Spiced Caramel Oranges Food

SPICED PEARS WITH ORANGES AND CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Using melon baller and starting from bottom, core each pear. Cut thin slice off bottom of each pear to make level.
• Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil until syrup is deep amber color, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat; whisk in butter, then 2 tablespoons water.
• Stand pears in caramel sauce in saucepan. Sprinkle cinnamon over. Cover and cook over low heat 10 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with ras-el-hanout. Cover and continue to cook until pears are tender, occasionally spooning caramel sauce over pears and shaking pan so pears don't stick, about 15 minutes. Arrange orange slices around pears; spoon caramel sauce over. Cover and simmer until orange slices soften, about 5 minutes.
• Place orange slices on plates. Stand pears atop orange slices. Spoon caramel sauce over and sprinkle with almonds. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• *A Moroccan spice blend available at some specialty foods stores and Middle Eastern markets, and by mail from The Spice House (312-274-0378; thespicehouse.com).

CARAMEL ORANGES

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons water and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Cook until caramel turns a golden amber, about 15 minutes. Pour caramel onto a greased baking sheet to cool. Break into shards. Peel oranges so that no pith remains. Run knife between membranes to release segments. Squeeze whatever juice remains in the membrane over orange segments. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier. Let macerate for 20 minutes. Spoon orange segments into glasses. Spoon remaining juice over segments. Garnish with caramel shards.

SPICED ORANGES WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• In a 4 cup glass measuring cup combine the brown sugar, heavy cream and light corn syrup. Set aside in microwave until later.
• To cut oranges into supremes: remove rind and pith. Over a bowl to catch the juices, cut in between skins to release supremes. Squeeze juice from skins over supremes and toss with a bit of cardamom to taste. Set supremes in 4 dessert bowls.
• When ready to eat microwave brown sugar mixture, uncovered at full power for 2 minutes. Whisk to blend, and cook 1 minute more until a bit thickened. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Immediately pour over oranges and garnish with pistachios. Sauce will thicken as it cools. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for a week. To soften, microwave 30 seconds to a minute, uncovered.

SPICED CARAMEL ORANGES

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan melt the sugar over moderate heat, stirring with a fork, and cook the syrup, swirling the pan occasionally, until it is a golden caramel. Remove the pan from the heat, pour the water carefully down the side of the pan, and add the cinnamon and the allspice. Return the pan to the heat and simmer the syrup until the caramel is dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat, add the rum carefully, and simmer the syrup for 5 minutes. Arrange the orange slices in a large bowl, pour the syrup over them, and let the oranges macerate, covered and chilled, for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve the oranges at room temperature.

CREAMY ORANGE CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line an 11x7-in. dish with foil, letting ends extend over sides by 1 in.; grease foil with 1 teaspoon butter., In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and remaining butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; boil gently, without stirring, for 4 minutes., Remove from the heat; gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 244° (firm-ball stage). Remove from the heat; stir in extracts. Immediately pour into prepared dish (do not scrape saucepan). Let stand until firm., Using foil, lift out candy; remove foil. Using a buttered knife, cut caramel into scant 1-1/2x1-in. pieces. Wrap individually in waxed paper; twist ends.

CARAMELIZED ORANGES

Steps:

• Place cold water in a heavy-based saucepan, add the sugar and bring SLOWLY to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
• (The sugar must be completely dissolved before the liquid boils.) Once the sugar is boiling, DO NOT STIR.
• Continue to boil.
• Use a pastry-brush dipped in water to wash down any sugar crystals forming on the sides of the pan, until the sugar is a rich, dark, caramel colour.
• Remove from heat and CAREFULLY add the warm water to the caramel WHICH WILL SPIT AND SPLUTTER!
• Return pan to the heat and continue stirring to dissolve the caramel in the water.
• Set aside to cool.
• Peel all the oranges, setting the peel of one aside.
• (Remove as much of the white pith as possible.) Place the peeled oranges in a bowl and pour over the caramel sauce, gently turning the fruit to cover each with sauce.
• Chill well.
• Cut the served peel into matchstick-sized pieces and cook until tender in boiling water.
• Refresh in cold water and drain.
• Sprinkle half the cooked zest over the oranges in the bowl and stir.
• Serve each chilled orange with the sauce and garnish with additional zest.
• Serves 6.

MOROCCAN SPICED ORANGES

Steps:

• Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl, tossing to combine.
• Cover and chill 20 minutes.
• Garnish with cinnamon if desired.
• Serve over ice cream for dessert.

SPICED ORANGE CARAMEL CUSTARD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place the ramekins in a deep oven-safe pan or dish. Set aside.
• In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream, whole milk, vanilla bean and scrapings, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, orange zest and ginger over medium heat. Cook until it comes to a simmer. Turn off heat and let it steep for 10 minutes.
• While the heavy cream is steeping, place the sugar and water in a medium saucepan with tall sides. Before turning on the heat, gently mix until the sugar turns the consistency of wet sand. Then cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat until the sugar starts to melt and turns deep amber. Turn off the heat and slowly whisk in the warm heavy cream mixture.
• In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and salt. Slowly stir in the warm caramel mixture. Strain this custard through a fine sieve and discard spices.
• Pour the custard into the ramekins and fill the baking pan with boiling water to halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Be careful not to let the water enter inside the ramekin. Cover the baking pan with Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil and place inside the oven.
• Bake for 60-75 minutes until the center of the custard is set but still jiggles slightly. Remove from oven and let the ramekins sit in the pan until cool enough to handle. Dry the bottoms of the ramekins and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Serve with whipped cream and chopped pistachios.

ORANGES WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small high-sided saucepan. Using your finger, stir to create a sandy mixture, being careful not to get sugar on the side of the pan. Set pan over medium heat. Without stirring, cook mixture until dark amber in color, swirling pan carefully while cooking to keep the color uniform, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low. Slowly add the cream, and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Remove pan from heat, add the lemon juice and butter, and stir until well blended, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
• Using a very sharp knife, cut top and bottom from oranges. Carefully slice away peel and white pith. Place oranges in serving bowls, and pour at least 3 tablespoons reserved caramel sauce over each. The unused caramel can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 1 week.

SPICED ORANGES

Steps:

• Place orange slices in a large stainless-steel saucepan; cover with cold water. Simmer until skins are tender, about 1 1/4 hours.
• Remove oranges with a slotted spoon; place in a colander to drain. Discard water.
• Combine sugar and vinegar in the same saucepan; stir over low heat. Bring to a boil. Add spices; simmer 10 minutes.
• Add oranges and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes, or until skins are translucent. Cool.
• Layer oranges in sterilized jars, cover with syrup, and seal. The oranges can be used right away, but the flavor will be improved by waiting 4 to 6 weeks.