Orange Brownies Drizzled with Orange Caramel

1. Preheat the oven to 325F (162C) with the rack in the lower 3rd of the oven.
2. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and grease it with butter. Be certain to leave extra paper to line the sides and hang an inch over the top on 2 of the 4 sides.
3. In a heat resistant bowl (I prefer a glass pyrex type of bowl), add in butter, sugar, cocoa and salt and place it over a small sauce pan half full of simmering water. Allow butter to melt, stirring every few minutes to combine all the ingredients. Remove from heat once butter has fully melted and allow to cool down to a warm temperature.
4. Stir vanilla into the chocolate with a spoon. Add in eggs one at a time, stirring to combine thoroughly before adding each one. The batter should look thick and shiny.
5. Add in flour and stir well to combine. There shouldn’t be any streaks of white and be certain to scrape the bottom to incorporate everything well.
6. Stir in orange zest.
7. Pour brownie mix into the prepared baking pan, careful not to let the parchment paper slide down the sides. With a spoon, spread the mixture into the corners and then give the pan a light couple of taps by dropping it onto the counter to help things along.
8. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out slightly moist. If it comes out clean, it’s cooked for too long.
9. Allow to cool completely.

Orange caramel

1. Pour sugar and juice in a small sauce pan and place it over med-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently until the mix is a beautiful amber color and bubbly. Careful not to let it scorch. Remove from heat.
2. Carefully add cream to mixture (will bubble and possibly spatter). Return to stove top over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Raise heat to med-high and allow to boil, stirring occasionally until caramel coats the back of a spoon in a thin layer.
3. Caramel will thicken as it cools. Drizzle over brownies.