Chili Chocolate Brownies

An invite to the launch of the Allrecipes Australian website is exciting especially as it's paired up with fellow food bloggers, friendly industry people, lovely journalists and food in a lovely setting. This evening, we're led up several flights of stairs to a softly decorated room, much like someone's living room, decorated with sparkling fairy lights dotting the sky with a long table strewn with chilis. I meet Ian Hemphill and his lovely wife Liz. Ian is the face of Herbies who provided us with 2 Spice Kits for our competition. He is just as affable and friendly as he is on TV and passionately devoted to food and he is scheduled to give a little speech tonight.

We're served a selection of food made from recipes on the website. There's Grilled Kangaroo and Cactus Tostada and Jamaican Prawns but my pick is most definitely the Chili Chocolate brownies, the Brownies crunchy on top and the inside gooey and gorgeous. It's so soft that taking your fork and transporting it to your mouth is a hard task and it's fall-apart gorgeous. I usually sample a dessert but this time I'm finishing this baby myself and not giving up an inch of it.

When I get home I know what my mission is: it's to make these browniesagain as I know my husband, one of those men that loves eating "foods that may kill you or at least make you look brave or crazy eg Durian or 75% dark chocolate", loves Chili Chocolate. The chili in this brownie is not a subtle afterkick, it is present during every step of the way so if you prefer a more subtle aftertaste, you may want to adjust the quantities (start with 1/4 teaspoon and taste the batter but the chili taste will be milder when the batter is uncooked).

I didn't find that I got the crunchy top with my brownies, although the gooey chocolateyness was definitely there as was the chili hit as promised. As mentioned, the chili flavour does deepen on cooking so just be aware when you make your brownies that when you taste the raw batter it's milder.

Chili Chocolate Brownies

• 350g/12ozs good-quality dark chocolate, chopped finely

• 120g/4ozs butter, chopped

• 1/3 cup/75g/2.6ozs caster sugar

• 2 eggs, beaten lightly

• 1 cup plain flour

• 1 tsp Herbie's Chili Hit (or medium strength plain chili powder-not the chili powder with other spices added to it for a chili stew)

• 100g/3.5ozs additional good-quality dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used Cocolo Organic Fairtrade Chocolate)

• Icing sugar for dusting

• Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 19cm square cake pan with butter. Line base and 2 opposite sides with non-stick baking paper.

• Combine finely chopped chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan. Use a metal spoon to stir over low heat until melted. Add sugar and cook, stirring for a further 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

1. Add eggs, flour & Herbie’s Chilli Hit. Stir until well combined. Then stir chocolate chunks through. Spoon into prepared pan and smooth surface. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into centre comes out almost clean (the centre of brownie will still be fudgy). Set aside to cool for 1 hour.

2. Cut into squares, dust with icing sugar and serve.

Recipe by Allrecipes Australia