Desserts Double chocolate cinnamon-chilli brownies on a white plate

Published on June 11th, 2014 | by Gareth

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Double chocolate cinnamon-chilli brownies

True appreciation of something often comes from experiencing a little discomfort. I’m not talking about the type of discomfort that the crazy Japanese game show contestants endure, like leaping naked into frozen lakes or sitting on a spike for 3 hours. What I am referring to is far less extreme. And tends not to be so excruciating

Sunday night marked the final night of Sydney’s festival of light, Vivid. Since I missed out last year, I wanted to take a look. Sydney town, take a bow; you put on a splendid show that drew Sydneysiders into the night air by the thousands.

Vivid 2014 - Sydney Harbour Bridge at night from Milsons Point

Vivid 2014 – Sydney Harbour Bridge

Vivid 2014 - Sydney Opera House 2

Vivid 2014 – Multi coloured Sydney Opera House

For this part of the world, it was a chilly evening, (11 degrees C); compared to Britain’s winter nighttime temperatures of around -1 degree C. Normally in Australia, a coat and scarf are just fashion accessories. For once though, I could justify an extra layer (I don’t want to turn soft by getting acclimatised to mild winters).

After a hike around the city, starting on the North Shore at Milsons Point and finishing up in Darling Harbour, my feet were starting to ache; my ears and nose were pink from the cold. Hardly the sub-zero wind chill that used to make my ears and fingers purple and numb back home. But it was enough to appreciate a hot coffee and a fresh batch of double chocolate, chilli-cinnamon brownies.

This recipe makes a moist, chewy, crunchy-topped brownie with subtle kick at the end. It’s similar to my beetroot-chilli brownie, but without the beetroot

Double chocolate cinnamon-chilli brownies in tray

Fresh from the oven, double chocolate cinnamon-chilli brownies

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Equipment: Large mixing bowl, Pyrex bowl, spatula, baking tray, electric whisk/beater thingy

Ingredients – makes approximately 20

  • 185g unsalted butter – diced
  • 185g good quality dark chocolate (70%) – roughly chopped
  • 85g flour
  • 40g cocoa
  • 100g dark or milk chocolate (I used Lindt chilli chocolate) – chopped
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature
  • 40g soft brown sugar
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp. chilli powder
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon powder

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C
  • Put the butter and 185g of the dark chocolate in an ovenproof bowl. Pop in the oven to melt for 5 minutes (saves messing with saucepans of water or microwaves).
  • Once it begins melting, remove from the oven and stir until all the butter and chocolate has melted.
  • Stir in the soft brown sugar and set aside to cool.
  • Sift the flour, cocoa, chilli powder and cinnamon into a bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and the caster sugar until the mix is cream coloured and doubles in volume. Don’t over whisk otherwise the brownie will be too ‘cakey’.
  • Using a spatula, fold the melted chocolate mix into the egg. Don’t stir it in; otherwise you loose a lot of the air from whisking.
  • Once you have evenly mixed the chocolate, sift in the flour/cocoa/spice mix. Sifting will help avoid lumps.
  • Fold this in until you have a dark brown, glossy mixture.
  • Fold the broken chocolate pieces and then pour the mix into a greased baking tray.
  • Bake for 25 minutes.
  • To give it an extra kick, mix two tablespoons of icing sugar, ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a generous pinch of chilli powder. Sprinkle over the brownies once they have cooled.

Have you found greater appreciation of anything as a result of a little discomfort?

And what’s your favourite brownie recipe?

Double chocolate cinnamon-chilli brownies on a plate

Double choc brownies with cinnamon-chilli dusting

Vivid 2014 - Sydney Opera House 1

Techno Sydney Opera House

Vivid 2014 - Sydney Opera House 9

Blueprint Opera House

Vivid 2014 - Museum of Contemporary Art 2

Getting contemporary

If you like the shots of the Sydney Opera House and want to see more, visit my Pinterest page and go to this board

 

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About the Author

Englishman in Sydney loves a whisky, pies and all things savoury. Digital Marketer by day, cook the rest of the time. Amateur writer, photographer & aspiring anthropologists.



5 Responses to Double chocolate cinnamon-chilli brownies

  1. These sound delish! Love a little chilli hit with my dark chocolate.

  2. Padaek says:

    Great recipe! The beetroot-chilli brownies look very scrumptious too. Awesome pics of Vivid. :)

  3. Pingback: The perfect strawberry cheesecake | Humble Crumble

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