I love candied oranges dipped in dark chocolate, so I decided to create a version in a baked form…
Dark chocolate brownie bites with orange zest whipped cream.
Ingredients:
For Dark Chocolate Brownies:
- 1 cup of Ghirardelli 60% cocoa chocolate chips
- 1 1/4 stick unsalted butter (10 tablespoons)
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened Valrhona cocoa powder
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
For Orange Zest Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
Directions:
For Dark Chocolate Brownies:
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
- Grease mini-cupcake baking pan with cooking oil or spray.
- In a small bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking soda, salt.
- Place chocolate chips and butter into small heat-proof bowl and place the bowl over a pot of simmering water (creating a double boiler).
- Stir the chocolate and butter until the mixture is smooth and glossy and then stir in the cocoa powder.
- Combine chocolate mixture thoroughly and then set aside.
- With whisk attachment on standing mixer, combine the eggs and brown sugars thoroughly.
- Add vanilla extract to the egg and sugar mixture.
- Then add the melted chocolate and butter mixture and stir until fully combined.
- Add the flour, baking soda and salt mixture to the chocolate mixture and stir until fully combined.
- Fill each mini-cupcake approximately 3/4 full and bake in oven for approximately 10-12 minutes.
- Allow the pan to cool for a few minutes and then start to remove each brownie bite onto cooling rack and allow it to fully cool down on the rack.
For Orange Zest Whipped Cream:
- With whisk attachment on standing mixer, combine the heavy whipping cream, sugar, orange and vanilla extract and orange zest into bowl.
- Set the speed to medium (5 setting on Kitchen Aid standing mixer) and continue to whisk until stiff peaks start to form (approximately 5-7 minutes) and the whisk leaves clear traces in the whipped cream.
- Whipped cream can be stored in air tight container in refrigerator until ready to use.
Assembly:
- Cut off the top of each brownie bite.
- Use a piping bag with swirl flower tip to pipe the whipped cream on the base of each brownie bite.
- Top each brownie bite base with a brownie top and finish with a floral swirl on top.
Enjoy!!
Brownie recipe adapted from Joy the Baker.
