Orange Cardamom Bellini Food

BLOOD ORANGE BELLINI

Steps:

• Pour in Stirrings Blood Orange Mixer.
• Add in sparkling wine.
• Serve in a chilled champagne flute.

ORANGE-CARDAMOM PANCAKES

Steps:

• Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, cardamom and salt to a large bowl and whisk to combine. In a medium bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, orange extract, orange zest and 3 tablespoons melted butter until combined.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and mix to combine using a large spoon or rubber spatula. Using a whisk or a handheld electric mixer on high speed, beat the batter until smooth, about 30 seconds.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium. Add butter for greasing, tilting the pan to coat the bottom. Working in batches, cook the pancakes, using about 1/3 cup batter for each. Cook each batch of pancakes until bubbly on top and golden-brown underneath, 1 to 2 minutes, then flip and cook until golden-brown on the second side, 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter, adjusting the temperature and adding more butter as necessary.
• Transfer pancakes to serving plates. Drizzle with maple syrup and top with butter, as desired.

ORANGE BASIL BELLINI

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add the water and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat, add the basil, and let cool. Strain out the basil and refrigerate until ready to use. Syrup will last up to 2 weeks in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
• Slice 1/4-inch thick slice from the center of the orange. Slice that into quarters and set aside for garnish. Squeeze the juice from the 2 remaining halves into a bowl.
• Pour 1 tablespoon orange juice and 1 tablespoon basil simple syrup into a champagne flute. For a mocktail, top with sparkling water. For a cocktail, add about 1/2 cup prosecco per glass and a splash of sparkling water. Garnish with a slice of orange and a basil leaf.

ORANGE & CARDAMOM TREE BISCUITS

Steps:

• Split the cardamom pods and tip the seeds into a mortar, then grind to a powder with the pestle. Tip the flour, rice flour and cardamom powder into a food processor. Chop the butter into small pieces and add to the food processor with the orange zest. Pulse to a fine breadcrumb texture. Add the icing sugar and mix briefly, then add the egg yolk and 1-2 tsp cold water and pulse to a firm dough. Wrap and chill for 15 mins.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment. Roll out half the dough at a time and stamp out 8cm rounds or squares and transfer to the baking sheets. Gather up the trimmings and roll out again to make more biscuits. Use a cocktail stick to make a hole in each biscuit for hanging from the tree. Press a festive rubber stamp into the surface of each biscuit. Chill for 30 mins.
• Bake for 8-10 mins until just golden and crisp. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.
• Dust each biscuit liberally with icing sugar, then brush off the excess from the surface, leaving a white imprint on each biscuit. Tie up with pretty ribbon or string and hang from your tree.

MOROCCAN ORANGE & CARDAMOM CAKE

Steps:

• Put the whole oranges in a pan, cover with water and boil, covered, for 1 hr until a knife easily pierces them. If the oranges won't stay under the water, place a small saucepan lid directly on top to keep them submerged. Remove the oranges from the water and cool, then quarter and remove any seeds and obvious pith where the stalk was. Blitz the oranges to a rough purée with a hand blender or in a food processor and put in a large bowl.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and line the base and sides of a 21cm loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment. Beat the cardamom, xylitol and eggs into the orange purée, then mix the ground almonds with the polenta, flour and baking powder, and fold in until well blended. Scrape the mixture into the tin, level the top and bake for 40 mins.
• After 40 minutes, scatter over the almonds, quickly return to the oven and bake 20-25 mins more until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the tin and leave to cool. Serve sliced as a cake, or with Greek yogurt or cream as a dessert.