I have never been a big fan of fruit-flavored chocolate — except for chocolate-covered strawberries.
I used to beg for those chocolate orange balls you could buy at the drugstore. They seemed like the coolest thing: a large, round piece of chocolate, all wrapped up and ready to be tapped and shared. I finally tried one in college and was disappointed to find it hollow. The flavor didn’t win me over either; I prefer my chocolate plain and rich and can be a bit of a chocolate snob. After that I vowed to avoid chocolate and citrus combinations.
But then I discovered blood orange olive oil and couldn’t stop imagining how it would lift dense, fudgy brownies. The suggestion to add a citrus-flavored oil to brownies stuck with me, and I decided to try it. If you don’t have blood orange oil, orange extract combined with fresh orange zest works very well, and sometimes the zest alone is enough.
The resulting flavor is subtle but bright — a gentle citrus note that complements the chocolate with a smooth tangerine-like edge. It’s not overpowering; instead it enhances the deep cocoa and adds a lively finish. In short: I’m in love.
Chocolate Orange Brownies
Makes 12–16 brownies
You can also add the orange flavoring to a boxed brownie mix if you prefer.
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 squares baking chocolate
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon blood orange olive oil OR 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Melt the butter and baking chocolate together in a microwave-safe bowl or over a double boiler. In a mixing bowl, combine the melted butter and chocolate. Add the sugar and vanilla, and beat until the mixture is fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the flour just until combined, and then fold in the chocolate chips. Stir in the blood orange olive oil or orange extract and the orange zest.
Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the brownies are just set. Be careful not to overbake; they should be fudgy in the center. Let cool before frosting.
Ginger Chocolate Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon milk, plus more if needed
Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and cocoa, about 1/2 cup at a time, until smooth. Mix in the ground ginger, vanilla and milk, adjusting the milk to reach your desired consistency. Spread the frosting over the cooled brownies and garnish with candied ginger if desired.
I didn’t set out to make something that looked Halloweeny, but these brownies took on autumnal colors — perfect for the season.