Sweets for my sweets...

...sugar for my honey - the title of the first single I ever purchased on cassette by C J Lewis (and I hope does not reflect my current music taste). It is the song which springs to mind whenever I make a pudding for the boyfriend.

To complete the Indian feast on Sunday I decided to make something sweet but which still had a subtle kick to compliment the spicy mains. I choose to make a triple chocolate chilli brownie with raspberry swirl ice cream. I first tried it a few months ago at my Aunties, she saw the recipe on an ITV programme and then on their website.

It is the perfect brownie recipe as they are soft in the middle but crumbly on the outside, full of bitter sweet chocolate but balanced with the chunks of sweeter white and milk chocolate and all under cut with the soft warmth of the chilli. These are great with the ice cream making it feel like a proper pudding and also as a tasty afternoon treat with a cup of tea on their own.

Triple chocolate chilli brownie

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 125g butter

• 200g light soft brown sugar

• 125g 70% dark chocolate

• 3 eggs

• 50g plain flour

• 35g cocoa powder

• 1/4 tsp baking powder

• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

• 75g milk chocolate, chopped

• 75g white chocolate, chopped

For the raspberry swirl ice cream:

• 20g unsalted butter

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 star anise

• 3 tbsp sugar

• 250g fresh raspberries

• 1 tub of good quality ice cream - softened slightly

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.

2. Line a Swiss roll tin with baking paper. Place the butter, sugar and dark chocolate in a saucepan and melt over a low heat.

3. Once melted, beat in the eggs then stir in the flour, cocoa and baking powder. Mix well then stir in the chili and chocolate chunks.

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before cutting into squares.

For the ice-cream:

5. Melt the butter in a saucepan.. Add the cinnamon and star anise and cook for a minute before adding in the sugar.

6. Once the sugar has melted add the raspberries and stir well.

7. Allow the raspberries to break down and cook for five minutes. When the sauce has become thick and syrupy set to one side to cool.

8. When the raspberries are cooled remove the star anise and place the ice cream in a bowl. Fold through the raspberry sauce. Place back in the freezer to set again.

9. Serve the brownies with the spiced raspberry swirl ice cream and enjoy...