Dark Chocolate Chile & Cherry Brownies

Photo: Tanya

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon ground ancho chile pepper

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 large whole egg

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa powder

2 tablespoons half& half

1/2 cup milk

1 bag dark chocolate chunks

1 cup Hershey's cinnamon chips

cup vegetable shortening

2 ounces cream cheese

splash of evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons cherry juice (using the concentrated juice from a jar of cherries)

2 tablespoons roughly whole cherries

Preparation

First, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Using a cooking spray, grease the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking pan. Set aside.

Now, in a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, ancho chile pepper, chili powder, and cinnamon; set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the whole egg and egg yolk on high until they start getting frothy; about 2 minutes. Turn speed down to medium and add in the oil. Continue whisking until thick; about 2 minutes more.

Take the whisk attachment off and replace it with the paddle attachment. Beat in the butter. Start on low speed and increase as the butter continues to break down. Within a couple minutes, the mixture will come together nicely.

Beat in the dark brown sugar.

Now add in the cocoa powder and

the half & half; beat on low.

Don't forget to scrape the sides down as you go!

Alternately add in the flour mixture and milk. The milk will combine easier if you begin and end with the flour mixture.

Fold in the bag of dark chocolate chunks.

Now we grab our pre-greased pan and pour in the brownie batter. Spread it around so that it is in there evenly.

Bake in the preheated oven for 16 minutes. When you pull the pan out, sprinkle the cinnamon chips evenly overtop the piping hot pan of brownies. Being very careful not to touch the hot pan, fold a sheet of aluminum foil over the pan--this is helping the cinnamon chips to melt.

While we wait for the chips to melt, it's time for the icing. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the shortening and cream cheese.

On low speed, beat in the powdered sugar and evaporated milk.

Once combined, beat in the cherry juice. Be sure to taste at this point; adding more cherry juice is always an option. :)

Add in the whole cherries and beat on medium-high speed for a couple minutes.

Again being very careful not to burn yourself, remove the aluminum foil from the pan of brownies. The cinnamon chips should still have their shape, but will be beginning to melt. Now we drizzle the icing over the top of everything. Using your spatula, spread the icing around so that it covers the top.

Cut and enjoy!!