Ancho Chile Chocolate Brownie Recipes

AARON SANCHEZ'S MEXICAN BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. Press the paper into the corners of the pan and lightly grease the paper with butter.
• Melt the 2 sticks of butter in a nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat; do not boil. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla to the saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.
• Add the cocoa, flour, cinnamon, chili powder, salt and baking powder and mix until smooth. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out fudgy, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack, then use the parchment paper to lift out the brownies before slicing.

CINNAMON SPICE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil up over edges of pan. Lightly coat the foil with nonstick spray. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan melt butter; remove from heat. Whisk in sugar and water. Whisk in eggs, oil, and vanilla until combined. Stir in flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and ancho chile pepper. Stir in chocolate pieces. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake for 23 to 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan by lifting up on the foil. If desired, brush hot cake with coffee. Cool completely.
• Cut into bars. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and/or cinnamon-sugar. Makes 16 brownies.

GRILLED BROWNIES

Steps:

• Set up a charcoal grill for indirect cooking at 350-400°F (180-200°C), adding a chunk of cherry wood to the coals for a gentle smoke.
• Line a rectangular steel or disposable aluminum baking pan, measuring approximately 13 x 9 inches (33 x 23 cm), with parchment paper.
• Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, adding them in the order they appear in the ingredients list and folding in each time you add a new ingredient.
• Pour the brownie mixture into the lined baking pan. Pop in the barbecue for around 25 minutes, until the mixture is just set. You don't want the brownies to be too overcooked, as the centers should be a bit soft and fudgy.

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:

• 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.