Spices and spicy-hot flavors aren’t just for savory dishes anymore. Spice up your bland winter with some hot desserts and add some pep to your step after any meal. While it may seem counterintuitive to some, a little heat can bring out some great elements of sweet ingredients like chocolate, vanilla, and fruit flavors.
From cinnamon to cardamom some spices have already earned a top spot in every baker’s pantry. But, have you ever thought of pulling out the pepper, chipotle, or cayenne to liven up your staple desserts? Here are some great spicy desserts to get your creative juices flowing.
- Cayenne Hot Chili Pepper Truffles – Made with hot peppers and dark chocolate you’ll get deep flavor with a kick at the end.
- Caribbean Pineapple Upside-Down Cake – Replace those red cherries with candied chiles in this hot twist on a classic dessert.
- Black Cardamom and Black Pepper Ice Cream – The spicy, smoky flavor won’t leave you will brain freeze, but might warm you up on a cold night.
- Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes – With a hint of cayenne and cinnamon in the chocolate batter these delectable desserts are topped with a cinnamon frosting.
- Hot Honey Peanut Butter Cookies – Add some chile flakes to your local honey then add some more into the cookie dough to get these reimagined classics.
- Fudgy, Spicy Cinnamon Chili Brownies – Dark chocolate, guajillo chiles, and cinnamon star in these delicious bites.
Spicy hot desserts aren’t for every sweet-lover, but they may help convert your customers who don’t typically like dessert. Look for flavors that have been proven to balance well in a dish and make sure to roundup a few taste-testers before you serve your new creation to customers. Many diners will be thrilled with the opportunity to try something so different and potentially life-changing as far as their usual dessert selection process goes. As a chef customers look to you to excite and please their palettes. Spicy desserts are one unique approach to this expectation.