Sauté the Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan or Dutch oven over a medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook gently for 8-10 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the crushed garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Brown the Mince: Increase the heat, add the beef mince to the pan, and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's browned all over. For the best flavour, you want to get some good colour on the meat, a technique known as the Maillard reaction.

Add Spices and Flour: Sprinkle over the plain flour, chilli powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano. Stir everything together and cook for 1 minute to toast the spices and cook out the raw flour taste.

Create the Sauce: Pour in the chopped tomatoes and beef stock, then stir in the tomato purée. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring to ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Simmer to Perfection: Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let the chili simmer for 30 minutes. This is where the magic happens! The flavours will deepen and meld together beautifully. What works best for me is stirring it once or twice during this time to prevent any sticking.

Finish the Chili Base: After 30 minutes, stir in the dark chocolate until it has completely melted into the sauce. Add the drained kidney beans and season generously with salt and pepper. Give it a final stir.

Assemble the Casserole: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Spoon the chili con carne mixture into a 9x13 inch (or similar size) ovenproof baking dish and spread it out evenly.

Add the Topping and Bake: Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the chili. Follow this with the crushed tortilla chips. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted and bubbling and the topping is golden brown.