I sit at home sometimes, nothing unusual there, and things pop into my head and then I can’t get them out. If I have a hankering for a particular food, place to go or thing to do nothing else will suffice until I lay my hands on that thing. One evening last week I really needed some chocolate. I didn’t want wishy washy unsatisfying chocolate I wanted full on, one slice is enough, complete chocolate indulgence. The kind where you feel like you have a chocolate hangover when you’re halfway through the first bite. My dark chocolate, orange and hazelnut brownies were created out of desire and the need to use up some hazelnuts in the back of the cupboard. I’ve been practising my brownie recipe for some years now so I thought I’d try a variation on my plain recipe.
Ingredients
You will need (for nine brownies):
- 100g salted butter
- 180g golden caster sugar
- 70g light muscovado sugar
- 120g dark chocolate with orange (the stuff I used had caramelised orange peel in)
- 1 tbsp golden syrup
- 2 eggs
- Splash vanilla extract
- 100g plain flour
- 2 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 50g roughly chopped hazelnuts (mine were blanched)
Method
Line a (roughly) 20cm square baking tin with greaseproof paper. You could grease the tin but anything for a life of easier washing up.
Melt the butter, sugars, chocolate and golden syrup together in a pan over a low heat until melted and well combined. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Beat the eggs and vanilla extract together then whisk in the cooled chocolate mixture.
Mix the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder together then fold this into the chocolate mix. Gently mix in the hazelnuts.
Pour the brownie mix into the tin then bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 25-30 minutes.
Mark into pieces while still hot.
I think everyone likes their brownies differently; some prefer them cakier, some want them still gooey and others will have them like fudge. The thing I like about this recipe is the corner pieces are cakier than the edge pieces which are fudgier and the (best) centre brownie which is still slightly liquid. The middle piece is my favourite and I try to take it out when it’s fresh from the oven to enjoy hot. This of course is somewhat awkward as you need all manner of kitchen implements to try and extract it; it’s like culinary Operation but well worth the effort. The chocolate is just intense enough, the orange is more of a whisper and the hazelnuts add a welcome texture. Exactly what I wanted.
… 
Ooh this sounds like a magical combination Caroline – chocolate & orange are the most searched for terms on my blog!
fabulous recipe – great idea to include an orange flavour. Works so well with Chocolate. mmm
Yeah, I get those cravings too. I’ve learned resistance is futile. 😉 These look terrific — although one wouldn’t be enough for me! I’m weak, I know. 😉
Love everything about this post. Beautiful. Utter joy. A fudgy square for me please x
It’s very late but I feel the need for a slice right now….if only all my baking things weren’t packed away.
This could be the first thing I bake when I get my hands on my lovely new kitchen – it looks and sounds wickedly devine!
This brownie looks delicious, I like the idea of orange and hazelnut…yum!
Thanks for the recipe Caroline…enjoy the rest of your week 😀
I love these brownies!! I’ll take the whole pan!! 🙂
I think hazelnuts and orange chocolate were really great additions to the plain brownies and made them even more irresistible!
Practice makes….you know…yum. Great brownie, good for an evening alone…
ela h.
Gray Apron
The finishing is so lovely though I’m not a big fan of brownies.
Chocolate orange is my favorite!!! It’s like you baked these just for me 😉
Looks so gooood and chocolatey. Would love a piece or maybe more 🙂
Now I’ve got that MUST HAVE CHOCOLATE NOW feeling!! These brownies look awesome.
Who can resist those brownies?? They look super delicious! Agree with Joanne above, I also have that “must have chocolate now” feeling ;)!
the idea of orange zest in chocolate is awesome enough, but you’ve gone and improved upon that! bravo!
My kids would LOVE these!