Cayenne Chocolate

Description

Cayenne Chocolate (C. annuum) is a brown-ripening cayenne, and that combination is rarer than it sounds. Almost every brown chili on the market is a thick-walled chinense; this one has the long, narrow, thin-walled pod of a proper cayenne — up to 15 cm long and around 2 cm across — in a deep chocolate brown.

That matters in practice, because thin walls and a brown ripe colour together make it one of the few chilies that air-dries cleanly into a genuinely brown powder. No dehydrator needed in a warm room.

The flavour is earthy in the way brown chilies tend to be, with a hint of something between woody and smoky, though growers who have eaten a lot of them describe it as restrained rather than bold — this is a colour and texture variety more than a flavour bomb. The heat is a little milder than a red cayenne, which keeps it usable by the spoonful.

The plant is vigorous and productive at 70–100 cm, and pods are ready around 70–80 days from transplant. Ripens green straight to brown with no stage in between.

Drying and powder first, then sauces and salsa where a darker colour is welcome.

Some chilies are worth tasting before you grow them. → Explore the Vault

Each pack contains approximately 8–10 or more seeds per variety.
Seeds are packaged in a certified EU seed packaging facility in accordance with applicable regulations.

Categories: Chili Seeds , C. annuum , Medium , Easy to grow