New Mexico Chile Brownies GF

Our family took a quick weekend trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico.  We love to go there for food, for history, for art... we love to go there.  I like to buy my chile in Santa Fe - some like it hot, some like it not.  I prefer it mild for most of my recipes.  Right now is our season of Lent and in our church the theme is Chocolate for Lent (LOVE our church).  Our pastor even included the movie Chocolat as a part of our Ash Wednesday service.  For those unfamiliar with the movie, it is about a woman, Vianne, and her daughter who arrive in a small French town.  Vianne opens a chocolate shop that changes lives for the townspeople.  Part of her chocolate recipes involve chile pepper.

Our wonderful neighbors took good care of our horses while we were in Santa Fe and I like to bake them something as a thank you.  So, you see how I connect my dots... a trip to Santa Fe .. New Mexico chile.. a Lenten service ..  a favorite movie.. thank you.. and chocolate!

Ingredients and How: 

Oven to 350.  Foil and butter or spray eight inch pan.

fine ground red chile - proportion to taste  That said:
1/2  teaspoon chile
4 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate coursely chopped

3 tablespoons baking cocoa
6 tablespoons butter

Place ingredients in top of double boiler until melted

In another bowl mix:
3/4 cup GF flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon chile pepper

In an electric mixer with whisk or bowl with whisk:
2/3 cup agave
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

Whisk - whisk.  Add in chocolate mixture and whisk whisk until smooth.  Fold in flour mixture and stir until smooth, but only just. 

                                                            The chile gives the chocolate a reddish tint.

Pour into pan and spread evenly.

Bake 30 - 35 minutes.  They need to be baked but not dry.  The smell of chile and chocolate while these bake is fantastic.

Let cool in pan. Chile flavor is more pronounced after the brownies have cooled.  Cut into bars.  Excellent served next day with whipped cream and berries!  Eat while watching Chocolat.  Perfect!



** I also did this recipe with sugar and regular wheat flour.  These were for our neighbors.  I am including photos here to illustrate how the look and texture are different. The regular flour and sugar brownies develop the more classic brownie crust whereas the gluten free version has a shiny top when done baking.  However, both are dense and fudgy tasting. 

                                          gluten free on left                  wheat flour on right