We all know I love the Chopping Block and every cooking class I’ve taken there.  My loyal readers also know that I love to cook but really hate to bake (the whole art vs. science thing).  I decided to make a new dessert for my Cinco de Mayo dinner — well not a completely new dessert, just a slight adjustment that makes it a bit more appropriate for the holiday.

I really like the way a little bit of spice with my chocolate (pair that with a nice port and I’m in heaven).  I decided I would add a bit of spice to the Dark Chocolate Pot de Creme would change the flavor profile enough and pair nicely with the rest of my meal.

I took the Chopping Block recipe and added a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon and half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper.  I added this to the chocolate and half and half while the chocolate was melting but before the I started tempering the eggs. Then I cooked it as per the recipe.

How did it turn out? Pretty damn tasty.  I think the cinnamon was perfect, but maybe just a bit too much cayenne was added. Next time I think I will cut the amount of pepper by 1/8th of a teaspoon. The heat was a bit too overpowering.

Did you create a new recipe or modify an old favorite this weekend?  Have you decided to add cayenne pepper to random recipes to see how it turns out? Do you know the significance of Cinco de Mayo?

* * * If you’ve enjoyed this post and want to be the first to know when I’ve published a new one, sign up to receive them via email or directly in your RSS Reader. Follow me on Twitter or Google Plus too! * * *