CHILE BROWNIES

Chile Brownies image

Brownies with a peppery kick. Be sure to use pure chile powder, the kind made from only ground chiles (ancho). Conventional chili powder, sold in most grocery stores, contains oregano and cumin-would not be suitable for this recipe. Pure chile powder is found in gourmet grocery stores and Latino/Mexican markets and specialty online spice stores.

Provided by ratherbeswimmin

Categories Bar Cookie

Time 1h50m

Yield 24 brownies

Number Of Ingredients 12

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Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus additional
all-purpose flour, for the pan
1/4 cup pure chile powder, plus
1 tablespoon pure chile powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus additional
unsalted butter, for the pan
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate or 5 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature

Steps:

Position oven rack in the lower third of oven; preheat oven to 350°; butter and flour a 13x9 inch baking pan; set aside.
In a bowl, whisk the flour, chile powder, baking powder, and salt until combined; set aside.
Add butter and both chocolates in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water; stir constantly until half the butter and chocolate is melted.
Remove the top of the double boiler from the pot; then continue stirring, away from the heat, until the butter and chocolate are completely melted.
Transfer to a big bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.
Beat the sugar into the melted chocolate with an electric mixer on medium speed; continue beating until smooth and silky, about 2 minutes.
Beat in eggs until well incorporated.
With a wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture just until incorporated; do not beat.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it gently to the corners.
Bake for 20 minutes or until a pick comes out with a few moist crumbs; set pan of wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes.
Cut brownies into 24 pieces while they are still in the pan; carefully remove them with an offset spatula.
Serve immediately or cool completely before covering with plastic wrap for storage at room temperature.
Variation: add one or more of the following spices with the chile powder: 1 ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground cloves and/or.
Stir in 1 ¼ cups of any of the following mix-ins or 1 ¼ cups any combination of the following mix-ins, with the flour mixture-chocolate-covered espresso beans, chopped candied orange peel, chopped dried figs, chopped pecans, chopped toasted hazelnuts, dried cherries, raisins, toasted pepitas.