Walking down the chocolate aisle at my local store (always a dangerous task!) I noticed how many bars there are that contain fruit. We’re way beyond the classic Cadbury’s Fruit and Nut with bars featuring lemon meringue, banana, strawberry, cranberries and dates. I’m not sure I’m really too convinced by some of the pairings, I tend to find chocolate and fruit don’t always go but some are rather fab. Montezumas make the most amazing orange and geranium dark chocolate bar and the brilliantly named Sea Dog bar with sea salt and lime. And I love Divine‘s 70% chocolate dotted with tart raspberries.
I came home with a couple of bars, a box of raspberries and a plan to make a big pan of fruity brownies. The box I took to work were demolished in record time and visiting friends asked for (and got) seconds which confirms my suspicions that these brownies are indeed as yummy as the chocolate that inspired them.
Raspberry and orange brownies
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen’s Classic Brownies
Makes 24
- 140g plain flour
- 40g cocoa
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 175g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
- 70g plain chocolate
- 100g plain chocolate with candied orange (or plain chocolate orange)
- zest of 1 orange
- 300g sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 170g raspberries
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Line a 30 x 23cm tin with two pieces of foil – lay one piece along the length of the pan and leave an overhang. Lay the second piece widthways, again leaving an overhang. Fold the overhang round the outside edge of the tin – this will allow you to lift the cooked brownies out. Grease the foil with a little butter.
Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt into a large bowl and set aside.
Place a bowl over a pan of just simmering water and melt the butter and chocolate.
Stir the melted butter and chocolate into the flour and stir to combine. Stir in the orange zest and sugar then beat in the eggs one at a time.
Spread half of the batter over the base of the tin and gently press the raspberries in. Spread the remaining batter over the top and bake in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes or until the edges are just cooked but the centre is still a little moist.
Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then lift out the brownies onto a cooling rack and cool completely. Cut into 24 pieces.
Leave a comment