Orange Cheesecake

I know it's January and we're all supposed to be doing our after-holidays dieting, right?  My son has a wonderful orange tree and he brought me a big plastic garbage bag full of them.  My first inclination, after making a big pitcher of fresh orange juice, was to make something healthy and low-calorie.  Then I said to myself, "life is too short, make some dessert!" My granddaughter loves cheesecake so I surprised her with this one evening.  We all enjoyed a slice (ok, maybe two!) then I passed the remainder out to neighbors and family.  In my mind, that's a perfect diet technique! I get to experience the joy of baking but the sinful calories are at someone else's home!

As I shared recently, I used some of my citrus bounty to make infused sugar. A cup of this sugar was perfect in this cheesecake, providing an intense burst of orange flavor in the cheesecake. I love the combination of oranges and chocolate so made a chocolate cookie crust.  Graham crackers, gingersnaps or vanilla wafers can be substituted, depending on your taste buds.

The orange topping gave each slice an additional punch of orange flavor. I used fresh orange juice and the color was more yellow, than orange.  Frozen juice would probably provide a deeper color.  My husband thought it was a lemon cheesecake until he took a bite! Orange food color could be added if that is a concern, I don't think it's necessary.

It's January 17 and I've not made a dessert since this cake 2 weeks ago.  That's another effective diet tip!

Orange Cheesecake

Crust
24 Oreos
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon grated orange peel

Topping
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Securely wrap 2 squares of aluminum foil up and around the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.  (The crust is very buttery and the aluminum foil will prevent butter from seeping out of the pan onto your oven floor.  It will also be extra insurance against water seeping into the crust when it's baking in its water bath).

Crush Oreos into fine crumbs using either a food processor or placing the Oreos in a Ziploc bag and crushing into crumbs, using a rolling pin or heavy cup. In a medium bowl, combine the crust ingredients and mix well.  Press in bottom and 2 inches up sides of an ungreased 9-inch springform pan. Bake in preheated pan for 8 minutes.  Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool before filling.

Reduce oven to 325 degrees.

To make the filling, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy.  Gradually add the sugar and beat well.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended.  Add orange peel and blend well (I left out the orange peel and used 1 cup of orange-infused sugar).  Pour into the crust-lined pan.

Place the crust-lined springform pan in a larger baking pan and add 1 inch of  boiling water to the baking pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until center is almost set.  Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled.

In a small saucepan, combine all topping ingredients; mix well.  Cook over medium heat until bubbly and thickened, stirring constantly.  Cool 5 minutes; spoon over cheesecake.  Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.

Orange Mimosa Cake

The only fresh, local fruit this time of year is citrus. It seems all my friends have trees and I've been (luckily) inundated with fresh oranges and lemons. My son has an orange tree and I've gone through quite a few buckets from his tree. I'm always looking for new recipes to try and this cake, from the cookbook Grandbaby Cakes: Modern Recipes, Vintage Charm, Soulful Memories, caught my eye. Her recipe calls for blood oranges.  I had no blood oranges and needed to use up the fresh-from-the-tree oranges I had.  Blood oranges have a pink tint to them.  The resulting pink in the glaze would make this cake a perfect dessert for a Valentine's Day celebration. It was good with traditional oranges but I am looking forward to making it with blood oranges.

This is basically a pound cake; lots of mixing of the butter and sugar.  It's got a wonderful orange flavor as orange zest is rubbed into the sugar, thus distributing the orange all throughout the cake. It gets extra moistness from the simple syrup that is poured over the baked cake. It was great for dessert and it was great for a mid-morning treat!

A bonus to making this cake is that there will be leftover champagne. A little bubbly, while baking? Why not!

Orange Mimosa Cake

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 3/4 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
3 cups sifted cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup pink  Champagne
3 tablespoons orange zest
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Simple Syrup
1/2 cup pink  Champagne
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup fresh orange juice

Orange Glaze
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Heat oven to 315 degrees. Spray a 10-cup bundt pan with nonstick baking spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar with the orange zest. Using your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar until fragrant.

Add the butter and salt to the bowl and cream together with the sugar. Beat on medium-high for 7 minutes, until butter is pale yellow and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, combining well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Reduce speed to low and slowly add the flour in two batches, mixing each time until just combined. Pour in the champagne and vanilla extract and mix until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 70-80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Let cool to room temperature.

To make the simple syrup, in a small pot over medium heat, combine all the ingredients and cook until the mixture is reduced by about a third and thickened; about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

For the glaze, whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl until it is a pourable consistency.

To assemble cake, poke holes all over the cooled cake with a skewer or fork. Slowly pour the simple syrup over the cake so it's absorbed. Repeat until the syrup is used up.

Drizzle the glaze over the cake and let it set for 10 minutes.

Blood Orange Panna Cotta

Panna cotta is not a new dessert but it's something I wasn't exposed to until a few years ago.  I just love it!  I often order it at restaurants as it's such a light dessert, a little sweet.  It's so refreshing after a big meal. Last month we were in the Napa Valley and had a late lunch at my favorite restaurant there, Bottega. One of their dessert offerings that day was a blood orange panna cotta. It was heavenly! My mission became to recreate that for home.

