White Chocolate Roasted Pecans Candied Orange Peel Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE-ORANGE FRUITCAKE WITH PECANS

Steps:

• For cake:
• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325°F. Generously butter and flour 12-cup angel food cake pan. Combine toasted pecans, chopped dried figs, prunes, dates, orange juice concentrate, Grand Marnier and grated orange peel in large bowl. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Sift flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Combine brown sugar and 6 ounces chocolate in processor and chop into small pieces.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese in large bowl to blend. Add chocolate mixture and beat until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in prune butter. Stir in 1/4 of dry ingredients. Mix in fruit mixture and remaining dry ingredients in 3 additions each.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted near center with a few moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour 55 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Turn pan over onto rack; let stand 5 minutes. Lift off pan; cool cake completely. Wrap cake in plastic and store at room temperature 2 days.
• For Glaze:
• Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate; stir until melted and smooth. Whisk in orange juice concentrate.
• Place cake on rack. Spread some of chocolate glaze thickly over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Spread remaining chocolate glaze over cake, covering completely. Sprinkle with chopped candied fruit peel, if desired. Refrigerate cake 30 minutes to set glaze. (Fruitcake can be prepared 3 weeks ahead. Wrap cake in plastic and refrigerate.)

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED CANDIED ORANGE PEEL

Steps:

• With a sharp knife, score orange peel into four wedge-shaped sections. Loosen peel with a spoon and remove; save fruit for another use. , Place peel in a heavy saucepan and cover with cold water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain. Repeat process twice, draining well each time. Cool for 5 minutes. Carefully scrape off excess pulp from peel. Cut the peel into 1/4-in. strips. , In another saucepan, combine sugar, water, corn syrup and salt. Cook over medium heat until clear. Add orange peel strips; boil gently until until all syrup is absorbed and peel is transparent, about 30-35 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer strips to wire racks for at least 3 hours or until dry. , Melt chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip each strip halfway into chocolate. Cool on wire racks coated with cooking spray.

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.

WHITE CHOCOLATE, ROASTED PECANS & CANDIED ORANGE PEEL CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Grease and flour a bundt pan.
• In a large bowl beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add the vanilla and eggs to the butter mixture, one at a time, blending well after each addition.
• In a medium sized bowl add the flour, baking soda, salt, and orange rind together and set aside.
• Now in a small bowl add the sour cream and orange juice together.
• Add the flour and juice mixtures to the egg butter mixture, alternating and starting and ending with the flour mixture, until well blended.
• Add the white chocolate, candied orange peel and roasted pecans to the cake batter.
• Pour into pan and bake in a 325 degree oven for 50 - 60 minutes or until tested done.
• Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, remove and cool on wire rack while you make the glaze.
• Melt chocolate & orange juice in microwave on medium heat for 2 minutes.
• Sir until all chocolate is melted.
• Add the icing sugar and orange rind mix until smooth.
• Drizzle over cake.

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.

CANDIED ORANGE PEELS

Steps:

• Use a small, sharp knife to trim 1/4 to 1/2 inch from both ends of each orange. Reveal some flesh to make removing the peel easier. Then make cuts, from top to bottom and at 1-inch intervals, around each orange. Make sure the knife goes through the peel and pith down to the flesh. Use your fingers to remove the peel from the orange in beautiful, discrete sections. Cut the each section lengthwise into 1/3-inch-wide strips.
• Put the peels into a saucepan and add enough water so that they float. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Uncover and drain the peels. Return them to the saucepan and again add enough water so the peels float. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then drain. This mellows the harsh flavor of the peels.
• To candy the peels, use a wide, high-sided skillet (like a chicken fryer) that can accommodate them in a single layer. Put a wire rack on a baking sheet and place the baking sheet nearby for drying the finished strips. Put the 1 2/3 cups sugar and all the water into the skillet. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the peels, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until they look glazed and shiny. Occasionally stir the peels or swirl the pan to ensure even cooking, and lower the heat as needed to prevent scorching. During candying, the plump peels will shrink, straighten out, and soften. The white pith will turn golden and somewhat translucent. Use tongs to transfer each strip to the rack, placing them orange side up and not touching. Discard the sugar syrup. Allow the peels to dry for about 1 hour, or until they feel tacky.
• To coat the peels, put the 1/4 cup sugar into a small bowl. Drop in a few strips at a time and shake the bowl back and forth to coat them well. Transfer to a plate and then repeat with the remaining peels. When all the strips are coated, put them into an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to a week.