This week I have been pondering all things tiny and Chai-ny. It is true that my latest fascination is baked goods that have an aromatic and spicy flair. This fascination (okay I will call it what it is...obsession) extends to Chai flavouring which has burst into the baking arena with a standing ovation and loyal fan base. With this in mind, it felt like a natural progression to take a cherished brownie recipe given to me by my mother and give it a Chai hit.
This delicious experiment leads me back to my earlier pondering on other tiny matters. I have always been aware that I am not exactly tall perhaps, not even average in height. It would be fair to say that most would classify me as, well, short. Over the years this stature has been framed in a positive and affectionate light, from my parents calling me Cocha-pina (translated roughly it means tiny bug, endearing I know!) to them insisting that "good things come in small packages". In recent years my height has brought to light a social prejudice that I didn't even know existed, it is called SIZE-ISM. "What does this look like in action?" you ask. Well it comes in many forms, from being told that something you wear makes you look "sweet" by a shop assistant (implied undertone: "You are now ready to attend your 5 year old birthday party") to comments such as "You are so small, yet confident and competent" (not implied or even an undertone, loud and clear, really: "Didn't expect much from you").
What does my crazed rant and Chai brownies have to do with each other? Just as all this Sizeist prejudice was getting me down (yes even closer to the floor than I naturally am) I made these brownies and discovered a sweet home truth: Good things do come in small packages and tiny morsels can leave a lasting impression (baking has always been my calorific therapy, and this was indeed a bake-through!) Despite being demure in size, these brownies are memorable. What they lack in stature they make up for in sugar, spice and all things nice! Enjoy a Chai-ny square of these cheesecake brownies and take a trip down spice lane!
Chai Cheesecake Brownies:
125g butter
125g dark chocolate
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs lightly beaten
1/3 cup plain flour sifted
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 Tbsp Chai powder*
250g cream cheese
1/4 cup caster sugar
*You can make your own Chai powder: see note at the bottom of the recipe.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a 25cm x 16cm tray with baking paper (leave all four edges of the paper overhanging the tin so that when the brownies are baked you can simply lift them out).
Cream the caster sugar, cheese and Chai powder until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes depending on the strength of your mixer).
In a small saucepan melt the butter and chocolate over a low flame. When they have just melted add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved (it will take on a glossy appearance). Then take off the heat and whisk in the 3 eggs (in order to minimise the clean up, I like to keep it in the saucepan while I finish off the brownies recipe). Sift in the four, cocoa and baking powder and then gently fold it through.
Pour the brownies mixture into the lined tin. Then take teaspoons of the cheesecake batter and drop them into the brownies batter. Continue dolloping until all the cheesecake is finished. You do not need to press them down as the brownies batter rising around them. Also the cheesecake dollops will end up being close together and some will touch, but that is perfectly fine too.
Bake for 22 minutes (the cheesecake will turn slightly brown and the brownie will still appear gooey, it cooks a little more as it cools in the tin). When cooled for 30 minutes, cut into Chai-ny pieces and enjoy!
*Chai Powder: (you double depending on personal taste)
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper
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