Soda Bread With Dark Chocolate And Candied Orange Peel Recipe Epicuriouscom Food

AMAZINGLY EASY IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
• In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and margarine. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round and place on prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut an 'X' into the top of the loaf.
• Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Check for doneness after 30 minutes. You may continue to brush the loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED ORANGE PEEL

Steps:

• Making the Candied Orange Peel
• Wash the oranges and remove the peel with a sharp vegetable peeler, avoiding any white pith. Put the orange peel in a saucepan with 4 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for 5 Minutes. Drain. Repeat this process one more time.
• Put 1 cup of the sugar and 1 2/3 cups water in a clean saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the blanched orange peel to the boiling syrup, immediately remove from the heat, cover the pan, and set aside overnight at room temperature.
• The next day, drain the peel, reserving the syrup. Add 1/3 cup of the remaining sugar to the reserved syrup, bring to a boil, and return the peel to the syrup. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside overnight at room temperature. Repeat this process three more times, over three nights, adding 1/3 cup sugar each time. Once the peel is candied, let drain at room temperature for 1 day, then cut into thin slivers. (The peel can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 month.)
• Dipping
• Temper the dark chocolate . Using a fork, dip each strip of candied orange peel in the chocolate, then lay it on an acetate sheet. Refrigerate the chocolate-dipped strips for 10 Minutes before detaching from the sheet. (Store in a cool place away from moisture for up to 1 month.)

SODA BREAD WITH DARK CHOCOLATE AND CANDIED ORANGE PEEL

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F
• Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; butter parchment.
• Whisk first 5 ingredients in large bowl to blend.
• Add butter; rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Stir in chocolate and orange peel.
• Whisk buttermilk and egg in medium bowl to blend; add to dry ingredients. Stir just until incorporated.
• Turn dough out onto floured work surface and knead gently just until dough comes together, about 5 turns.
• Form dough into 6 1/2-inch-diameter round, about 2 to 2 1/2 inches high. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Using sharp knife, cut 1-inch-deep, 3-inch-long slits in top of bread, forming sunburst pattern.
• Bake bread until well browned and very firm when pressed and tester inserted into center comes out clean, turning baking sheet halfway through baking, about 1 hour 10 minutes total.
• Transfer bread to rack and cool completely, at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil and store at room temperature.).

CANDIED ORANGE PEELS

Steps:

• Use a small, sharp knife to trim 1/4 to 1/2 inch from both ends of each orange. Reveal some flesh to make removing the peel easier. Then make cuts, from top to bottom and at 1-inch intervals, around each orange. Make sure the knife goes through the peel and pith down to the flesh. Use your fingers to remove the peel from the orange in beautiful, discrete sections. Cut the each section lengthwise into 1/3-inch-wide strips.
• Put the peels into a saucepan and add enough water so that they float. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Uncover and drain the peels. Return them to the saucepan and again add enough water so the peels float. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then drain. This mellows the harsh flavor of the peels.
• To candy the peels, use a wide, high-sided skillet (like a chicken fryer) that can accommodate them in a single layer. Put a wire rack on a baking sheet and place the baking sheet nearby for drying the finished strips. Put the 1 2/3 cups sugar and all the water into the skillet. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the peels, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until they look glazed and shiny. Occasionally stir the peels or swirl the pan to ensure even cooking, and lower the heat as needed to prevent scorching. During candying, the plump peels will shrink, straighten out, and soften. The white pith will turn golden and somewhat translucent. Use tongs to transfer each strip to the rack, placing them orange side up and not touching. Discard the sugar syrup. Allow the peels to dry for about 1 hour, or until they feel tacky.
• To coat the peels, put the 1/4 cup sugar into a small bowl. Drop in a few strips at a time and shake the bowl back and forth to coat them well. Transfer to a plate and then repeat with the remaining peels. When all the strips are coated, put them into an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to a week.

DARK CHOCOLATE COVERED CANDIED ORANGE PEELS

Steps:

• Cut oranges in half. Juice the halves.
• "Gut" the orange halves of all pulp & pith.
• Slice the halves into strips or triangles (I do triangles).
• Blanch orange peels so they will retain their colour.
• Candie the orange peels: aproximately 1/2 cup water & 1 cup sugar per 3 oranges; bring all 3 to a boil then immediately reduce heat to a simmer; simmer until all liquid has been absorbed by the oranges; STIR FREQUENTLY!
• Toss the candied orange peels in sugar to lightly coat, then spread in one layer on a baking sheet.
• Bake in a low temperature oven (200 to 250F) until orange peels are sticky but not wet.
• COOL.
• Melt dark chocolate in a double-boiler and proceed to dip the candied orange peels in the chocolate and lay on waxed paper in a cool, dry place to set. A cold cellar is ideal. If you have a garage, there is good in colder climates.
• ***One of the best things about these candies is that you can spread out making them over a week or two! Refrigerate orange peels after each step in an airtight container.
• ***Use oranges with very thick peels. I find sunkist oranges are very good to use for that reason.