Excuse me for boasting but these are simply the nicest, fudgiest, most intense chocolate-orange flavoured brownies I’ve ever tasted! Dusted with non-caloric icing sugar and studded throughout with crunchy walnuts (decorate with a sprig of holly for good measure), these no-added sugar brownies capture the look and taste of Christmas in every delicious bite-full.
I think they’re a brilliant, low-carb alternative to Christmas cake. And, they’re definitely not Terry’s, they’re mine!
Chocolate Orange Brownies (makes 12)
Ingredients
180g unsalted butter, cut into cubes - plus a little extra for greasing
280g good quality dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids)
160g walnuts
3 large organic eggs
100g Sukrin Gold
Zest of 2 large organic oranges, finely grated
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract (I used Ndali as it doesn't contain sugar)
180g finely-milled organic tiger nut flour
50-60ml freshly squeezed orange juice
Sukrin icing sugar, for dusting
Instructions
Pre-heat the oven to 180℃ / 350℉ / Gas mark 4. Grease a deep sided brownie baking tray (mine measured 18cm x 32cm) and line the bottom and sides with non-stick (parchment) paper. I recommend a single piece of paper cut and inch or so bigger than the dimensions of your baking tray and then cut down into each corner (with a pair of scissors) so the paper sits flat in the tin.
Break up the chocolate into small pieces and put into a heatproof bowl with the butter. Set the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and leave to slowly melt, stirring occasionally. Alternatively, you can do this directly in a saucepan over a very low heat, stirring regularly. However, to avoid the risk of overheating the chocolate, take the pan off the heat whilst there are a few small lumps of chocolate still not melted - the residual heat will be enough for it to continue melting without spoiling. Allow to cool.
Chop the walnuts into rough pieces (I do this by pulsing them a few times in a food processor) then set aside.
Put the eggs, Sukrin Gold and vanilla essence into a large bowl and whisk together until well blended and really frothy. I use an electric whisk and allow about 8-10 minutes to get enough air into the mixture. N.B. Sukrin Gold doesn’t behave like sugar in this recipe insofar that, unlike some cake mixtures, this one won’t become mousse-like no matter how long you whisk it for!
Stir in the melted chocolate and butter mixture, then fold in the walnuts and tiger nut flour.
Finally, add enough fresh orange juice to loosen the mixture a little and then pour into the prepared tin. The mixture should be just soft enough (though not runny) to find its own level in the tin but you may need to spread it out evenly with a flat spatula.
Bake at 180℃ for 25 minutes - test with cocktail stick, it should seem ever so slightly under-cooked i.e. a few moist crumbs should stick to the cocktail stick when you withdraw it.
Cool in the tray, then cut into 12 even squares.
Lightly dust with Sukrin icing sugar before serving.
Carbohydrate 18g Protein 6g - per brownie