My favorite panna cotta recipe is from Ina Garten so I tweaked it, using blood orange juice instead of water, to soften the gelatin. This gave the panna cotta a slight pink color.  Then I made a juice reduction to pour over before serving. I thought it turned out wonderful! My dinner guests this evening had never had panna cotta and enjoyed it.

Winter is citrus fruit time, everywhere I go I see oranges, grapefruits, lemons hanging on the trees.  Blood oranges have a crimson flesh.  They have a different taste from regular oranges, almost a raspberry-like addition to the citrus flavor. I love blood oranges and have used them to make marmalade, cakes, and add them to baked chicken dishes. And now I know to use them for panna cotta!

Panna cotta is a very easy dessert to make.  It also is a make-ahead dessert, leaving more time for dinner preparation and enjoying guests!

Blood Orange Panna Cotta

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed blood orange juice
2 teaspoons (1 packet) unflavored gelatin powder (Knox)
3 cups heavy cream
2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean
3/4 cup sugar

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin on the 3 tablespoons of blood orange juice.  Stir and set aside for 10 minutes to allow the gelatin to dissolve.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the cream, the yogurt, and vanilla extract.  Split the vanilla bean and use the tip of a knife to scrape the seeds into the cream.  Heat the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cream and the sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Off the heat, add the softened gelatin to the hot cream and stir to dissolve.  Pour the hot cream-gelatin mixture into the cold cream-yogurt mixture and stir to combine. Pour into 8 (6- to 8- ounce) ramekins or custard cups and refrigerate uncovered until cold. When the panna cottas are thoroughly chilled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Blood Orange Syrup

1 blood orange, zested, pith removed, cut into segments
1/4 cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice
1/3 cup sugar

In a small saucepan, combine the zest, juice and sugar; bring to a simmer. Cook until sugar is dissolved and mixture has a syrupy consistency, about 4 minutes.  Cool and refrigerate in a covered container.

To serve, carefully run a paring knife around edge of each ramekin.  Turn upside down onto a plate (shake if it doesn't immediately fall out).  Place an orange segment on top and drizzle with blood orange syrup.

Orange Marmalade

I came to love orange marmalade as an adult. I like it on toast or a biscuit, but prefer other jams and jellies for that use. I love to cook and bake with it. Orange marmalade rolls are one of my favorite baked things. I've been eyeing a marmalade-honey cake that I want to try but I'm out of marmalade.  Like most things, I think homemade is best so I proceeded to make a batch.  Citrus is about the only in-season fruit right now so this is a good time of year to make this.

My favorite orange marmalade recipe comes from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa. She originally got it from another foodie, Anna Pump. It's not too sweet, not too tart. It's very easy to make, most of the preparation time is letting it simmer on the stove. While simmering, the house becomes saturated with the wonderful smell of citrus.  No candles or potpourri needed on this day! 

Lots of juicy citrus!

After the first boil, let sit overnight.

Orange, sticky, goodness, ready for the jars!

Anna's Orange Marmalade

4 large seedless oranges
2 lemons
8 cups sugar

Cut the oranges and lemons in half crosswise, then into very thin half-moon slices. (If you have a mandolin, this will be quite fast.  I have one but it intimidates me, I have scraped too many knuckles!) Discard any seeds.  Place the sliced fruit and their juices into a stainless-steel pot.  Add 8 cups water and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar until it dissolves.  Cover and allow to stand overnight at room temperature.

The next morning, bring the mixture back to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 2 hours. Turn the heat up to medium and boil gently, stirring often, for another 30 minutes. Skim off any foam that forms on the top. Cook the marmalade until it reaches 220 degrees F on a candy thermometer. If you want to be doubly sure it's ready, place a small amount on a plate and refrigerate it until it's cool but not cold.  If it's firm -- neither runny nor to hard -- it's done. It will be a golden orange color. (If the marmalade is runny, continue cooking it and if it's too hard, add more water.)

Pour the marmalade into clean, hot Mason jars; wipe the rims thoroughly with a clean damp paper towel.  Seal with hot lids. (I invert my jars for 5 minutes. They will "pop" as they cool down and seal.) Store in the pantry for up to a year.

Orange Marmalade Rolls

I think I like these rolls more than cinnamon rolls. With each bite you get the subtle taste of orange marmalade and the sweetness of the orange-flavored glaze.  If you like a tarter orange flavor you can omit the sugar in the filling.

To make these, any sweet dough recipe will work. This day I used the same breadmaker dough that I use to make cinnamon rolls. You can also use the bread dough that is found in the grocery frozen food section.  After the first rise, roll the dough to an approximate 9x12-inch rectangle.  Spread softened butter over dough, sprinkle with granulated sugar.  Spread approximately 1 cup orange marmalade over the top.

Starting at the long side, tightly roll into a jelly roll.  You may have some marmalade "ooze" out.  Scrape this off as it will be hard (and messy!) to seal the edges of the roll.

