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Why It Works
- An ample amount of butter keeps the brownies tender and gives them their rich flavor.
- A combination of ground chile and cinnamon gives the dessert a warm kick of heat.
This is a pretty classic brownie approach, but these are anything but boring. I’ve modified the classic (and well-loved) Baker’s One Bowl recipe to produce a firmer slice with a stronger chocolate flavor. While tender from ample butter, these brownies aren’t greasy. They’re definitely sweet—sugar helps form superb chewy crusts—but some salt and plenty of spices balance them. Fudgy brownie fans: This is for you.
I’m of the firm belief that a brownie is not a flourless chocolate cake, so this recipe is as much about texture and butter as it is about chocolate. But brownies also provide excellent opportunities to mix chiles and chocolates. I used a chocolate with a roasted coffee flavor profile, something deep, rich, and almost smoky. Since it’s diluted in a sweet batter, a chile that complements its toasty flavors would get a little lost. Instead, I opted for something to contrast the heaviness of dark chocolate and chose a bright, oily, and acidic chile: guajillo.
You can pick them up at any Mexican market, and increasingly, many mainstream ones; they’re sometimes labeled as New Mexico chiles. Aleppo is another great chile for this, though it’s a tad too bright and I miss some of the guajillo’s peppery richness. As for the cinnamon, fresh and spicy “Saigon cinnamon” is best; it rounds out the flavor of this brownie, making it the closest thing I know to a universally adored dessert.
Serious Eats / Deli Studios
October 2020
Meet the Fudgy, Fiery Brownie That’ll Win Over Every Chocolate Lover
Cook Mode
(Keep screen awake)
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140 g (5 ounces) dark chocolate, at least 72 percent cacao, finely chopped
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140 g unsalted butter (5 ounces; 10 tablespoons), plus more for greasing
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2 tablespoons ground guajillo or Aleppo chile, see notes
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1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
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350 g granulated sugar (about 12 1/4 ounces; 1 3/4 cups)
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3 large eggs
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128 g all-purpose flour (4 ounces; 1 cup flour
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Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9- by 9-inch baking pan with two 9-inch wide strips of parchment paper or foil so that all sides are covered with a 1-inch overhang on all sides. Lightly grease with butter; set aside.
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In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate, butter, chile, cinnamon, and salt. Microwave on high, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. (See notes.) Set aside to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
Serious Eats / Deli Studios
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Whisk sugar into chocolate mixture, followed by the eggs, whisking until smooth. Using a flexible spatula, fold in flour until just combined and no dry bits remain. Scrape batter into baking pan and bake until brownies are firm to the touch and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes.
Serious Eats / Deli Studios
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Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Using the parchment or foil overhang, lift brownies and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Slice and serve.
Serious Eats / Deli Studios
Special Equipment
9-by-9-inch baking pan, parchment paper or foil, whisk, flexible spatula, wire rack
Notes
The chile can be ground using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
Alternatively, chocolate can be melted in a heat-proof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. The bowl should be large enough to nest in the saucepan without touching the water; stir occasionally until chocolate is melted, 6 to 8 minutes.
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