Flamingo Musings » orange

Passover Chocolate Orange Mousse Torte

RJ Flamingo — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 17:51:07 +0000

With Passover and Easter coming this weekend, I wanted to create a recipe that everyone could enjoy for dessert. Actually, I was thinking chocolate. Because, aren’t you? Really? And I got inspiration from a couple of different places that you might not immediately associate with each other. It’s kosher for Passover, dairy-free, and gluten-free. It’s light, and decadent, and perfect for your seder or Easter holiday table. Intrigued? Ha! But first…

It’s a national tragedy. And a travesty. Nearly 17 million children in the United States are hungry every single day. That’s 637,779 children in Florida, alone. And it’s not like the resources aren’t out there, but they’re the missing the mark. That’s where Share Our Strength and the No Kid Hungry Campaign come in. And you can help.

On April 28, 2012, food bloggers all over the United States are joining together to conduct Food Blogger Bake Sales to raise money to help connect these kids with the food they need to grow and thrive. As part of the National Food Bloggers Bake Sale, we are proud to announce the Third Annual Miami Food Bloggers Bake Sale, which will happen at the South Miami Farmers Market (my home away from home), 6130 Sunset Drive (in front of South Miami City Hall).

This year’s Bake Sale will be bigger and better than ever, with some of the best known bloggers in town baking their little hearts out, and some of the finest local restaurants and food entrepreneurs donating gift cards and gift baskets for an insane raffle – for YOU – and to end child hunger, once and for all. Here are some of the highlights:

Whisk Gourmet Food & Catering in South Miami has donated a gift card for our raffle. Brendan Connor of Whisk won the Judge’s Favorite Award for his crispy shallot, bacon and Swiss burger at the 2012 South Beach Wine & Food Festival Burger Bash!
The fabulous Town Kitchen & Bar restaurant in South Miami has donated a gift card for our raffle!
Harry’s Pizzeria in the Design District has also donated a very generous gift card for our raffle! Harry’s is the latest brainchild of James Beard Award-winning Chef Michael Schwartz of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink fame.
WokStar Eleanor Hoh has donated a gift certificate for 2 people to attend one of her awesome wok cooking classes (valued at $130) for the raffle! Learn Eleanor’s no-recipes, no-measuring method to put a delicious and healthy meal on the table in minutes.
Dunkin’ Donuts of South Florida (8099 S. Dixie Hwy) is providing us with the best ever coffee to sell, plus a gift card redeemable at that location! We definitely run on Dunkin’!
Lester’s Cafe and Wine Bar in the Wynwood Arts/Design District has donated a gift card for our raffle! Lester’s multi-function cafe is the host of the monthly Wynwood Supper Club, as well as the Motown Brunch every last Saturday of the month!
CRAVE Restaurant Coral Gables in Merrick Park has donated a generous gift card!
Delicious and unusual Freakin’ Flamingo local micro-batch jams are being donated for sale, plus a gift basket of Freakin’ Flamingo jams & gift items will be raffled! Freakin’ Flamingo was featured in the Fall 2011 issue of Edible South Florida Magazine‘s holiday gift guide.

If you can’t join us – and why wouldn’t you? - please consider making a donation. To learn more about the 2012 Miami Food Blogger Bake Sale or to make a donation, please click here. To paraphrase the Whitney Houston song: I believe that children are our future. Feed them well and let them lead the way.

Okay, now!

My first inspiration for this decadent Chocolate Orange Mousse Torte, was a ready-made macaroon pie crust made by one of the kosher food companies for Passover, that I spotted in a kosher butcher/grocery store several weeks ago, when I went on an expedition with my mother. Genius. The kind of thing you see on the shelf and say to yourself: Why didn’t I think of that? I make macaroons (you can find them here and here)! Then I thought: What would I fill it with?

My second inspiration was this article and “Genius Recipe” on the Food52 blog for a chocolate mousse that you can make in 5 minutes with just two ingredients: chocolate and water. No, really. I made it several times, and it really does work! And the answer to: What would I fill it with? Check it out:

Chocolate Orange Mousse Torte

For the crust:

2 large egg whites
1/2 cup almond meal or ground blanched almonds
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut (if using sweetened coconut, cut the sugar to 2 Tbs.)
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbs. cocoa powder (optional, if you want a chocolate crust)
A bit of vegetable oil or cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large glass or metal bowl, whisk or beat the egg whites until frothy. We’re not making meringue, just loosening up the egg whites to be able to incorporate the other ingredients smoothly. Stir in the dry ingredients until well-mixed. Lightly oil or coat an 8 1/2″ – 9″ pie plate or torte pan, and *very important!* – line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper! Do not skip this step. Then press in the crust mixture firmly. Bake for 18-20 minutes and allow to cool.