Once rolled, pinch and seal the seam.  Cut into 1-inch slices. Place in buttered baking dish.  Let rise until doubled in size. (Or refrigerate overnight.  In the morning, let rolls come to room temp and bake as normal).  Bake in preheated 375-degree oven for 20-25 minutes (cover with foil if they are getting too brown). Let cool slightly before frosting.

As it's just two of us at home we don't need a dozen sweet rolls tempting us.  I divided them in two pans and gave one to my Mom.  We were both able to bake our rolls on a leisurely Sunday morning!

To make the glaze, combine confectioners sugar and orange juice until you get a spreadable consistency. Spread over slightly-warm rolls, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!

Orange Cream Chiffon Cake

I seem to be on an orange kick lately. Oranges are about the only fresh fruit in the produce section of our supermarkets that are local and ripe. This weekend I will be baking some orange marmalade rolls. I made the Whole Orange Cake on Sunday.  And a few days ago I made this luscious chiffon cake for Stitch 'n Bitch (this is my last Stitch 'n Bitch until after tax season.  I will miss my Friday mornings with friends and my stitching project).

A chiffon cake is very similar to an angel food cake.  An angel food cake is made with only the egg whites and has no leavening in it.  A chiffon cake uses both the egg whites and yolks and usually has a leavening ingredient to it. A chiffon cake is still very light and airy just not as much as an angel food cake.  They are baked in the same tube-style pan. Both cakes are very easy to make, the only thing to be careful with is to make sure to  gently fold the egg whites into the flour mixture.  The egg whites are what gives the cake its light texture, beating the mixture will deflate the egg whites and leave you with a dense cake.

We devoured this cake! It's got a nice orange flavor to it, not overpowering.  The filling is not real heavy and does not overpower the lightness of the cake.

                    ORANGE CREAM CHIFFON CAKE

9 eggs, separated

1 cup sugar, divided

1/4 cup orange juice

4 teaspoons orange peel

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon salt

FILLING:

1 cup sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup orange juice
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 pint whipping cream, whipped

 Preheat oven to 325°.

Place egg white in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  In another large bowl, beat egg yolks until slightly thickened.  Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Blend in orange juice and peel.  Add flour and remaining 2/3 cup sugar to yolk mixture; mix well.

Add cream of tartar and salt to egg whites; beat with clean beaters until stiff peaks form.  Fold into  batter.  Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan.  Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets.

Bake at 325° on lowest oven rack 40-50 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched.  Immediately invert pan (I use a bottle); cool completely, about 1 ½ hours.  Run a knife around sides and center tube of pan; remove cake.

For filling, in a double boiler or a metal bowl over simmering water, combine the sugar, flour and salt.  Add the orange juice, egg and orange peel.  Constantly whisk until mixture reaches 160° or is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  Remove from heat and cool completely.  Fold in whipped cream.

Cut cake horizontally into three layers.  Place bottom layer on a serving plate; top with one-third of the filling.  Repeat layers twice.  Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Whole Orange Cake

I like to cook and bake with in-season ingredients.  I'm fortunate enough to live in a prime agriculture area, where fresh produce can be found at farm stands and farmers' markets everywhere. Alas, not much grows in winter except for citrus fruits but there are many wonderful things to be made with citrus. 

A friend introduced me to this recipe.  It's from Sunset magazine and was one of their most-requested recipes for 2013. The recipe intrigued me and made me suspicious at the same time as the major ingredient is whole, pureed oranges. Yes, peel, pith and all.  I thought how could this not be bitter? I had to try it! Surprisingly, it's not bitter.  It's got lots of orange flavor and the small chunks of peel are tender after baking.  It's a moist, dense cake.  I think it's a good cake to serve for brunch or tea, more so than an after-dinner dessert. It was very easy to put together and the orange aroma in my kitchen, as it was baking, was intoxicating. My hubby & I each had a piece and the remainder went to our office.  Everyone loved it so I will definitely make this again.

Throw the orange chunks in your food processor and whirl, until just small pieces of orange rind remain. 

                                                      WHOLE ORANGE CAKE

1 cup butter, softened

1 ¼ cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs

2 oranges (about 1 lb. total), ends trimmed, then cut into chunks and seeded

2 ½ cups flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 ½ cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon orange juice

 Preheat oven to 325 °.  Coat a 10-cup Bundt pan with cooking-oil spray.  In a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed, beat butter and granulated sugar until fluffy.  Beat in eggs.

 Whirl orange chunks in a food processor until mostly smooth but not pureed.  Add 1 ½ cups orange mixture to batter and beat until blended.  Add flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder to bowl and beat until smooth.  Spread batter in prepared pan.

 Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs clinging to it, about 55 minutes.  Cool pan on a rack 10 minutes, then invert cake onto rack and let cool completely.

 Whisk together powdered sugar and orange juice in a small bowl (adding more juice, as needed).  Drizzle over cooled cake.  Let glaze set, then slice cake.