I am a big fan of jellies and all gel-based confections, so needless to say, Jaffa cakes were my firm favourite for many years. And my love of that sweet, timeless combination of chocolate and oranges still persists through everything.
Tall, cakey brownies, delicious fresh orange jelly, and a gorgeous crown of dark chocolate - just perfect for a spring brunch. With just eight modest servings, it is truly best for smaller gatherings or if you like to meal prep, these keep very well for a few days, even at room temperature, but in a well-sealed box.
Now, if you've never worked with agar, be prepared for a much different texture compared to gelatine-based jellies. Agar has that dense, firm bite that I absolutely love, but it is not even similar to that little springy bounce gelatine offers.
All in all, these are a fun little sweet treat that is quick to make and simply gorgeous to enjoy with a cup of coffee. The best things in life are simple, after all.
Ingredients
For the vegan brownies
120 grams plain flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
25 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
150 grams granulated sugar
30 millilitres sunflower oil
150 millilitres soy milk
1 heaping teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the fresh orange jelly
200 millilitres fresh orange purée
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
2 levelled teaspoons agar-agar powder
For the dark chocolate glaze
100 grams dark chocolate (70%)
30 millilitres sunflower oil
Preparation
Let the oven preheat to 180°C and line a small rectangular baking pan (10x20 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides. Take a medium bowl, and sift in the flour, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Whisk them well to combine, add in the sugar, whisk well once again. Add in the vegetable oil, soy milk, and the vanilla, and mix to combine. Try not to overmix the batter so they stay soft and fudgy.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, level it nicely, and bake immediately in a preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the very centre comes out mostly clean. Let the brownies cool down slowly in the pan.
While they are cooling, zest the orange to get a full teaspoon, and then peel and segment the fruit, removing all the membranes you can. Blend the oranges on the highest speed your blender allows, then add the purée to a saucepan, along with the agar-agar and the zest.
Place over medium heat and let it come to a boil. Cook, stirring quite frequently, for about 5 minutes, so the agar dissolves and activates. Remove from the heat and let it cool down slightly. As soon as it starts to thicken and is not completely runny anymore, pour it over the brownies, and shake the pan to distribute the jelly well. Leave it at room temperature to set.
When the jelly is firm and ready, melt the chocolate and the oil over low heat or in the microwave, glaze the brownies, and they are ready to serve as soon as the chocolate sets. My recommendation would be, however, to chill them in the refrigerator for an hour or two, for a better experience. Yields 8 smaller servings.
