Caramelized Citrus Recipes

CARAMELIZED CITRUS SMASH

Steps:

• Slice all citrus in half.
• Dip the cut ends in sugar.
• Grill on high for 8 minutes or until sugar is caramelized.
• Squeeze the juice from all the citrus.
• Add honey and mix.
• Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Mix 1.5 ounces vodka, 1.5 ounces juice, and 1 ounce of water or sparkling water.
• Serve over ice cube!
• PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY!

CARAMELIZED CITRUS

Steps:

• Using a small, sharp knife, cut off the tops and bottoms of the oranges and grapefruit, then slice the peel off them vertically, taking care to remove all the white pith below the skin of the fruit.
• Spoon the yogurt onto a platter or into a large bowl. Turn each fruit on its side, then slice it into rounds that are between 1/4-inch and 1/8-inch thick. Place the sliced fruit on top of the yogurt in an attractive pattern, then place the platter or bowl into the refrigerator.
• Make the caramel. Put the sugar in a large sauté pan set over medium heat, then add to it 1/2 cup or 125 milliliters of water, and swirl the pan to dissolve the sugar. Let the mixture come slowly to a boil, without stirring, then lower heat slightly, and cook until the syrup has gone a very deep amber color, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat, add the saffron to the caramel and swirl to mix it in.
• Pour the caramel over the sliced fruit. Return to the refrigerator for an hour or so, or serve right away.

CARAMELIZED CLEMENTINES

Steps:

• Loosen segments of each clementine from the top without detaching from the stem end. Place in a bowl. Sprinkle on liqueur. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes. To start the sauce, bring 1/3 cup sugar, lemon juice and 1/3 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring, until liquid is clear. Remove from heat; set aside. Line baking sheet with foil. To make the shards, stir remaining 2/3 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar is moistened. Bring to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a brush dipped in cold water, until syrup turns a golden caramel color. Remove from heat. Pour half the caramel onto baking sheet; set aside about 30 minutes to harden. To finish the sauce, add sugar-lemon syrup to remaining caramel in pan. Simmer, stirring often, until caramel dissolves. Transfer to a bowl; cool 15 minutes. Pour over clementines. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours. Break hardened caramel into shards; store in an airtight container until ready to serve. Before serving, garnish fruit with caramel shards and pomegranate seeds.

CITRUS-SAVORY CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the stock, grapefruit juice, and sugar in a shallow heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook to the caramel stage; there will be wisps of smoke coming from the center of the pan. Carefully whisk in the cream. Allow the mixture to boil and deepen in color. Reduce the mixture to 1 or 1 1/2 cups, whisking constantly. When it is caramel-dark, add the soy sauce. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and reserve

CARAMELIZED ORANGES

Steps:

• Squeeze enough juice from 3 oranges to measure 1 cup.
• Bring sugar and water to a boil in a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, without stirring but washing down any sugar crystals with a pastry brush dipped in cold water, until syrup around edges begins to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes. Tilt pan and carefully add orange juice (caramel will harden and vigorously steam). Simmer, stirring, until caramel is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes.
• Cut peel, including all white pith, from remaining 6 oranges with a sharp paring knife and cut each orange crosswise into thirds.
• Heat one third of butter (1 teaspoon) in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté 6 orange slices until golden, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate. Sauté remaining orange slices in butter in same manner, wiping out skillet between batches if necessary. Return all orange slices to skillet along with caramel sauce and cook over moderate heat until heated through, about 1 minute.

COCONUT-LEMONGRASS TAPIOCA WITH CARAMELIZED CITRUS

Steps:

• In a small pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil and add 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Add the tapioca pearls and simmer gently over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until the tapioca is softened and almost all the way translucent, 12 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and allow the tapioca to steam and cook through completely, 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover it and refrigerate until ready to serve. You can prepare the tapioca up to 3 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator.
• Wash out the pot and pour in the coconut milk. Add the lemongrass, the ginger and 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Bring up to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and zest the lime into the milk. Allow the infused milk to steep while you prepare the fruit and the caramel.
• Remove the tops and bottoms of the citrus by cutting the ends with a sharp knife so each fruit sits flat on your work surface. Cut the citrus peels off into strips, running your knife down the length of the fruit and carefully removing the white pith as you slice. Cut each fruit crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds and remove any visible seeds.
• Make a caramel: Heat a large (12-inch) skillet over medium. Add the sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar melts and forms a light golden syrup, 5 to 7 minutes. Cook the syrup until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes more, lowering the heat slightly if necessary to avoid scorching. Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons maple syrup, squeeze in the juice of the lime and add remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Remove from heat and carefully add the fruit, a couple of pieces at a time, swirling the pan to coat the pieces in syrup. The hot syrup may bubble and splatter, so be careful here. If the caramel forms hard clumps around the citrus slices, return the skillet to heat over medium-low and continue to cook, swirling the caramel around the citrus pieces, until any hard clumps dissolve, 2 minutes.
• Using a fine mesh sieve, strain the coconut milk into a medium bowl, pressing down on the aromatics in the sieve before discarding.
• To serve, scoop a few spoonfuls of the tapioca into shallow bowls. Ladle the infused coconut milk over the top, add several slices of citrus and spoon in some of the caramel glaze. Drizzle with some maple syrup and garnish with the crushed pistachio, if using.

