Orange Date Nut Diamonds Food

ORANGE DATE-NUT COOKIES

Steps:

• To make the cookies:
• Line a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing enough to extend over the edges of pan so they can cover the dough for refrigerating. Set aside.
• Position knife blade in food processor bowl; add dates, orange zest and orange juice. Process 45 seconds, or until dates are finely chopped.
• In a medium bowl, beat butter at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until well blended.
• Add the egg and vanilla; beat well.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together to combine.
• Gradually add flour mixture into the butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
• Divide the dough into 3 portions. Knead ½ cup of the pecans into 1 portion of dough; press this portion into prepared pan.
• Knead the date mixture into 1 portion of dough; press in pan over pecan dough.
• Knead remaining ½ cup pecans into remaining dough; press into pan over date dough.
• Cover and chill at least 2 hours or freeze up to 1 month. (If freezing, defrost again in refrigerator for 2 days before making cookies.)
• Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
• Invert loaf pan onto a cutting board; remove and discard plastic wrap. Cut dough lengthwise into 3 lengthwise logs. Cut each log of dough crosswise into ¼-inch thick slices. Place the slices 1-inch apart on parchment lined baking sheets. (Each log yields about 20 cookies)
• Bake for 10-11 minutes until still soft and NOT brown at edges (I like these a little more chewy, but if you want them as tea or coffee dunking cookies, bake an additional 2 minutes until the edges are browned).
• Cool slightly on baking sheets; remove to wire rack to cool completely.

ORANGE DATE-NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
• Combine flour and baking soda; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat a low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in dates, pecans and 2 tablespoons orange rind. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan.
• Bake at 350F for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comed out clean.
• Bring orange juice, remaining sugar and remaining rind to a boil in a saucepan; cool 1 minutes, stirring constantly. Gently, run a knife around edge of the cake; punch holes in the cake with a wooden pick. Drizzle glaze over warm cake. Let cool in pan on a wire rack.

ORANGE-DATE-WALNUT PASSOVER CAKE

Steps:

• Make a sugar syrup by stirring 1 1/2 cups of sugar into 1 1/2 cups of water in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes, or until syrup is reduced to 1/3 of its original volume. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9-by-13-inch cake pan.
• Coarsely grate rind of oranges. Then juice oranges, reserving juice and peel, and discarding any pith that remains. Combine reserved juice with enough prepared orange juice to make 2 cups.
• In a bowl, beat eggs with remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar. Add orange juice and oil, and continue mixing. Stir in salt, matzo meal, walnuts, dates and orange peel. Turn into greased pan and bake for 45 minutes or until golden. Cut into 2-inch diamonds in pan.
• Stir liqueur into sugar syrup and pour over hot cake. Let sit a few hours before serving.

ORANGE DATE-NUT DIAMONDS

Steps:

• Combine sugar, orange juice concentrate and water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves; bring to rolling boil. Pour syrup into small bow. Refrigerate uncovered until cold and thickened, about 3 hours. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom of 9x9x2-inch baking pan. Combine 1/2 cup cake meal, potato starch and cinnamon in small bowl; whisk to blend. Combine dates and remaining 1 tablespoon cake meal in medium bowl. Toss to coat and separate pieces. Mix chocolate and nuts into dates.
• Beat margarine and 1 cup orange syrup in large bowl until blended. Add egg yolks 2 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in orange peel, then dry ingredients; stir in date mixture. Using clean dry beaters, beat whites and salt in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold large spoonful of whites into batter to lighten. Fold in remaining whites in 3 additions.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)
• Using small sharp knife, cut all peel and white pith from oranges. Working over bowl, cut between membranes to release segments. Chill until ready to serve.
• Brush some of remaining orange syrup over cake. Cut cake lengthwise into 4 equal strips. Cut each strip into 3 diamonds (reserving remaining cake for nibbling). Place cake on platter. Mix enough of remaining orange syrup into oranges to sweeten to taste. Serve cake with fruit.

