Orange Scented Brownies
Orange Scented Brownies
I had this idea that should have been so simple. Make brownies, but add some orange juice and orange zest for some extra flavor. I wanted something special for a dinner with friends.
Well, the brownies came out fine, but I thought they looked a little plain to take to a dinner. For some reason, I did not want to frost them. I decided a simple orange glaze would be better.
I was wrong.
I took a cup, or a little more, of powdered sugar and mixed it with just enough orange juice to make a thin glaze, which I poured over the brownies. The glaze was thin and the surface of the brownies kind of lumpy. They just did not look nice enough to take to a party.
I thought I might fix the problem by dusting the brownies with powdered sugar. I do that with brownies all the time and it looks nice. Sadly, my glaze had hardened by this time. When I tried to dust the powdered sugar on the brownies it just sort of slid around back and forth. I tilted the pan and tapped most of the powdered sugar off. Now they looked even worse.
Well, even though I did not want to frost them in the beginning- I really felt these brownies did not need frosting- frosting it had to be. I had to have something presentable to take to my friends’ house. So I grabbed a stick of butter out of the fridge and put together a simple cocoa-orange butter cream.
I have to say, I like them with the frosting. I kind of wish I had just made the buttercream to begin with. But I didn’t.
Sometimes we just need to experiment when cooking, as in life. Sometimes, it is perfect right from the beginning. Other times, you patch over your mistakes and move forward. In this case, the brownies are a little bit of both. The important part, I guess, is to finish what we start. And don’t beat yourself up. Few things in life are perfect. Hope my friends like them….
Orange Scented Brownies
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
¾ c. butter
1¼ c. flour
1 t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
1 ¾ c. sugar
3 eggs
¼ c. orange juice
2 t. vanilla
Zest of one orange
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13×9 inch baking pan. Melt together chocolate and butter. Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Into chocolate mixture stir in sugar, then beat in eggs, juice, vanilla and orange zest. Stir in flour mixture. Spread in prepared pan and bake 20-25 minutes until brownies are firm around the edges. Cool before frosting. Makes 24.
Chocolate- Orange Buttercream
1 stick butter (½ cup) softened
2 c. powdered sugar
¾ -1 cup unsweetened cocoa
4 T. orange juice
1 t. vanilla
1 t. orange zest
In medium bowl, beat together the butter and powdered sugar. Gradually add the cocoa and a couple of tablespoons of the orange juice. Beat until light and fluffy. This takes a few minutes. Add the rest of the orange juice, a little at a time and the vanilla and orange zest. Frost cooled brownies.
