Blood Orange Caramel
Bright and vibrant. Tart-sweet citrus lifts caramel with a refreshing twist.
Walnut Torte with Blood Orange Caramel
I serve vanilla ice cream with this walnut-filled torte, but coffee is also a delicious option.
Makes 8 servings
Torte
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) walnuts, toasted
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons dark rum
Zest of 1 orange
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a nine-inch cake pan with parchment paper.
2. In a food processor, process the walnuts with 1/4 cup of the flour until finely ground (a few larger pieces are fine). Transfer to a bowl and stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of flour and the baking powder. Set aside.
3. In a mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth. Mix in the egg, rum, and orange zest. Stir in the flour-walnut mixture. Spread the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake until a bamboo skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
4. Cool to room temperature. Cut around the inside edge with a knife, then invert the torte onto a platter or plate. Remove the parchment paper and invert again so it is right side up.
To Assemble
Segments from 2 oranges
1/2 cup Blood Orange Caramel Sauce
8 scoops vanilla ice cream
1. Toss the oranges with the Blood Orange Caramel. Spread over the top of the torte.
2. Cut into wedges and serve with the vanilla ice cream.
Julia’s Chocolate Mousse
This is Julia Child’s chocolate mousse recipe minus the rum. It’s so good long ago I stopped trying to replicate it and only bother to make hers. A spoonful of Blood Orange Caramel on top elevates it to another level—in the best way. If desired, top with a little whipped cream. It can be made a day ahead.
Serves 6
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) butter
1 1/2 tablespoons coffee
5 large eggs, separated
1/3 cup plus 1 1/4 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon water
Large pinch of salt
About 2/3 cup Blood Orange Caramel Sauce
1. Over a double boiler or in a microwave, melt chocolate, butter, and coffee. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks, the 1/3 cup of sugar, water, and salt. Whisk over a simmering water bath until pale and ribbony. Off the heat, whisk or mix with a rubber spatula until cool. Fold the chocolate mixture into the sabayon.
3. With an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until soft peaks. Slowly add the 1 1/4 teaspoons of sugar, whisking until thick. Fold in the egg whites, one-third at a time, into the chocolate mixture. Divide into 6 glasses. Refrigerate for at least two hours to allow them to thicken.
4. Just before serving, spread about a teaspoon and a half of Blood Orange Caramel on top of each mousse. Serve immediately.
Chocolate Blood Orange Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
Feel free to bake these chocolatey fudgey cookies a day ahead (putting them in an airtight container), but fill them with the Blood Orange Caramel the day you serve them.
Makes about 32 (1 1/4-inch) cookies
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup Blood Orange Caramel Sauce – for filling
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl or on a piece of parchment, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. With an electric mixer or by hand, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth. Add the egg yolk and mix until well combined, and use the rubber spatula to scrape down the side of the bowl. Add the sifted flour mixture and mix until the dough comes together, again scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
4. Pinch off dough into approximately 1 1/4-inch pieces and roll into balls. Arrange the balls on the parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them.
5. Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven until the cookies are no longer wet-looking, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and, using your thumb or the end of a large wooden spoon, gently make a “thumb-sized” indentation in the center of each cookie. If a cookie breaks or starts to fall apart, push it back together. Return the pans to the oven and bake 3 minutes longer, or until the undersides are turning brown. Let cool completely.
6. When the cookies are cool, use a small spoon and drop some Blood Orange Caramel into the center of each cookie’s thumbprint.
Blood Orange Vanilla Ice Cream Sodas
Ice cream sodas shouldn’t be relegated only to summer days. Enjoy after dinner for a lighter dessert. I like to serve these in small 12-ounce glasses or stemless wine glasses.
Serves 4
2 tablespoons Blood Orange Caramel Sauce plus some for drizzling
1/4 cup Blood Orange juice
1 1/4 cups cold seltzer water (preferred) or club soda
4 scoops vanilla ice cream
In a pitcher, mix together the blood orange caramel, blood orange juice, and seltzer. Divide between 4 glasses and add a scoop of ice cream. Drizzle Blood Orange Caramel on top. Serve immediately.
Olive Oil Cake with Blood Orange Caramel
This recipe comes from my friend Collee McGlynn, who, with her husband Ridge, co-owns Davero Farms and Winery in Healdsburg, California. It was a favorite recipe before, and with the addition of Blood Orange Caramel, it’s a new, wonderful experience.
Serves 8-10
1/3 cup DaVero olive oil (Estate, 30-Weight, or Meyer Lemon)
1/3 cup Gewürztraminer (or similar sweet white wine)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
5 large eggs, separated
2 large egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp fresh lemon zest (or more, to taste)
2 cups Whipped Cream
1/2 cup Blood Orange Caramel Sauce
1. Preheat oven to 325°. Brush a 9-inch spring form pan with vegetable oil; line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, beat 5 egg yolks and sugar at medium-high speed about 2 to 3 minutes, until it is light yellow and ribbons form when the beaters are lifted. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and beat on medium-low until well blended. Beat in lemon zest. In a small bowl, combine wine and olive oil; gradually pour into a large bowl in a thin, steady stream, beating until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
3. In a clean mixing bowl, beat 7 egg whites until stiff (not dry) peaks form. Gently fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter with a rubber spatula, then fold in the remaining whites just until combined.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until the cake springs back when gently touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove pan from oven and cool on a wire rack. 5. Run a long, thin knife around the edge of the pan; detach the ring.
6. Slice and top each piece with a dollop of whipped cream and a spoonful of Blood Orange Caramel.