Sunday, August 22, 2010

Orange and Chocolate

Don’t you love the combination of Orange and Chocolate? I like this cookie recipe that combines these flavors and reminds me why I can’t eat just one.
Bon Appetit!


1/2 c butter

1/2 c butter flavor shortening

3/4 c white sugar

3/4 c light brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp mexican vanilla

grated rind from one orange

juice from one orange

2 1/4 c all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups Dark chocolate chip chunks

Preheat oven to 350.

Use parchment, or grease lightly your cookie sheets.

Cream the butter, shortening, brown sugar, white sugar, orange juice, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Combine the dry ingredients and the orange peel and stir in to the creamed mixture. Fold in chocolate chips lightly and chill for 20 minutes or so.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls on baking sheet and bake 8-10 minutes until light golden brown and still soft, but set in the middle.

Let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then remove to cooling rack or counter.

Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

Now…hold that thought because here is Ina Garten’s “to die for” Mini Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake recipe:

• 1/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 extra-large eggs at room temperature

• 1/8 cup grated orange zest (2 large oranges)

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

• 3 ounces buttermilk at room temperature

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 cup good semisweet chocolate chunks

For the syrup:

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

For the ganache:
• 4 ounces good semisweet chocolate chips

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 6 individual serving baking molds, such as the flexible non stick 100 percent silicone molds.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, then the orange zest.

Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine the orange juice, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately in thirds to the creamed butter, beginning and ending with the flour. Toss the chocolate chunks with 1 tablespoon flour and add to the batter. Pour into the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 30 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the molds on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the syrup. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, cook the sugar with the orange juice until the sugar dissolves. Remove the cake from the pans, put them on a rack over a tray, and spoon the orange syrup over the cakes. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

For the ganache, melt the chocolate, heavy cream, and coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over the top of the cakes.