Orange Almond Cake With Glace Oranges Syrup Food

CLAUDIA RODEN'S ORANGE AND ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Wash the oranges and simmer them, unpeeled, in water to cover for 2 hours. Cool, cut them open and remove the seeds. Puree the oranges, including the peel, in a food processor.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Beat the eggs in a food processor or large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, including the orange puree, and mix thoroughly. Pour into a buttered and floured cake tin, with a removable base if possible.
• Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan before turning out.

ORANGE & ALMOND CAKE WITH GLACE ORANGES & SYRUP

Steps:

• To prepare the oranges for the cake: Place the oranges into a large saucepan (I used a stockpot, but something the size of a Dutch Oven would do), cover oranges with hot water from the tap, place on a medium heat, and bring water up to boiling point.
• I had a problem with the oranges floating, so I placed a heatproof glass pie plate on top to keep them submerged.
• Reduce heat and simmer oranges for 40-50 minutes or until the skin is very tender - your fingernail should easily penetrate the skin.
• Check water from time to time and top up if necessary.
• Remove oranges from pan and allow to cool, then cut oranges into quarters, remove any seeds, and leave on a plate, uncovered, at room temperature, to dry a little for 1-2 hours.
• Now, unless you're going to make the cake immediately, place the orange quarters into a sealed container and store in the refrigerator until needed.
• To make the syrup: The syrup will keep so it can be made well ahead.
• Just place the orange juice, sugar and sauternes in a saucepan over a medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.
• Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the liquid is reduced by half.
• From time to time, and especially at the end, scrape off any scum that forms on the top.
• Pour into a heat proof jug or jar, cool, cover and refrigerate until needed.
• Note: the syrup is supposed to thicken as it cools, but don't expect a thick syrup.
• To make the glace oranges: Remove any seeds from the orange slices and arrange them (with the rind still on) in a large, shallow, heatproof container.
• Cover oranges with boiling water and allow to stand at room temperature overnight.
• The next day, drain the oranges.
• In a large frying pan, place the sugar, water and vanilla bean and stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves.
• Now, add the orange slices in a single layer, and simmer, uncovered over a low heat for an hour.
• Remove oranges and arrange in one layer on a plate and cover with the syrup. Cover and keep in the refrigerator until you want to decorate the cake - I did this just prior to serving it.
• If you find, as I did, the syrup went toffee-ish and the oranges stuck to the plate after keeping, just whack it, uncovered, into the microwave for a minute or so to melt the syrup.
• To make the cake: Spray a 22cm (9") springform tin with a double layer of silicone (baking) paper.
• Preheat oven to 170°C.
• Now, put the boiled orange quarters (peel and all) into a food processor and pulse until quite smooth - you won't get it completely smooth, but do your best.
• Add the eggs and pulse again, trying to get the smoothest mixture possible.
• Add the sugar, the flour (if using), the baking powder and as much of the almond meal as you can without overloading your food processor and pulse until you have a smooth batter.
• If necessary, pour batter into a big mixing bowl and stir in the rest of the almond meal.
• Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake at 170C for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer, inserted in the centre, comes out clean.
• Allow to cool a little, then release the springform pan, and invert the cake onto a dinner plate and carefully remove the baking paper from the base and sides.
• Invert back onto another plate, allow to cool, then cover and refrigerate until needed.
• To decorate cake: Use your own judgement, but this is what I did.
• Pour a couple of tablespoons of the sauce over the top of the cake and smooth with the back of a spoon.
• Cut some of the glace orange slices into halves and arrange around the outside of the cake.
• Leave three or four slices whole, cut halfway through and then 'twist' to sit upright in a circle in the centre of the cake.
• Using a pastry brush, use the syrup from the glace oranges to glaze the sides of the cake - microwave the syrup briefly to bring it back to liquid consistency if necessary.
• Tuck some pretty flowers (I used daisies) amongst the oranges on top of the cake.
• To serve: Serve small slices (it's rich) with the syrup (cold or at room temperature) and a dollop of thick cream.
• Swear never to make this cake again!

ORANGE-ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Place whole unpeeled oranges in a large saucepan or stockpot, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer gently, 2 hours. Drain; set oranges aside to cool. (Navel oranges may have a few seeds. Halve the cooked oranges, and remove any strays before using the rest of the fruit.)
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan; set aside. Halve cooked oranges, and remove any seeds. Place 7 halves in a food processor, and pulse until pureed but still chunky. This should yield about 3 cups; set aside.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the ground almonds, flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs with 1 cup sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Stir in orange puree until just combined. Stir in flour mixture; pour into prepared pan.
• Bake until cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer pan to a wire rack. After 15 minutes, run a small spatula or paring knife around edge to loosen cake; let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make orange topping: Chop remaining 5 orange halves into 1/2- inch pieces, and set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine remaining cup sugar with 3/4 cup water. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved.
• Add chopped oranges to saucepan, and reduce heat to medium. Simmer gently until most of the liquid has evaporated and thickened into a syrup, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool completely.
• To assemble, remove ring from pan; transfer the cooled cake to a serving platter. Arrange chopped oranges and any remaining syrup over top of cake. Cut into wedges, and serve.

ORANGE AND ALMOND CAKE WITH ORANGE SYRUP

Steps:

• Grease and lightly flour a 23cm springform cake tin.
• Place the whole oranges in a medium saucepan, cover with water and boil for 2 hours, topping up with more water as it evaporates.
• Remove the oranges.
• Preheat the oven to 180C.
• Cut the oranges into quarters and place in a food processor.
• Blend until smooth, then cool thoroughly.
• Place the egg yolks, orange liqueur and caster sugar in a large bowl and beat until smooth, then stir in the orange puree and mix well.
• Whisk the egg whites in a dry bowl until firm peaks form.
• Add the almonds and baking powder to the orange mixture, stir together well, then carefully fold in the eggwhites.
• Gently pour into the cake tin and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 1 hour.
• Cool the cake in the tin, then transfer to a serving plate.
• To make the syrup: place the orange juice, sugar and sauterne in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.
• Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until reduced by half.
• Skim off any scum that forms on the surface.
• The syrup will thicken as it cools.
• To serve, cut the cake into wedges, top with the candied orange, or rind and drizzle the syrup over.
• Serve with cream.

ORANGE ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Place orange in a saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until orange is soft, about 30 minutes. Drain.
• Cut orange into chunks and discard seeds.
• Mix almond flour with 2 tablespoons sugar.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch cake pan and coat the pan with a handful of the almond-sugar mixture.
• Combine orange chunks and 1 cup sugar in a food processor; pulse until pureed. Add almond flour mixture and butter; process until smooth. Add eggs; mix until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; process until just combined. Pour batter into the prepared cake pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes.