Damaris Orange Chocolate Bars Food

ORANGE BARS

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with butter.
• Stir together the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the butter to the bowl and use a pastry cutter to cut it all together until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Press into the prepared pan and bake until golden around the edges, about 20 minutes.
• For the filling: Stir together the granulated sugar and flour in a bowl. Crack in the eggs and whisk to combine. Add the orange zest and juice and mix until combined. Pour over the crust and bake until the filling is set, about 20 minutes.
• Allow to cool in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours, then sift powdered sugar over the top before cutting into 16 pieces.

KENTUCKY PECAN BARS

Steps:

• For the crust: Adjust the oven rack to the bottom position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
• In a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, salt and butter until the butter is pea-sized. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough begins to pull from the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a floured surface, gather together and pat into a rectangle. Roll the dough into an 1/8-inch-thick rectangle that measures about 13 by 15 inches. Trim the rough edges and ease the dough into the prepared pan, pressing it onto the bottom and about halfway up the sides (trim the dough more on the sides as needed). Prick the dough a couple times with a fork. Cover with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the dough starts to set up, about 15 minutes. Remove the weights and foil and continue to bake until the crust is just golden, about 5 minutes more. Let it cool completely.
• For the filling: Meanwhile, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and spread the pecans out on a baking sheet. Bake until toasted and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool and then coarsely chop.
• Bring a couple of inches of water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Put the white chocolate in a heat-safe bowl that sits comfortably in the saucepan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Spread it evenly on the crust and let it set up.
• Beat the honey and brown sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the eggs. Pour in the melted butter and continue to beat. Add the flour, bourbon, orange zest and vanilla. Sprinkle the pecans over the white chocolate and pour in the honey mixture.
• Bake until the top of the filling is golden brown and the center sets up, 30 to 40 minutes. Cover and put in the refrigerator until cool. When ready to serve, cut into 36 even bars.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH BURNT ORANGE MARSHMALLOWS

Steps:

• For the marshmallow topping: Combine the cornstarch and powdered sugar in a bowl and evenly distribute over a sheet pan. This is what you will place the marshmallows on as they finish so they don't stick.
• Sprinkle the gelatin over 1/3 cup very cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
• In a small saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, mix the granulated sugar and corn syrup with 1/3 cup water. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. When the syrup reaches 245 degrees F, remove from the heat. Turn the mixer to medium (the bloomed gelatin will be thick and clumpy--don't worry, it's supposed to look like that) and slowly pour the hot syrup into the gelatin, being careful not to hit the whisk or let it run down the sides of the bowl. Once all of the syrup is incorporated, turn the mixer to high and beat until the mixture begins to cool; it will gain volume, turn white and start to pull from the sides of the bowl, and the exterior of the bowl will be close to room temperature, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the orange extract and mix to combine.
• Lightly spray a large serving spoon with cooking spray. Drop about 1/2-cup-size scoops of the marshmallow on the powdered sugar mixture and let cool, spraying the spoon in between scoops--you want 18 scoops total. Set aside.
• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line cupcake pans with 18 cupcake liners.
• Combine the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Combine the buttermilk, coffee, coconut oil, vanilla and eggs in another bowl with a whisk. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet mixture, whisking until just combined.
• Fill each cupcake liner two-thirds full with the batter. Bake until puffed and an inserted cake tester comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing the cupcakes from the pan.
• Place the marshmallow scoops on top of the warm cupcakes. Using a culinary torch, torch each marshmallow to caramelize. Serve.

CHOCOLATE PECAN BARS

Steps:

• For the crust: Adjust the oven rack to the bottom position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
• Coat the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33 centimeter) baking pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, letting the paper overhang the edges of the pan by a few inches on two sides (this will help you lift the bars out of the pan).
• In a food processor, pulse together the butter, flour, salt and sugar until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough begins to pull from the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a floured surface, gather together, and pat into a rectangle. Roll the dough into a rectangle 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick that measures about 13 by 15 inches (33 by 38 centimeters). Trim the rough edges and ease the dough into the prepared pan, pressing it onto the bottom and about halfway up the sides (trim the dough more on the sides as needed). Prick the dough a couple times with a fork. Cover with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the dough starts to set up, about 15 minutes. Remove the weights and foil and continue to bake until the crust is just golden, about 5 minutes more. Let cool completely.
• For the filling: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Spread the pecans in an even layer on a baking sheet. Toast until fragrant and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool slightly, then roughly chop.
• Beat the honey and brown sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the eggs. Add in the melted butter and continue to beat. Add the flour, Bourbon, orange zest and vanilla. Sprinkle the pecans and chocolate chips over the crust and pour the honey mixture over the top. Bake until the top of the filling is golden brown and the center sets up, 30 to 40 minutes. Cover and put in the refrigerator until cool. When ready to serve, cut into 12 to 24 bars.

ORANGE-CHOCOLATE COOKIE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a greased cookie pan (with raised sides), press and spread cookie dough into an even layer (Note: Intermittently dusting your hands with flour while pressing/spreading the dough will prevent the dough from sticking to your hands).
• Bake for 15-18 minutes or until done or top of dough is no longer shiny.
• Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• Microwave chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat until chocolate is melted and smooth.
• Drizzle chocolate over cookie or spread evenly if desired.
• Sprinkle orange zest over surface of chocolate.
• Once chocolate has cooled, cut into 2-inch squares and serve.