Chop up and place the chocolate in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, add coconut milk, eggs, chili powder, and salt.

Whisk until thoroughly combined, and then drop in the cinnamon stick.

Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens and forms a smooth custard that coats the back of a spoon (about 10 to 15 minutes).

Watch the custard like a hawk — you don’t want to overcook it. Remember: Steaming is good, but simmering and boiling are bad. And when in doubt, use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the final temperature is about 175°F (80°C).

When the custard is ready, take the pot off the heat, and fish out the cinnamon stick.

Position a fine mesh sieve over the bowl of chocolate, and pour the custard through to catch any lumpy bits. Let the chocolate and custard mixture sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.

When your timer goes off, grab a spatula and stir ever so gently to mix the melted chocolate into the custard base. If you stir like crazy, the temperature will drop too quickly, and you’ll end up with grainy chocolate. (Mexican chocolate is traditionally coarse ground and can be crumbly in texture, but I prefer my pots de crème to be sinfully smooth.) Steady, slow stirring is essential for ensuring a stable emulsion.

Once you’ve achieved a smooth mixture, stir in the vanilla extract.

Divide the mixture evenly into eight 2-ounce espresso cups or ramekins and cool to room temperature.

Cover the cups with plastic wrap and let ‘em chill and firm up in the fridge for at least 4 hours.