Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, tossing in the pan until golden, about 5 minutes.
Set aside 2 Tablespoons to use as garnish, and pour the remainder into a blender.
Toast the cloves, cinnamon stick, anise and coriander seeds in the same skillet until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add to the blender.
Remove the stems and seeds from the chile peppers, set aside.
Heat 4 Tablespoons of oil in the same skillet over medium high heat. Add the chiles and cook until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.
Transfer to a large bowl, cover with hot water and set aside until softened and pliable, about 30 minutes.
Add the raisins, almonds, and pumpkin seeds to the oil in the skillet. Cook, stirring until the seeds are golden brown, about 2 minutes.
Add to the blender along with the oil from the skillet. Add the softened chiles and puree, adding 2 to 3 cups of the chile soaking water to make a thick, smooth sauce.
Heat the remaining 2 Tablespoons of oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chile sauce and cook until thickened, 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the chicken stock and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken, about 20 minutes.
Stir in the cacao and continue stirring and cooking until the sauce reduces, about 20 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve over roasted chicken, beef, or pork, and garnish with the reserved sesame seeds.
Notes
You will need a medium sized non-stick skillet, a large pot/Dutch oven, a large bowl, and a good blender. An immersion blender will not work. A food processor probably will, but I did not try that….let me know if you do. I have this Ninja Kitchen System in case you are wondering. {affiate link}
I actually could not find the guajillo chile peppers, but I did not let that stop me. I substituted New Mexico peppers and it was still delicious. You might want to order them ahead of time.
I also could not find whole blanched almonds, so slivered was my only option.
Yes, that does say cacao, not cocoa. You can read my reason why in this post, or you can substitute unsweetened cocoa.