A change in weather conditions could have many people preparing for autumn as cooler temperatures return to the UK. After a long, hot summer, many might be seeing a change in their appetites, as salads in the garden are replaced by warmer staples.

One such meal is chilli con carne, with the hearty meal proving popular in the winter months. The dish is already one of the easiest comfort-food dinners to throw together, but one unlikely ingredient could make it taste even better. Food experts have revealed that adding a small amount of instant espresso powder can give chilli a much richer and deeper flavour — without leaving your dinner tasting of coffee.

The tip, shared by Simply Recipes, works because the roasted, slightly bitter flavour of espresso helps bring out the taste of the meat, tomatoes and spices already in the dish.

It can also help balance the acidity of tomatoes while complementing ingredients such as cumin, paprika and smoky chipotle.

And the trick does not only work with beef chilli.

A small amount of espresso powder can also add extra depth to vegetarian versions, helping create the kind of rich flavour normally associated with meat that has been slowly cooked for hours.

Thankfully, there is no need to pour an entire cup of coffee into your saucepan.

For a chilli serving around four to six people, experimental cooks are advised to start with just half a teaspoon to one teaspoon of instant espresso powder.

It can be added alongside the other spices while cooking, giving it time to blend into the sauce.

Instant espresso powder works particularly well because it dissolves easily, unlike ordinary coffee grounds, which risk leaving the finished dish with an unpleasant gritty texture.

Instant coffee can also be used as an alternative.

The key is not to add too much, as the coffee itself should not be the flavour you notice when you take a bite.

If you do accidentally add too much and the chilli begins to taste noticeably of coffee, a pinch of brown sugar or a little extra stock can help restore the balance.

The simple trick could prove particularly useful for anyone who wants to make a quick chilli taste as though it has been bubbling away on the hob for much longer.

And like many chilli recipes, the flavour can become even richer after being left overnight and reheated the following day.

So next time your chilli tastes as though it is missing something, the answer could already be sitting in your kitchen cupboard.