Chocolate Orange Walnut Brownies

While chocolate has an assertive flavor it also pairs well with so many other tastes—orange being one of my favorites. These brownies containing chopped candied orange peel are truly delicious.

Yield: 2 dozen

Active time: 15 minutes

Start to finish: 1 hour

1 tablespoon egg replacement powder, such as Ener-G

³/₄ cup coarsely chopped walnuts

10 tablespoons (1¹/₄ sticks) soy margarine, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

¹/₄ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)

¹/₄ teaspoon salt

¹/₂ teaspoon pure orange oil

¹/₂ cup all-purpose flour

¹/₄ cup finely chopped candied orange peel

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or foil, allowing the paper to extend 2 inches over the top of the pan. Grease the paper. Mix egg replacement powder with ¹/₄ cup cold water, and set aside.

2. Toast walnuts for 5 to 7 minutes, or until browned. Remove nuts from the oven, and reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.

3. Combine margarine, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Whisk it from time to time until margarine melts and mixture is smooth and hot. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot.

4. Stir in orange oil and eggs replacement mixture, and whisk until looks thick and shiny. Add flour, and whisk until incorporated, and then beat for 1 minute with a spoon. Stir in toasted nuts and orange peel, and spread batter evenly in the prepared pan. Top with untoasted nuts.

5. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached. Cool completely on a wire rack. Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, transfer brownies to a cutting board, and cut into pieces.

Note: The brownies can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept at room temperature in an airtight container.

Variation:

Substitute vanilla for the orange extract and substitute chopped candied fruit for the candied orange peel.

There are two types of cocoa on the market, natural and Dutch-process. Dutch-process cocoa powder has an extra step in the production process. Before the shelled beans are ground, they are soaked in an alkaline solution to neutralize their natural acidity. This removes any bitter or sour flavors in the cocoa and also turns it a darker color than natural cocoa powder.