There's nothing like the satisfaction of breaking the crust of a brownie. Reaching the gooey middle, you taste the mixture of hot chocolate sauce as it combines in your mouth with melted vanilla ice cream in a shameless display of pure enjoyment.

The standard brownie, as it appears in cafes and restaurants, is a great dessert, but how about a chocolate brownie recipe with a bit more pizzazz? For example, adding a red or a green chilli to your favourite dark or light chocolate recipe not only gives your mixture an extra kick, but is good for the adrenaline.

Some chefs expound the virtues of the white chocolate brownie, which go by the name of blondies, with a peanut butter frosting. Even these can be spiced up with a bit of chilli.

Another unusual option is the cheesecake brownie – a delightful mixture of cream cheese, caster sugar, egg and orange zest frosting to spoon onto the mixture before baking in the oven.

Many things can be folded into the mixture – raisins, chocolate chips and nuts, to name a few. For a more colourful brownie, add multicoloured marshmallows to the mixture before baking it. For a crunchier undertone, stir in broken biscuits of your choice – cookies, digestives, bourbons or custard creams.Sprinkle a generous layer on the top for a crunchy exterior.

There's no excuse for making a dull chocolate brownie recipe with Waitrose's online selection, an excellent source for ideas and inspiration.