Ancho Chili Brownies Recipes

ANCHO CHILE CHOCOLATE BROWNIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler, add sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla. Place chocolate mixture in a mixing bowl and fold in flour, salt and baking powder. Add pecans and chile powder. Pour mixture into a deep 9 by 13 greased pan and bake in oven for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cut into 3-inch squares. Serve with Cajeta Sauce, cinnamon ice cream, and sifted cocoa powder.
• Stir together the milk, sugar, corn syrup, and cinnamon stick in medium size heavy pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Dissolve the baking soda in 1 tablespoon water, remove the milk from the heat, and stir in the soda mixture, having a spoon ready to stir the mixture down if it bubbles up. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat, until the mixture thickens into a pale-gold syrup, about 25 minutes. At this point, begin stirring very frequently as the mixture thickens into a caramel-brown syrup that's the consistency of maple syrup, about 10 minutes more. Strain the cajeta sauce through a fine mesh strainer set over a large measuring cup. Let cool for a few minutes, then stir in the sherry, rum or brandy (plus a little water, if necessary, to bring it to 1 1/2 cups). Refrigerate covered. When cold, the cajeta sauce should have the consistency of thin corn syrup.

ANCHO CHILI BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Lightly grease a 8 x 8 pan.
• Using a spoon, stir eggs with 3/4-cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla; add melted butter.
• Sift ground chocolate with flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Stir into egg mixture; add nuts.
• Stir in chips. Spread into greased pan.
• Bake 20 to 30 minutes.
• For chewy brownies, use 8" pan and shorter baking time.
• For cake-like brownies, use 9" pan and longer baking time.
• Cut into squares.

CHILE BROWNIES

Steps:

• 1. Position the rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan; set it aside.
• 2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, chile powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
• 3. Place the butter and both kinds of chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water. If you don't have a double boiler, place the butter and both kinds of chocolate in a heat-safe bowl that fits snugly over a small pot of simmering water. Stir constantly until half the butter and chocolate is melted. Remove the top of the double boiler or the bowl from the pot; then continue stirring, away from the heat, until the butter and chocolate are completely melted. Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• 4. Beat the sugar into the melted chocolate mixture with a whisk or with an electric mixer at medium speed; continue beating until smooth and silky, about 5 minutes by hand or 2 minutes with a mixer. Beat in the eggs until well incorporated.
• 5. With a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Do not beat. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it gently to the corners.
• 6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes.
• 7. Cut the brownies into 24 pieces while they're still in the pan. Carefully remove them with an offset spatula. Serve immediately, or let cool completely before covering with plastic wrap for storage at room temperature. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days. The brownies can be tightly wrapped in wax paper, sealed in a freezer-safe bag, and frozen for up to 2 months; allow them to thaw at room temperature before serving.
• To vary this recipe
• Add one or more of the following spices with the chile powder: 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon/2 teaspoons ground ginger/1 teaspoon grated nutmeg/1 teaspoon ground cloves
• And/or Stir in 1 1/4 cups of any of the following mix-ins, or 1 1/4 cups any combination of the following mix-ins, with the flour mixture: chocolate-covered espresso beans/chopped banana chips/chopped candied chestnuts/chopped candied orange peel/chopped dried figs/chopped dried papaya/chopped dried prunes/chopped pecans/chopped toasted chickpeas/chopped toasted hazelnuts/chopped unsalted roasted peanuts/crumbled biscotti/dried cherries/Goobers/raisins/toasted pepitás