Sauté the Vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed casserole dish or Dutch oven over a medium heat. Add the chopped onions and red pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Brown the Beef: Turn the heat up to medium-high, add the beef mince to the pan, and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the beef is browned all over. If there's a lot of excess fat, you can carefully drain it off.

Bloom the Spices: Reduce the heat to low. Add the chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper (if using) to the pan. What works best for me is stirring these constantly for one minute. This toasting process, often called blooming the spices, really intensifies their flavour and aroma.

Add the Liquids: Pour in the chopped tomatoes, beef stock, and add the tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, and dark brown sugar. Stir everything together well, scraping up any tasty browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Incorporate the Secret Ingredients: Now, stir in either the strong black coffee or drop in the square of dark chocolate. Continue stirring until the chocolate has fully melted and integrated into the sauce.

Simmer Gently: Bring the chili to a gentle simmer. Once it's bubbling lightly, reduce the heat to its lowest setting, cover the pan with a lid, and let it cook for at least 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes or so to prevent it from sticking.

Add the Beans: After an hour, remove the lid and stir in the drained and rinsed kidney beans. Season generously with salt and black pepper to your taste.

Thicken the Chili: Leave the lid off and continue to simmer for another 15-20 minutes. This allows the sauce to reduce and thicken to a lovely, rich consistency.

Rest and Serve: Turn off the heat and let the chili stand for 10-20 minutes before serving. This helps the flavours to settle. Serve hot with your favourite toppings.