Chocolate Orange Rounds Food

CHOCOLATE ORANGE ROUNDS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and extract. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half. Add orange zest to 1 half; add melted chocolate to the other half., Shape each portion into two 7x1-in. rolls. Wrap each and refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. , Preheat oven to 375°. Cut each roll down the center lengthwise. Reassemble rolls, alternating chocolate and orange halves. If necessary, wrap and chill until firm enough to slice., Unwrap and cut into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 5-6 minutes or until set. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE ROUNDS

Steps:

• In large bown, beat butter with a mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powde, salt. Beat until combined.
• Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour.
• Divide dough in half. Stir orange zest/extract into one portion, melted chocolate into the other.
• Pinch off small, equal portions of each type of dough, rolling it into a ball between your fingers. (This dough is supposed to yield 60 cookies, so you can make more or less, just make 60 balls of each flavor.) Combine one chocolate ball with one orange ball, rolling them together between your palms. Flatten if needed.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheet and place in an oven preheated to 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on cookie rack.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE BABKA

Steps:

• Heat the milk in a small pan over a low heat until warm, but not hot. Set aside. Put the flour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add ½ tsp salt to one side of the bowl and the sugar and yeast to the other. Mix each side into the flour with your hands, then using the dough hook attachment until fully combined.
• Pour in the warm milk, then, with the mixer on medium, add the eggs one at a time. Keep mixing the dough for 10 mins until smooth, then gradually add the butter, one or two cubes at a time, until fully incorporated, about 5-8 mins. Scrape down the sides of the bowl - the dough will be very soft.
• Scrape the dough into a large bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for 1 hr 30 mins-2 hrs until doubled in size. Once doubled, chill for 1 hr.
• Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside. To make the filling, put all the filling ingredients and a large pinch of sea salt flakes in a small saucepan over a low-medium heat, stirring continuously until everything has melted together. Transfer to a bowl, leave to cool completely, then transfer to the fridge and chill for 40 mins, stirring every 20 mins until the mixture has thickened but is still spreadable.
• Remove the dough from the fridge, and roll out on a lightly floured surface to a roughly 70 x 40cm rectangle. Spread the filling evenly over the dough using a spatula or palette knife. With a shorter end closest to you, roll the dough up into a tight sausage. Transfer to a board, seam-side down, and cut in half across the length so you have two long pieces. Lay the two pieces out in front of you, parallel to one another, and cross them over each other along the length in a plait-like pattern. Curl into a circle and join the ends to make a wreath, then carefully transfer to the lined sheet.
• Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for 1 hr until doubled in size. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and bake the babka for 35-40 mins until golden.
• For the syrup, simmer the sugar, orange juice and zest over a high heat for 5-10 mins until thickened. Brush the babka with the warm syrup. Strain the candied orange zest and scatter over the babka. Serve warm, or leave to cool completely, then keep wrapped. Will keep wrapped at room temperature for up to three days.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat the butter with an electric whisk until it is light and fluffy, then beat in the icing sugar a little at a time, adding the orange zest and 1 tbsp orange juice. Beat in the flour and cocoa a little at a time, then mix in the chocolate and orange peel and 1-2 tbsp milk.
• Divide the mixture into two, pat each into a rough log shape on a piece of non-stick wrap or baking parchment, then use the wrap to help you shape each piece into a log around 15cm long. Chill until firm, about 2 hrs (see tip, below).
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line two baking sheets. Cut ½cm-thick cookies from the dough and lay them on the baking sheets, leaving space so they can puff up and spread. Put a piece of sugared candied orange on top of each. Bake for 10-15 mins or until the cookies are puffed. Cool on the sheets for a couple of mins before sliding them onto a wire rack. Will keep for two to three days in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the sugar, flour, cocoa, pinch of salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Whisk together the eggs, vegetable oil and milk. Gradually whisk the wet ingredients into the dry until you have a smooth mixture. Fold in the dark chocolate and orange zest. Put 12 cupcake cases in a 12-hole tin. Divide the mixture between the cases, then bake for 20 mins until risen. Leave to cool.
• Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat the icing sugar and butter together until pale and fluffy. Whisk in 2 tbsp hot water to loosen and fold in the orange zest. Divide the icing evenly between two bowls. Add a few drops of orange food colouring to one bowl and stir until the icing turns bright orange. In the other bowl, add the cocoa powder and 2 tbsp milk, then beat until combined.
• Fill one side of a piping bag (use one with a large round nozzle) with the orange icing, then fill the other side with the chocolate buttercream. Pipe on top of each cupcake. Decorate with some extra orange zest and a grating of dark chocolate.