Spiced Brownie Bites

My son and I came up with this recipe together to satisfy our cravings for chocolate and spice. What an enticing new way to enjoy chocolate!

—Anna Nicoletta, East Stroudsburg, PA

PREP: 40 MIN. • BAKE: 15 MIN. + COOLING • MAKES: ABOUT 3 ½ DOZEN

• 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup butter, cubed
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup baking cocoa
• ¾ tsp. cayenne pepper
• ¾ tsp. Chinese five-spice powder
• ½ tsp. salt

GLAZE

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 Tbsp. butter, cubed
• 1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
• Chopped crystallized ginger

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a metal bowl or top of a double boiler over barely simmering water, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Cool slightly.
2. 2. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugars until blended; stir in chocolate mixture. In another bowl, mix flour, cocoa, spices and salt; gradually add to the chocolate mixture, mixing well.
3. 3. Fill greased mini muffin cups almost full. Bake until centers are set, 12-15 minutes (do not overbake). Cool in pans 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
4. 4. In a small metal bowl or top of a double boiler over barely simmering water, melt chocolate chips and butter with corn syrup, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat; cool until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.
5. 5. Dip tops of brownies into glaze. Top with ginger.

1 BROWNIE BITE: 137 cal., 7g fat (4g sat. fat), 26mg chol., 63mg sod., 16g carb. (12g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g pro.