CARAMELIZED LEMON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the lemon curd with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
• To butterfly the chicken, place the chicken on a cutting board, breast side down. Using sharp kitchen shears, remove the backbone by cutting on either side of the backbone. (Save the backbone for stock.) Flip the chicken, setting it breast side up, and flatten by pressing firmly in the center; you should hear a crack.
• Pat chicken dry. Season the chicken on both sides with 2 teaspoons salt and a generous grind of black pepper. Use the handle of a fork or spoon to loosen the skin from the chicken breasts and thighs (you'll find openings at their tops).
• Spread about three-quarters of the lemon curd between the skin and meat. Use your fingers to massage the curd around so it spreads out under the skin. Spread the rest of the lemon curd in a thin layer all over the chicken skin. Drizzle with the olive oil.
• Pour 3/4 cup water into a large (at least 12-inch) oven-safe skillet, shallow roasting pan or sheet pan. (The water keeps the pan drippings from burning and keeps the chicken moist.) Add the chicken, skin side up. Tuck the wings under to prevent burning and turn the legs so the thighs face up. Roast until a thermometer registers 165 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh, 45 minutes to 1 hour, starting to check the chicken at 30 minutes. If at any point it starts getting too brown, cover it with foil. Let rest 10 minutes before carving.

CARAMELIZED PLANTAINS

Steps:

• Peel plantains and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces. Place in an oven-safe bowl and add 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Stir to coat plantain slices, cover, and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place covered bowl in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
• Grease a cookie sheet and sprinkle coconut in a thin layer, to allow for even toasting. Place cookie sheet in the oven and continue to bake plantains until coconut is lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes more. Remove both dishes from the oven.
• Portion plantains into bowls. Sprinkle plantains with a thick layer of sugar and use a cooking torch to caramelize the sugar. Top with toasted coconut and serve warm.

CARAMELIZED LEMON TART

Steps:

• for crust: Combine flour, sugar and salt in processor.
• Add butter; cut in using on/off turns until mixture forms coarse crumbs.
• Mix yolk and ice water in small bowl.
• Add to crumb mixture; process until dough begins to clump together.
• Press over bottom and up sides of 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom.
• Trim edges.
• Pierce crust all over with fork.
• Chill 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Line crust with foil.
• Fill with dried beans or pie weights.
• Bake until crust is set, about 20 minutes.
• Remove foil and beans.
• Continue baking until pale golden, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles, about 20 minutes longer.
• Transfer crust to rack.
• Maintain oven temperature.
• for filling: Whisk eggs, 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, cream and lemon juice in large bowl.
• Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; whisk to blend well.
• Pour filling into tart shell.
• Bake tart until filling is set, about 40 minutes.
• Transfer tart to rack and cool.
• Refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Preheat broiler.
• Sift powdered sugar over tart.
• Broil until caramelized, watching closely, about 1 minute.
• Refrigerate tart 15 minutes.
• Remove tart pan sides.
• Transfer tart to platter.

CARAMELIZED LEMON JUS

Steps:

• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill lemon slices until charred, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plate; chop coarsely.
• Heat 1/3 cup olive oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add sage leaves, garlic, and grilled lemon pieces with any juices, then sugar. Cook until shallots start to color, about 5 minutes. Add wine and vodka. Using long wooden skewer, ignite liquors and let burn off, about 4 minutes. Add beef broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until jus is reduced to 3 cups, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm before serving.

FRUIT CARAMEL

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until it all melts into a light gold syrup, 5 to 6 minutes. Continue to cook to a golden brown color, about 1 minute more. Carefully add the fruit all at once and reduce the heat to medium-low. The hot syrup may bubble and become foamy.
• Continue to cook, stirring constantly until any hard clumps of caramel dissolve and the fruit pieces soften and break down, about 4 minutes. Stir in the salt and heavy cream until there are no white streaks then remove from heat. Transfer to a bowl and use immediately, or cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
• Serve warm as a topping for ice cream, pies or tarts, or use as a caramel filling for layered cake or trifles. If cold, reheat gently in a small saucepan over low heat.

CARAMELIZED LEMON TART

Steps:

• for crust:
• Combine flour, sugar and salt in processor. Add butter; cut in using on/off turns until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Mix yolk and ice water in small bowl. Add to crumb mixture; process until dough begins to clump together. Press over bottom and up sides of 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Trim edges. Pierce crust all over with fork. Chill 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line crust with foil. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until crust is set, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Continue baking until pale golden, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles, about 20 minutes longer. Transfer crust to rack. Maintain oven temperature.
• for filling:
• Whisk eggs, 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, cream and lemon juice in large bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; whisk to blend well. Pour filling into tart shell.
• Bake tart until filling is set, about 40 minutes. Transfer tart to rack and cool. Refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Preheat broiler. Sift powdered sugar over tart. Broil until caramelized, watching closely, about 1 minute. Refrigerate tart 15 minutes. Remove tart pan sides. Transfer tart to platter.