Chocolate Orange Bites Food

CHOCOLATE ORANGE COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes. , On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-in. cookie cutter or shape into 2x1-in. rectangles. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Combine orange zest and remaining sugar; spread thin layer over cookies., Bake at 350° for 14-16 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Melt chocolate chips; decorate cookies.

CHOC-ORANGE ENERGY BOOSTERS

Steps:

• Place all the ingredients and 3 tbsp orange juice in a food processor. Blitz until chopped and starting to clump together. If it's a bit dry, add a drop more orange juice. Roll the mixture into walnut-sized balls with lightly oiled hands. Pop 2 or 3 into a lunchbox for a snack. Keeps in a sealed container for 2 weeks in the fridge.

CHOCOLATE-ORANGE CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Preheat oven to 350¡F. Spray two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Using electric mixer, beat 1 1/2 cups oil and eggs in large bowl until well blended and thick, about 2 minutes. Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; beat at low speed to blend. Increase speed; beat 1 minute longer (batter will be very thick). Stir in carrots, coconut and orange peel, then orange pieces. Divide batter between prepared pans.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes. Turn out onto racks; cool completely.
• Make frosting:
• Stir chocolate chips in heavy medium saucepan over very low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm. Spoon 1/3 cup chocolate into small bowl and reserve for decoration. Beat margarine and sugar in medium bowl until fluffy. Beat in remaining melted chocolate and orange juice concentrate.
• Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread with 2/3 cup frosting. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Arrange additional orange segments around top edge of cake. Rewarm 1/3 cup reserved chocolate to pourable consistency if necessary. Drizzle orange segments with chocolate. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.)