For the filling:

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate (I used parve (non-dairy), kosher for Passover bittersweet baking chocolate)
(If using a “good quality” bittersweet chocolate, such Ghirardelli or Scharffen Berger, you may want to add a couple of tablespoons of sugar during the melting process. Taste your chocolate first!)
Juice of one orange (should come to about 4 oz. or 1/2 cup)
2 oz. or 1/4 cup water (juice + water should equal no more than 3/4 cup or 6 oz)
Finely grated zest of the same orange (about 1-1/2 – 2 Tbs.)
Large bowl filled with ice and water

Pour the juice and water into a small saucepan and add the chocolate. Heat on medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the liquid and chocolate blend together into a smooth, homogeneous sauce. Stir in the orange zest.

Pour the hot chocolate orange sauce into a clean bowl, then carefully place the bowl into the ice bath and start whisking. I’m not much of a hand-whisker, so I used my stick blender with the whisk attachment, on the lowest setting. I’ve also used my hand mixer on low speed, as seen below. When using small kitchen electrics for the process, be prepared for a bit of a mess, so try to use a bowl that’s relatively deep. The whisking action incorporates bubbles into the chocolate and the cooling action of the ice bath combine to create the light, smooth mousse. Keep whisking until the sauce thickens to a soft, almost pudding-like consistency. It will happen in just a few minutes. I promise.

Pour the mousse into the prepared macaroon torte or pie shell, garnish if desired (I used several tablespoons of toasted, slivered almonds), and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight, until firm.

The combination of chocolate and orange is a classic that, I confess, is one of my favorites. The mousse is both rich and light, the orange infusing a fresh, yet almost decadent, counterpoint to the chocolate, and works with the macaroon crust like a good marriage. A perfect end to any festive meal, and easier to make than it looks!

Happy Holidays, all!

The 12 Days of Cookies: Day 8

RJ Flamingo — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 07:31:00 +0000

Welcome to Day 8 of The 12 Days of Cookies! Again, we (no, not the royal “we” – the group) are baking 12 cookies in 12 days from the Bon Appétit 2008 Holiday Cookie-a-Day collection. Why, yes, we are insane. Thanks for asking.

My offering today is a fairly simple recipe, and really delicious. Oh, and if it hasn’t snowed in your area yet, we can fix that – just watch the powdered sugar fly!

First the recipe, then my notes.

Coconut Orange Snowballs

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar (sifted, then measured)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon coconut extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake coconut on rimmed baking sheet until light golden, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes.

Using electric mixer, beat butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and both extracts in bowl to blend well. Beat in flour, orange peel, and salt. Stir in coconut. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Soften dough slightly before shaping.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using 1 level tablespoon dough for each cookie, roll dough between palms of hands into balls. Place on prepared sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake until golden on bottom but pale on top, about 18 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks; cool 5 minutes. Place remaining 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar in bowl. Roll hot cookies in powdered sugar, covering completely. Cool cookies on rack. Roll cookies in powdered sugar again, coating generously. (Can be made 5 days ahead. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper at room temperature.)

Notes:

Living in the tropics, I was ready for something a little lighter and more tropical, after all the cranberries, nuts, and chocolate.

I really liked this recipe. The cookies are light and crisp, and for a change, I’m really tasting the orange. Which is a little unexpected, when you consider all the toasted coconut and coconut extract. But the coconut flavor is a mild backdrop to the orange in this one, and I think the combination really works.

My only changes were: 1) I reduced the baking time to 15 minutes, because I baked them in convection mode. I could have probably made it 14 minutes, but they were fine. And 2) I just dropped them into the powdered sugar hot off the baking sheets, rather than giving them the initial 5 minutes cooling-off time in the recipe. By the time they all got their primer coats, they were nice and cooled and ready for their second coats.

Please visit my partners in holiday baking, below, and see what they’ve got in store for you. And don’t forget to come back tomorrow for the ninth installment! (I should live so long.)

Andrea of Andrea’s Recipes (honorary member and our founder but not participating this year)
Claire of The Barefoot Kitchen
Courtney of Coco Cooks
Di of Di’s Kitchen Notebook
Judy of No Fear Entertaining
Kelly of Sass & Veracity
Michelle of Big Black Dog
RJ of Flamingo Musings (hey! that’s me!)
Sandy of At the Baker’s Bench
Tiffany of The Nesting Project

The 12 Days of Cookies: Day 6

RJ Flamingo — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 16:03:00 +0000

We’re half-way there, gang! This is Day 6 of the 12 Days of Cookies project! We’re baking our personal choices from the 2008 Bon Appétit Holiday Cookie-a-Day collection, and still going strong.

My choice today is the Pecan Lace Sandwich Cookie with Orange Buttercream. And all I can say is: Oh, My!

