century nuns and the very surprised archbishop? It’s spicy!
Just as there is no definitive origin for Mole, there is no definitive recipe either. There are as many different types as there are regions of Mexico & (shocker!) only the one from Oaxaca traditionally contains chocolate. They do, however, all contain chiles and spicy aromatics. This recipe will delight you with both; oh, and plenty of chocolate!
Ingredients:
2 cups raw unsalted pepitas (pumpkin seeds, no shells)
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1.5 teaspoons chipotle chile powder (or smoked paprika for less heat)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin
2 cups dark chocolate chips
Toasted sesame seeds
Sea salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Mix first 6 ingredients together until pepitas are evenly coated. Sautee mixture in pan on medium high, stirring frequently until toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Line 9×12 cookie sheet with parchment paper. Evenly spread the chocolate chips into a single layer on paper. Place in oven until just getting melty, approx. 3 minutes.
Remove sheet from oven and evenly distribute pepita mixture on top of chocolate. Press them gently into chocolate with back of a spoon. Sprinkle liberally with sesame seeds & sparingly with sea salt. Refrigerate until hardened, then chop or break into smaller pieces. Enjoy!