I Gave You Blondies, Now Here Come the Brownies

Last week I brought you a really yummy blondie recipe, but this week, it's all about the chocolate with these chocolate-orange brownies.  And no..they're not low fat as the blondies were.  Hey, you gotta let loose once in a while or what's the point?

I absolutely love the classic chocolate/orange combination and really enjoy anything with these two products, be it cookies, cakes, just chocolate and now brownies.  The recipe I used came from the March issue of Bon Appetit from the Reader's Favorite Restaurant Recipes section.  In fact, it's inspired by an Internet Cafe in Bozeman Montana of all places!

Anywho...it's a great recipe and the brownies are amazingly moist and really mouth-watering.  They're awesome with a glass of milk or made into a hot fudge brownie sundae.  But how you indulge in this dessert is up to you. Mmmm...I'm craving a piece now. (5 seconds go by). I just ate one.

Chocolate-Orange Brownies

Inredients (makes 16)

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1/2 cup boiling water
6 tbs natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups (packed) dark brown sugar
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup pecans, toasted, chopped (I used almonds instead and I only used 1/3 cup)
2 large eggs
10 tbs (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1 tbs finely grated orange peel (this is the best ingredient!)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 9x9x2 inch metal baking pan with nonstick spray.  Whisk 1/2 cup boiling water and cocoa powder in small bowl to blend.  Whisk sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in medium bowl to blend.  Stir in pecans.  Whisk eggs in large bowl.  Add butter, orange peel and vanilla; whisk to blend.  Whisk cocoa mixture into egg mixture.  Add flour mixture; stir just to blend.  Transfer to prepared pan.

Bake brownies until tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes.  Let cool completely in pan on rack. Cut into 16 squares and serve. 

Adapted from Hompage Cafe.