Chocolate-Chipotle Brownies

Is there anyone who doesn’t love a freshly baked brownie?  Has someone ever found fault with this supremely rich, gooey, chocolate delight? Is there a person either young or old that does not have an allergy to chocolate that can resist the temptation to have just one more?

I think not.

As they say in infomercials… But wait.  There’s more!

I’m going to give you another temptation to go along with the warm, silky decadence that is a freshly baked homemade brownie.  I’m going to add the one piece of the puzzle that should have been there all along.  That little thing that should have always been a part of the recipe, but has gone somehow unnoticed in a million previous incarnations.

This brownie bites back.

This year we are finally getting to a few of the recipes we wanted to try before my wife left for her stint overseas.  While she is a fantastic cook in her own right, my wife is the baker in the family.  She does not share my fear of measuring spoons or exacting amounts. These are things that she has mastered, and it shows.

If I had to suggest any recipe for brownies, this would be it.  if you don’t like spice, leave it out, but you have to try this recipe.  Right now. Don’t wait like we did.  Don’t deprive yourself or your family of these amazing flavors.  Just print the recipe below, make a batch and let us know what you think in the comments.

I promise that you will not be disappointed.

Yield: 24 brownies

Chocolate-Chipotle Brownies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

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Ingredients

• vegetable shortening
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips or chopped semisweet chocolate
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. ground Chocolate Truffle flavored coffee beans.
• (My wife recommends Folgers Gourmet Selections Coffee, Chocolate Truffle Ground Coffee, but use what you prefer)
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 to 2 tsp. ground chipotle powder (We used one and it was quite nice, use 2 only if you adore heat.)
• 6 eggs
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Grease 2 round 8-inch cake pans. Set aside.
3. Combine chocolate and butter in a double boiler or in a bowl placed over a small saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Cool slightly.
4. Combine cocoa powder and flour. Set aside.
5. In a large bowl, combine sugar, coffee grounds, cinnamon and chipotle powder. Add melted chocolate. Beat with an electric mixer or the whisk attachment of a stand mixer on medium speed for 1 minute, scraping bowl occasionally. Add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed after each egg is added until just combined. Beat in vanilla until just combined. Add flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time, beating at low speed until just combined. Beat on medium speed for an additional minute.
6. Spread batter evenly into baking pans and bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.
7. Remove from pan and cut into bars or wedges. Dust with cocoa powder if desired.
8. Share and Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 282Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 117mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 2gSugar: 28gProtein: 4g

What I would have done differently had I thought of it at the time:

For the love of all that is good and Holy, NOTHING!  This recipe does not need to be modified. Ever.

Links to other recipes like this:

• The backed brownie, spiced up, from Smitten Kitchen
• Spicy Hot Brownies, from Sweet and Savory
• The ‘Baked’ Spicy Brownie, from RecipeGirl.com