Hi Bold Bakers! NOTE FROM GEMMA: Welcome Vedika back for another one of her incredible recipes! She’s going to teach you how to make her incredibly decadent and fudgy Dirty Chai Brownies. Here she is: Already have an account? If you’ve taken a train in India, you may know of the chaiwala, or tea seller. As he walks down the train aisle, he calls out, ‘tea, hot tea!’ What he pours out into small paper cups is a brew of steaming golden liquid. It’s a sweet, milky black tea infused with fresh spices: ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper, that warm every cell. It tastes like home.
Brownie Recipe Must-Haves
When it comes to brownie recipes, this one has it all — everything that I consider to make a perfect brownie. Here’s what you can expect: Crackly Top: It is universally acknowledged that a good brownie must have a crackly top. In this recipe, I found that beating the eggs with the sugar until the sugar has mostly dissolved is the perfect way to go about this. Rich Chocolate Flavor: I use a combination of cocoa powder and chocolate for a luxuriously rich chocolate taste. Add-Ins: of nuts and chocolate take these to the next level. Nuts add a nice crunch, and the chocolate adds a burst of gooey, melty goodness. Fudginess: A lack of leavening agents and a small amount of flour keeps these brownies fudgy instead of cakey. You’ll also want to bake these till just cooked, any longer and these will be more on the cakey side. You want fudgy brownies.
What Is Dirty Chai?
The spices that go into chai are versatile. They are key components of Indian curries, but can some of the flavors are also present in our mithai or sweet recipes. And you might recognize quite a few from your own pantry: Cinnamon, cloves, and ginger frequently used in Western desserts, such as pumpkin pie or carrot cake. They are warm, sweet and have the ability to make other flavors shine. Cardamom — which may be slightly new to you — is one of my favorites. It’s an ingredient for several recipes in my new cookbook, 52 Weeks, 52 Sweets, and I’ve even added it to my favorite blueberry muffins. If you’ve never sampled cardamom, its flavor profile is slightly similar to cinnamon in that it is warm, and its aroma is sweet. Unlike cinnamon, it reminds me of fresh flowers and it’s not quite as sharp when you sample it by itself. I love to add it to my coffee. I was introduced to ‘dirty chai’ in the Netherlands. Essentially, it’s coffee… but with more complex undertones.
Why Add Dirty Chai Flavors To Brownies
Coffee and chocolate is a delicious pairing: the earthy, bitter undertone of coffee does magic for chocolate. And since chai spices have been used in other desserts, I thought, ‘why not?’ When developing this recipe, I wanted a brownie that was rich, fudgy, and full of chocolate, with that crackly layer on top, but one that left a beautiful, warm aftertaste – the kind you get when you drink a nice, hot cup of chai. The kind that lingers ever so slightly, evoking reactions of ‘ooohs’ and ‘aaahs’ that all good desserts get. I chose to use the spices and coffee flavors only, as opposed to adding tea leaves (I felt that the flavor of tea wouldn’t come through because of the intensity of the chocolate). I also wanted the right balance of spices: nothing too powerful: subtle but present. Instead of using fresh spices, I opted for dried ones, because I wanted the texture of the brownie batter to be smooth, and the spices to be accessible. Further, I chose to omit the black pepper that is often added to chai, because I felt like that would be venturing a bit too far out of my comfort zone (although feel free to add a pinch if you like!).
What You Need To Make Dirty Chai Brownies
This is an elevated brownie, and with that comes some extra ingredients. Make sure you have them on hand before you start!
Ingredients
Spices. Since these are dirty chai brownies, you’ll need ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, and ground cloves. Now. If you don’t feel comfortable adding all the spices, add the ones you like. You’ll still have a slightly more complex flavor in the brownies. Instant espresso powder. I add this to any recipe with chocolate in any case. You don’t need a lot, just a little bit. But if you don’t want to add any in, just omit it. Chocolate. This recipe calls for both, chocolate and cocoa powder in the batter, and flecks of chocolate that will be folded in later on. Use good quality chocolate, because you really taste it. I use around 65% cacao solids for the batter, and milk chocolate for the bits that are folded through. You can use a stronger variety for a more pronounced chocolate flavor. Salt. It helps bring all the flavors together and balances the flavors. Flour. Not a lot, just a little bit to keep everything together. Eggs. These give the brownies volume and work with the sugar to give you that crackly top. Sugar. I use demerara sugar, which is raw brown sugar. Use granulated sugar instead, if you like. Nuts. I like walnuts, pecans are great. Nuts are not necessary but they add a nice crunch.
Tools
Simple tools for a simple recipe.
Measuring cups and spoons A bowl and a whisk A stand or electric mixer (if you don’t want to do it by hand, but I like to!) A 9in square baking pan
The Hardest Part Of Making These Brownies
If you’re going to be using an electric or stand mixer, you can ignore this section altogether! Nothing is essentially hard or difficult about this recipe, but if you’re going to be whisking the eggs and sugar by hand, just be prepared to do it for upwards of 10 minutes. I like to do it as it gives me complete control and a feel for the process, but there’s no shame in going electric! Watch the video below to get a look at the entire process. And without further ado, get the recipe down below!
Make More Brownies!
If you like my Dirty Chai Brownies, you’re going to love Gemma’s.
Chewy Brownies Caramel Brownies Best-Ever Brownies Cream Cheese Brownies Brownie Brittle
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