First the recipe, then my notes:

Pecan Lace Sandwich Cookies with Orange Buttercream

Ingredients

Cookies

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 cup coarsely ground pecans (about 4 ounces)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon orange juice
3/4 teaspoon grated orange peel

Preparation:

Cookies

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Stir butter, sugar, and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in flour. Add nuts and vanilla; stir to combine.
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until bubbling and lightly browned, about 11 minutes. Cool on sheets 10 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely.

Filling

Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth. Spread 1 teaspoon filling onto bottom of 1 cookie. Top with second cookie, bottom side down, pressing lightly to adhere. Repeat with remaining cookies. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Store between sheets of waxed paper in airtight container at room temperature.

Notes:

Those of us who have baked this cookie, so far, all agree that it is particularly fragile and probably would not travel very far intact. But. The taste is awesome, with or without the orange buttercream – which is pretty awesome in itself, by the way. Personally, I found them a bit too sweet sandwiched with the buttercream filling, but my husband disagreed, so you make your own judgment call on that one.

And it is an exceptionally easy and quick cookie to make. No mixer required, it’s all done on the stovetop and then popped in the oven. I found that 11 minutes was a bit too long to bake these, making them a little darker than I would have liked, and so baked the second batch for 10 minutes, getting that proverbial “golden brown and delicious” appearance.

You should absolutely bake this cookie. I know I will!

Please visit my partners in holiday baking, below, and see what they’ve got in store for you. And don’t forget to come back tomorrow for the seventh installment!

The 12 Days of Cookies: Day 3

RJ Flamingo — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 04:41:00 +0000

The quest continues to bake and blog 12 cookies in 12 days from the 2008 Bon Appétit Holiday Cookie-a-Day collection.

For Day 3, I chose:

Ginger Orange Stars

Ingredients:

Cookies

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup robust-flavored (dark) molasses
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing

1 1/2 cups (or more) powdered sugar
5 teaspoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

For cookies:

Sift first 7 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add sugar and beat until well blended. Beat in molasses, egg yolk, orange peel, and vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat just until blended. Gather dough into ball. Divide into 4 pieces. Flatten each into disk. Wrap each in plastic and chill until cold and firm, at least 4 hours.

Position racks in top third and bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out 1 piece of dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Using 2 1/2- to 3-inch star-shaped cutter, cut out cookies. Transfer cookies to prepared sheets, spacing 1/2 inch apart (cookies spread very little). Gather scraps and reroll dough, cutting out more cookies. Bake cookies 5 minutes. Reverse baking sheets; bake until cookies are puffed and look slightly darker around edges, about 5 minutes longer. Cool cookies on sheets 2 minutes. Using thin metal spatula, transfer cookies to racks; cool. Repeat with remaining dough pieces.

For icing:

Sift 1 1/2 cups sugar into medium bowl. Add 5 teaspoons water and vanilla; whisk until smooth. Whisk in more sugar by tablespoonfuls, if necessary, until icing falls thickly off whisk. Spoon icing into pastry bag fitted with 1/16-inch plain round tip or resealable plastic bag (cut tip off bag). Pipe icing onto cookies. Let stand until icing is hard, at least 3 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper.)

I liked my squiggles

Notes:

I changed nothing in baking this recipe. Surprise! No, really. I did everything exactly as printed, and I liked the gingery flavor a lot, although for me, the orange didn’t really come through. The molasses lends a bit of a bite, keeping these from becoming too sweet, and the icing really does enhance the flavor, although I had to add a 6th teaspoon of water to get the right consistency.

I spooned the icing into a quart-size freezer bag and snipped off a tiny corner. These cookies don’t call for precision piping (thank God!), so I didn’t see any point in using a pastry bag or a tip. This method worked very well, despite the fact that piping is not one of my strong suits. (Have I mentioned that I am not a food stylist?)

If you haven’t seen my entries for Days 1 and 2, I’ll just repeat that, yes, once again, this is an extremely soft dough for a cut-out cookie. In fact, if you aren’t blinded by my expert piping skills (Hahahahahaha! I crack me up!), you might notice that a number of my stars more closely resemble Patrick of Spongebob Squarepants fame, than something you might top your tree with. It’s not my fault!

If I were to make this recipe again, I would probably roll them a little thicker than a 1/4″ and perhaps add another 1/4 cup of flour when mixing the dough.

Please visit my partners in holiday baking, below, and see what they’ve got in store for you. And don’t forget to come back tomorrow for the fourth installment!

PhotoHunt: Orange

RJ Flamingo — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 04:01:00 +0000

The PhotoHunt theme this week is “Orange”

Going to the archives this week to look for “Orange”:

JJ’s Orange FlingamaString

Orange Bird of Paradise

Orange Balloon Vine

Orange-y Spot-breasted Oriole

Have a great weekend, everyone!