Brownies with Toasted Ancho
Brownies flavored with toasted ancho chili pepper.
Servings 9
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter (114 grams)
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (56 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (84 grams)
- 3/8 teaspoon salt omit if using salted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
- 1 1/8 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- 2/3 more if desired dark or semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 inch metal pan with nonstick foil.
- Melt the butter and chocolate together in the top of a double boiler or melt butter and chocolate together in the microwave stirring every 30 seconds. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric handheld mixer, beat the eggs until light and foamy. Gradually beat in the sugar in 3 parts until mixture is pale and thick, then beat in vanilla.
- With a heavy duty scraper, stir the melted chocolate mixture into the eggs.
- Mix together the flour, salt, baking powder and ancho powder and stir into batter until blended. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Pour into pan and bake brownies on center rack for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let brownies cool for several hours, then lift from pan and cut into squares.
Notes
There are many ways to toast anchos. My method is to remove the stem and seeds, break the pepper into pieces and toast the pieces in a dry skillet. When toasted, I then grind the pepper in an old coffee grinder. This freshly ground pepper is coarser than packaged ancho powder, so if you use this method I recommend using 2-3 teaspoons as opposed to 1 1/4.
