Fudgy Whole-Wheat Orange Brownies

An ultra-moist, dense, and chewy chocolate brownie made with whole-wheat flour, sweetened naturally with rich brown sugar, and infused with double the citrus punch using a 50% dark orange chocolate bar and fresh orange zest. Finished beautifully with a topping of tender, house-made candied orange wheels baked right into the surface. Perfect for a rich, bakery-style treat with zero cakey texture.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Prep the Orange: Finely grate all the orange skin (zest) into a bowl for the batter. Cut the remaining orange into 5 to 6 thin wheels for the top. Squeeze all remaining juice from the ends to get 4 tablespoons of juice.

Step 2

2. Candy the Topping Slices: Boil the orange slices in water for 2 minutes to remove bitterness, then drain. In a small skillet, combine 4 tablespoons of the brown sugar (taken from the 150g total) and 4 tablespoons of water. Simmer the slices on low heat for 20 minutes until glossy, then set aside to cool.

Step 3

Melt the Base: Melt the 75g dark orange chocolate and 115g butter together until completely smooth. Whisk in the 40g cocoa powder and let it cool slightly.

Step 4

Mix the Batter: In a large bowl, whisk the 3 eggs, the remaining brown sugar, and all the orange zest for 1 minute. Whisk in the melted chocolate-butter mixture and the 4 tablespoons of orange juice.

Step 5

Fold Flour: Gently fold in the 100g whole wheat flour and a pinch of salt with a spatula just until the flour streaks disappear. Do not overmix.

Step 6

Bake: Spread the thick batter into a lined 8x8 inch pan. Lay the candied orange slices flat on top. Bake at 175°C (350°F) using only the bottom oven element for 23 to 26 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out with sticky crumbs.

Step 7

1. Steam Soften: Cover the hot pan tightly with foil immediately after baking for 20–30 minutes to soften the orange rings, then chill in the fridge for 1 hour before cutting.