ORANGE DATE NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Cream the butter and sugar.
• Add eggs.
• Sift flour and soda together.
• Add 2 cups of the sifted flour and soda alternately with the buttermilk.
• Add dates, nuts, and grated rind.
• Grease and flour a tube pan or angel food cake pan.
• Bake in 350 degree oven for approximately 1 hour.
• While cake is baking, grate the rind of another orange and add to orange juice and sugar.
• When cake is done, pour half of the sauce mixture gradually over the cake as soon as it is removed from oven.
• The cake will absorb this mixture.
• Wait about 15 minutes and invert the pan on a cake plate.
• Pour remaining mixture on top and sides.
• This cake is better when served cold.
• In fact, don't even try to slice while still warm.
• The cake will stay fresh for one to two weeks in the fridge.

ORANGE DATE PUMPKIN BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two loaf pans with a light coating oc cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, stir together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, stir together pumpkin, sugar, egg, honey, oil, applesauce, orange peel, and orange juice.
• Using a spoon, stir pumpkin mixture into flour mixture just until combined. Take care not to overmix as that will toughen the bread. Stir in nuts and dates (or raisins). Divide mixture between the prepared pans.
• (Tip: Dates can be quite sticky and hard to chop. Give your knife a quick shot of cooking spray. Once chopped, mix about 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture with the dates to help the bits separate and become evenly distributed in the bread.).
• Bake about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean.
• Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.
• This bread freezes well.

ORANGE DATE NUT BREAD

Steps:

• For bread, place eggs, butter, sugar, orange pieces and dates in blender or food processor. Cover and process with on/off motions until finely chopped. Remove to a large bowl. , In separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt; add to orange mixture and mix until well-combined. Stir in pecans. Pour batter into greased 9x5-in. loaf pan. , Bake at 325° for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If bread begins to darken, cover with foil during last few minutes of baking., Meanwhile, for sauce, heat orange juice and sugar until sugar has dissolved. When bread comes out of the oven, poke holes with a toothpick and slowly pour the sauce over top. Let stand for 15 minutes before removing from pan. Cool on a wire rack.

ORANGE DATE CAKE

Steps:

• 1. FOR THE CAKE: Mix 1/2 cup of the flour with dates, coconut, and nuts. Set aside. Cream together butter and sugar, add eggs, grated orange peel, flour (1 cup at a time), vanilla, buttermilk, baking soda and salt. Blend with mixer just until blended well.Stir in flour mixture with the dates, coconut and nuts. Pour into non-stick tube cake pan.
• 2. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45-60 minutes or until top is golden brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean. When cake comes out of oven poke holes in cake so the icing/filling can run into cake.
• 3. FOR THE FILLING/ICING Mix powdered sugar, orange juice and grated orange peel until blended. Spread over hot cake

ORANGE-ALMOND CHOCLAVA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Place almonds and chocolate chips in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. In a large bowl, combine almond mixture, sugar and orange zest. Brush a 15x10x1-in. baking pan with some of the butter., Unroll phyllo dough. Layer 10 sheets of phyllo in prepared pan, brushing each with butter. Keep remaining phyllo covered with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out. Sprinkle with a third of the almond mixture. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter. Cut into 1-in. diamonds. Bake until golden brown, 50-60 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine syrup ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes., In a small heavy saucepan, heat chocolate and water over very low heat until melted and smooth, stirring constantly. Pour syrup over warm baklava; drizzle with chocolate mixture. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight. Serve at room temperature.

ORANGE DATE NUT BRAN MUFFINS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Grease one 12-cup muffin tin.
• In a large bowl, combine bran cereal, water and oil, stirring until bran softens.
• In a small bowl, whisk buttermilk, orange juice, molasses, honey, orange zest, and egg until blended.
• In a small bowl, combine flours, baking soda and salt.
• Add buttermilk mixture to bran, stirring to combine.
• Add flour mixture, dates and walnuts to bran mixture, stirring just until flour is moistened.
• Spoon into muffin cups, and bake until top springs back when lightly pressed, about 18 minutes.
• Let cool in pan 5 minutes before removing to wire rack.

ORANGE DATE CAKE

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter and one cup of sugar together.
• Add one tablespoon of water to baking soda and add vinegar to the milk.
• Mix in rind from two oranges, flour, egg, water/baking soda mixture and milk/vinegar mixture.
• Add walnuts and dates.
• Bake in an angel food cake pan or a spring form pan at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes.
• While cake is baking, squeeze the juice from the 2 oranges and mix with the remaining 1 cup of sugar.
• When cake comes out of the oven, pour this mixture over the cake.