Incredibly dense, fudgy, rich and chocolate-y, these Orange Chocolate Stout Brownies are bound to make a very good, and lasting impression!
Whoa! I can’t believe it’s been so long since I last shared a decadent recipe with you all! But hey, here I am and boy ô boy have I got something good for you today… and just in time for Halloween, too!
You’re looking at a crazy dense, super fudgy and intensely chocolate-y brownie, intermingled with a deliciously tangy orange cream cheese topping.
Need I say more? For some reason, I don’t get the feeling that you will need much convincing to take these guys for a spin…
If you are a fan of fudgy brownies, if you have a major thing for cheesecake, and if you really dig the orange chocolate flavor combo, then this definitely is the ultimate treat for you!
And if you don’t care much for chocolate orange, well, by all means, go ahead and make that cream cheese topping any flavor you may prefer: mint (now that would be perfect for Christmas, wouldn’t it?), cherry, strawberry, caramel, coconut, banana, or even coffee maybe?
The possibilities are endless!
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS & PICTURES
TO MAKE THE STOUT BEER REDUCTION
First, make the beer concentrate: pour the beer and Cointreau into a medium saucepan and boil until the liquid is reduced to precisely 1/2 cup, which should take about 20 minutes.
Be sure to keep a close eye on things to avoid boiling-over. Beer tends to rise quite a lot!
The best way to ensure that you get precisely the right amount is to transfer your beer to a glass measuring cup every now and then to see where you’re at and then return it to the pot to reduce some more if you have to.
Once your beer has reduced to precisely 1/2 cup, set it aside to cool for a wee bit while you set up to make the brownies.
TO MAKE THE CREAM CHEESE TOPPING
Place the cream cheese in a medium bowl and warm it in the microwave for a few seconds, then whisk vigorously until the cream cheese is completely smooth and free of lumps.
To that bowl, add the sour cream, flour, sugar, vanilla extract, Cointreau, orange extract, salt and food coloring.
Go easy on the food coloring, for some reason the batter gets a much more vibrant color as it bakes. A light orange is really what you’re after at this point!
Whisk all the ingredients together really well until they are thoroughly combined and set aside while you make the brownie batter.
TO MAKE THE BROWNIES
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9″ x 13″ baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit of an overhang on either side for easy removal of the brownies.
Combine the butter and finely chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl and microwave on high for about 1 minute; stir until smooth and lump free. If you have to, return the mixture to the microwave for a few seconds but make sure that you don’t let the chocolate get too hot, as it would cook the eggs if it did.
Just let it get hot enough so all the chocolate gets completely melted and then set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, salt and eggs and whisk until well combined.
Now, delicately whisk in the melted chocolate mixture…
Then, add the beer reduction and vanilla extract and again, whisk until well incorporated.
Delicately add the flour, all at once…
…and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined, no more.
Reserve about 1 cup of the batter and set aside. Transfer the rest of the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly with the help of an offset spatula.
ASSEMBLY
Delicately pour the orange cream cheese mixture all over the brownie batter…
…then smooth it with a clean offset spatula.
Dollop the reserved brownie batter on top of the cream cheese layer…
…and, with the help of a wooden skewer, chopstick or tip of a paring knife, delicately swirl the batter and cream cheese, being careful not to overmix them.
Bake the brownies for 40 to 42 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not overbake, else your brownies will become super hard and dry. No bueno!
Take the brownies out of the oven and, if desired, immediately drizzle a few tablespoons of Cointreau liqueur across the top.
This is by no means necessary but will give your brownies a bit of an extra little boozy orange kick… Personally? I’m a fan!
Now for the hard part: let your brownies cool completely before removing them from the pan! Then, optionally drizzle a little bit of melted dark chocolate all over the top and sprinkle with a few pinches of Fleur de sel.
Finally, cut your brownies into 18 to 24 squares, and treat yourself to at least one…
Then go out and make some friends!
The finished brownies will keep for up to a few weeks if kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
- 2- 341ml bottles of stout, reduced to 1/2 cup (120ml)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) Cointreau
- 1- (227g | 8oz) package full fat cream cheese
- 1 cup (240ml | 8oz) 14% fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp Cointreau liqueur
- 1/4 tsp orange extract
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/4 tsp salt (I use Himalayan salt)
- Few drops orange food coloring
- 1-1/4 cup (265g | 9oz) butter, softened
- 2-1/2 cup (375g | 13.5oz) finely chopped unsweetened chocolate
- 3 cups (600g | 21.1oz) granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120ml) stout beer reduction (from above)
- 2 tbsp Cointreau liqueur
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 tsp salt (I use Himalayan salt)
- 1-1/4 cup (185g | 6.6oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
- Cointreau liqueur, about 2 tbsp
- Melted dark chocolate, about 3 tbsp
- Fleur de sel, about 1/4 tsp
Instructions
- First, make the beer concentrate: pour the beers and Cointreau into a medium saucepan and boil until the liquid is reduced to precisely 1/2 cup, which should take about 20 minutes. Be sure to keep a close eye on it to avoid boiling-over. Set aside to cool
- Place the cream cheese in a medium bowl and warm it in the microwave for a few seconds, then whisk until the cream cheese is completely smooth and free of lumps.
- Add the sour cream, flour, sugar, vanilla, Cointreau, orange extract, salt and food coloring. Whisk until well combined and set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9" x 13" baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit of an overhang on either side for easy removal of the brownies.
- Combine the butter and finely chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl and microwave on high for about 1 minute; stir until smooth and lump free. If you have to, return the mixture to the microwave for a few seconds but make sure that you don't let the chocolate get too hot, as it would cook the eggs if it did. Just let it get hot enough so all the chocolate gets completely melted. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, salt and eggs and whisk until well combined. Delicately whisk in the melted chocolate mixture. Add beer reduction and vanilla extract and whisk until well incorporated.
- Add the flour all at once and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined, no more. Remove about 1 cup of the batter and set aside. Transfer the remaining batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly with an offset spatula.
- Delicately pour the orange cream cheese mixture all over the brownie batter, then smooth it with a clean offset spatula. Dollop the reserved brownie batter on the cream cheese layer and, with the help of a wooden skewer, chopstick or tip of a paring knife, delicately swirl the batter and cream cheese, being careful not to overmix them.
- Bake the brownies for 40 to 42 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not overbake!
- Take the brownies out of the oven and, if desired, immediately drizzle a few tablespoons of Cointreau liqueur across the top.
- Let the brownies cool completely before removing from the pan, then optionally drizzle a little bit of melted dark chocolate all over the top and sprinkle with a few pinches of Fleur de sel; cut into 18 to 24 squares.
- The brownies will keep for up to a few weeks if kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
My Evil Twin is passionate about food and has a real sweet spot for the indulgent kind...
Great to see this recipe from you! Missed you so much. You are so talented and love seeing your creations!
Awwww, thank you so much for your kind words, Janet! That’s so very nice of you to say! 🙂
You put your heart and soul into each recipe, with all the hard work of the pictures, videos and such, you need to come back on a permanent basis., I understand your dilemma of making your page profitable, but just know you do not go un-noticed!
I love Chocolate stout brownies too much!! I will surely make it on this Sunday. Thanks for sharing this recipe with us!!
Every girls weakness is chocolate and these chocolate stout is mind blowing. I can’t explain the taste of this.
Chocolate is happiness for every girl. I made this orange chocolate stout brownies, it really delicious.
Orange brownie is delicious, i made it yesterday. The taste is awesome.
Orange chocolate brownies is my weakness. I love dessert very much.