New Mexican Mole Sauce by Sazon’s Fernando Olea
Canela, often called Mexican cinnamon, differs from the harder, sharper cassia cinnamon commonly found in the United States. Made from the bark of true cinnamon varieties, canela is softer, more delicate, and deeply aromatic, with floral and gently sweet notes that have long shaped the flavors of Mexican desserts, beverages, and moles. In this New Mexican mole by acclaimed chef Fernando Olea of Santa Fe's Sazon, the canela sticks are toasted alongside seeds and spices, releasing their warm perfume into the sauce as it slowly simmers. Paired with dried chiles, nuts, apricots, and white chocolate, canela brings balance and elegance—softening the heat while adding the subtle warmth and complexity that define a deeply layered mole tradition.
Ingredients
- 4 oz Pine nuts
- 4 oz Pecan nuts
- 8 oz Apricots (dried)
- 6 oz Red chile pods - hot (dried) (MS 496)
- 8 oz White chocolate
- 2 Canela sticks (MS597)
- 1 oz Garlic cloves
- 1 oz Onion (diced)
- ¼ lb. Butter
- 4 Cloves
- 1 tbsp. Anise seeds
- ½ tbsp. Cumin seeds (MS446)
- ¼ lb. Sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp. White pepper
- ¼ gal Water
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak the apricots in water for 30 minutes and remove any pits if needed
- Remove any stems from chiles and soak in water to soften
- Heat a pan over medium heat approximately 2 minutes and lightly toast the pecans adding pinon nuts after
- Add the canela, cloves, sesame, cumin and anise seeds, stirring constantly until lightly golden
- In a separate pan, melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the chopped onion and garlic until clear and soft, approx. 3-5 minutes
- Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth as possible. Add water if necessary
- Place the blended ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and lower the heat
- Add the white chocolate
- Simmer for 60 minutes, stirring often
- Add white pepper and salt to taste
Estimated Nutritional Facts per Serving Serving size: 1/4 cup
Calories170
Total Fat13g
Saturated Fat5g
Cholesterol15mg
Sodium80–180mg
Total Carbohydrate12g
Dietary Fiber2g
Total Sugars7g
Protein3g
Estimated Nutritional Facts for Entire Batch
Calories5,200–5,600
Total Fat410–440g
Saturated Fat150–170g
Cholesterol480–560mg
Sodium750-850mg
Total Carbohydrates360–390g
Dietary Fiber55–70g
Total Sugars200–230g
Protein85–100g