Orange Almond Choclava Recipes

ORANGE AND ALMOND CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM (VEGAN)

Steps:

• Slice the ends off the orange then cut into thin slices using a sharp knife, about 3-6mm/1/8-1/4 inch thick.
• Place the sugar and water in a pan and heat gently while stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Add the orange slices and bring up to a simmer, leave to simmer gently for about 40 minutes, until the liquid has reduced to a thick syrup and the oranges are soft and the peel has become slightly translucent. Turn the slices occasionally to unsure that they are evenly covered.
• Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool for a while then carefully remove the orange slices from the syrup and place on a baking parchment lined tray to dry a little.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Grease three 15cm/8 inch tins (or two 20cm/8 inch ones) and line the bases with baking parchment.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the almond milk, orange juice and zest, olive oil, sugar and vanilla and almond extracts until smooth. Whisk in the ground almonds.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and whisk gently until combined. Do not over-mix.
• Divide the batter between the tins and bake for about 30 minutes until golden and firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 15 minutes then carefully turn them out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
• Melt the chocolate, either in a bain marie or in short bursts in the microwave. Set aside to cool a little.
• Place the margarine and vegetable shortening in the bowl of your stand mixer (or you can use a hand mixer). Whisk until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and mix on a low speed until combined.
• Add the sifted icing sugar and mix on a low speed until combined then turn the mixer up to a high speed and whisk for a good few minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl every now and again.
• Check that the melted chocolate is no longer hot to the touch then add it to the buttercream and whisk until smooth. Finally whisk in the extracts.
• Trim the tops of the cakes if needed. Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand and spread over a layer of the buttercream. Place another cake layer on top and repeat.
• Place the last cake layer on upside-down (to give you a perfectly flat top). Spread a thin layer of buttercream over the top and sides of the cake. Place in the fridge for about 15 minutes to firm up.
• Spread another layer of buttercream over the whole cake. Getting it as smooth as you can with a bench scraper or spatula. Return the cake to the fridge while you make the chocolate drip. (You want the cake to be cold when you add the drip).
• Melt the chocolate, either in a bain marie or in short bursts in the microwave. Stir in the coconut oil until smooth and melted. Set aside to cool until it has thickened slightly and is no longer warm to the touch.
• Use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate drip around the edge of the cold cake, using the back of the spoon to encourage it to drip over the edge. Spoon the rest into the middle so that the top of the cake is fully covered.
• Return the cake to the fridge until the drip is set.
• Place the leftover buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a star shaped nozzle. Pipe decorative dollops of buttercream on top of the cake as you like and top with a few candied orange slices.
• The cake will keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature for a couple of days.

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-ALMOND CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (orange part only) in strips from oranges. Coarsely chop enough peel to measure 1/2 cup. Combine flour, 1 cup almonds, baking powder and salt in processor; blend until finely ground. Transfer to medium bowl. Place 2 cups sugar and orange peel in processor; blend until peel is finely minced.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until blended. Add sugar mixture and beat until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix milk and both extracts in small bowl. On low speed, beat flour mixture into egg mixture alternately with milk mixture in 3 additions each. Divide batter among prepared pans.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 5 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely. Boil 1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice and remaining generous 1 tablespoon sugar in small saucepan until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 8 minutes. Brush warm juice mixture over tops of cooled cakes.
• Place 1 cake layer, orange syrup side up, on cake platter. Spread 1 cup Chocolate Icing over. Top with second cake layer, then 1 cup icing. Top with third cake layer, syrup side up. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.) Arrange additional almonds, orange triangles and mint leaves around top edge of cake. Slice cake and serve.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE-ORANGE ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush bottom of 10-inch-diameter springform pan generously with margarine. Blend almonds and 1/4 cup sugar in processor until almonds are finely ground. Add chocolate; blend until chocolate is finely ground, scraping sides and bottom of bowl occasionally.
• Whisk cocoa, orange juice, and orange peel in small bowl until smooth. Combine egg yolks and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in large bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean. Using electric mixer, beat until yolk mixture is very thick, about 4 minutes. Beat in cocoa mixture. Fold in ground-almond mixture. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites and salt in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, beating until whites are stiff but not dry. Fold whites into chocolate batter in 3 additions. Transfer to prepared pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on rack. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with foil; store at room temperature.)
• Cut around cake in pan; release sides. Cut cake into wedges. Transfer to plates. Place scoop of sorbet alongside.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE ALMOND CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Place chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and thin slightly with milk.
• Mix almonds and candied orange peel together in the bowl. Add chocolate and toss with a spatula until evenly coated.
• Spoon mixture into 1 1/2-inch mounds on a sheet of waxed or parchment paper. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.