Cayenne gives this brownie a spicy kick for Valentine’s Day.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cayenne

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 8×12 or 9×13 (for thinner brownies) pan and line with parchment paper.

Melt butter and chocolate over the stove, whisk to combine and let cool a bit. In a separate bowl add sugars and eggs and whisk for about two minutes.  Add vanilla. Whisk in the melted butter and chocolate.

Sift flour, cocoa powder, cayenne, and salt over the mixture and fold in until combined.  Don’t over mix.

Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth out the top evenly.  Bake for approximately 25 minutes.  After about 15 minutes lift parchment from pan and let cool before cutting into squares.