White Chocolate Roasted Pecans Candied Orange Peel Cake Food

ORANGE DRIZZLE CAKE WITH CANDIED ORANGE PEEL

Steps:

• Line the base and sides of a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin with non-stick baking parchment
• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
• Add the melted butter, sugar, eggs and orange extract to a large bowl. Mix using an electric mixer or whisk until thick.
• Fold in the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, salt and orange zest. Pour the mixture into the lined cake tin.
• Bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes, until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Then leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, before removing from the tin and cooling completing on a cooling rack.
• Meanwhile, make the candied peel. Pour the water into a saucepan. Add two-thirds of the sugar and the orange peel. Bring to the boil then simmer on a medium heat for 45-55 minutes, until the liquid becomes thick and syrupy. Place the remaining sugar on a plate, then remove the peel from the pan using a slotted spoon. Let the excess liquid drip off and place the peel strips on the sugar plate. Toss well to cover in sugar (these can be eaten straight away. They'll firm up if covered and left at room temperature for a day - tastes delicious either way).
• Make the icing by whisking together the confectioners' sugar, water and orange extract. You need a consistency where the icing thick but just pourable.
• Spoon the icing over the cooled cake, allowing it to drip down the sides slightly.
• Sprinkle the top of the cake with candied peel and toasted almond slivers and serve.

CANDIED ORANGE PEEL

Steps:

• Using a vegetable peeler, cut the orange part of the peel from the stem end of the orange down to the navel end, forming long 3/4 to 1-inch-wide strips. Bring a heavy small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the peels and cook for 1 minute. Drain and then rinse the peels under cold water. Repeat cooking the peels in the saucepan with fresh boiling water and rinsing under cold water.
• Stir the sugar and 1/2 cup of fresh water in a heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. Add the orange peels and simmer over medium-low heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the peels to a sheet of parchment paper to dry slightly, about 1 hour.
• Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir the chocolate in a small bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Dip 1 1/2-inches of each candied orange peel into the chocolate then place them on the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 15 minutes.

ORANGE FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE FOR THE REAGAN FAMILY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter and flour a 10-inch (25-cm) round cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, then butter and flour the parchment paper. Gently melt the chocolate over a double boiler. Stir the butter into the chocolate to melt, and stir until smooth. Remove from the double boiler and whisk the sugar and orange zest into the chocolate mixture. Add the eggs and egg yolks and whisk well. Sift the cocoa powder over the chocolate mixture and whisk the batter until totally smooth. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for approximately 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top has formed a good crust. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving platter. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with candied orange peel and vanilla ice cream.

WHITE CHOCOLATE PECAN SHEETS

Steps:

• Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. In a double boiler melt the chocolate with the butter and oil over hot (not simmering) water, stirring constantly until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
• Remove the top part of the double boiler and stir the nuts into the melted chocolate . Pour the chocolate mixture out onto the prepared cookie sheet. Spread randomly to the desired thickness. Refrigerate 20-30 minutes, or until set.
• Slide a metal spatula under the chocolate to loosen from the foil. Break into uneven pieces . Store in an airtight container or in the refrigerator. Prep time includes refrigeration time.

ORANGE-SUGARED PECANS

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, water and orange juice concentrate. Cook over medium-high heat, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 238° (soft-ball stage). Remove from the heat; stir in pecans and orange zest. , Beat until mixture thickens and loses its gloss, about 2 minutes. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper to set. Store in an airtight container.