Whether you prefer your chilli with plenty of spice, a dollop of guacamole, or maybe you replace the carne with beans, everyone has their tried and tested methods. However, one controversial ingredient in Mary Berry’s recipe has left chefs stunned by how much flavour it adds to the dish.

Sugar is often used to help balance out the acidity in tomatoes, but in this dish, Mary Berry uses a different sweet ingredient usually reserved for curries and Indian cuisine. Home cooks said the controversial addition softens the acidic flavour in tomatoes, helps balance the spice, and adds a depth of flavour.

The former Great British Bake Off host’s recipe uses beans and red pepper to make the dish vegetarian; however, the hack works just as well with beef.

She also uses it in her meaty Irish stew. In a video for Food Network, she added: “You may think mango chutney is an unusual ingredient for a stew, but I find that it just adds to the flavour.”

One cook who tried to replicate the chilli recipe missed the chutney on their first attempt but then realised how much difference it made.

They wrote on the Mary Berry Recipe fan website: “I even skipped the mango chutney because I figured, how much difference could it make? Spoiler: a lot.

“Once I stuck to the recipe properly—gave it time in the oven, let the spices mingle, and kept that chutney in—I finally got it. Deep, rounded flavour, tender beef, and a warmth that lingers.”

Speaking about the flavour profile, they added: “Sounds odd, works wonders. It softens the tomatoes’ acidity and adds just enough sweetness to round out the spice.”

Another chef Anabelle Mclean said the chutney “is a delightful twist on the classic chili”. Writing on Belles Best Bites, she said: “It adds the tangy sweetness of mango chutney, enhancing the robust flavors of the chili and creating a harmonious balance between spicy and sweet.”