Yummy Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

Cook Time: twenty minutes

Prep Time: ten minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes:
three Tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 cup hot water
1-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon each baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
one orange
two giant eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
.
For the Frosting:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
one cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
two cups confectioners' sugar

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners.

In a giant bowl, whisk together the eggs and granulated sugar until well combined. Whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla, then the dissolved cocoa. Whisk in the melted butter, then the dry ingredients.

In a little bowl, stir the cocoa powder in to the hot water until it dissolves; set aside. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in to a bowl. Using the finest rasps of a handheld grater, grate the zest from the orange in to the bowl. Set aside.

Using a tablespoon, divide the batter among the muffin cups filling each about half full. Bake until the cupcakes are puffed and a skewer inserted in to the middle of comes out neat 15 to twenty minutes. Let cold on a wire rack. Remove the cupcakes from the pan.

To make the frosting, melt the chocolate and let cold to room temperature. Meanwhile, using a stand mixer, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar with the paddle on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about three minutes. Beat in the melted chocolate until combined. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip with the frosting and pipe a spiral on top of each cupcake.

Refrigerate the cupcakes until 30 minutes before serving to set the frosting.

Chocolate Orange Mix Torte

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Prep Time: twenty minutes

Total Time: one hour, five minutes

Ingredients:

Strawberry Sauce:
two cups fresh strawberries, cut in half, divided use
1/2 teaspoon confectioners' sugar
.
Torte:
3/4 pound margarine, unsalted or pareve
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
two Tablespoons orange liqueur
1/4 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/8 cup miniature chocolate chips for garnish, optional

Preparation:

Place one cup of halved strawberries (retain the rest for garnish) in a zip-top bag. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar & shake to coat. Refrigerate while you make the torte.

Place margarine, sugar, orange juice, orange liqueur, & coffee in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir until combined & smooth. Remove from heat & stir in vanilla. Add chocolate & stir until melted & blended. Let cold.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

When chocolate mixture is cold, whisk in the eggs until thoroughly combined. Pour in to prepared pan. Bake 35 to 45 minutes until top has a slight crust & middle is set.

Let chocolate torte cold to room temperature, then refrigerate for four hours or overnight.

When prepared to serve, place sugared strawberries in a blender or food processor & pulse to puree. Pour strawberry sauce over the cake, sprinkle with chocolate chips, & decorate with remaining strawberry halves.

Yield: 14 to 16 servings

Orange Chocolate Chip Bread

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: one hour, five minutes

Ingredients:

one navel orange
1/2 cup (8 Tablespoons or one stick) butter
1/2 cup orange marmalade
three cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
one Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
one cup chilled semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
two massive eggs
1/2 cup milk mixed with the juice of half of the orange
.
Optional Orange Glaze:
one cup confectioners' powdered sugar
one to two Tablespoons orange juice

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with vegetable spray.

Use a microplane or fine grater to remove the zest (rind) from the orange. You ought to have about one tablespoon of finely grated orange zest. Cut the orange in half & add the juice from half in to the milk. Reserve the other half for the orange glaze, if using.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, & salt in a massive bowl. Toss the chocolate chips to coat with the flour. Set aside.

Place butter & orange marmalade in a heat-proof bowl & microwave on high for 45 to 60 seconds (or melt in a saucepan). Stir to merge & let cold.

Add cooled buttered marmalade, egg mixture, & orange zest to the flour mixture. Stir with a dinner fork until combined but do not overmix. Any lumps will smooth out in the baking.

Beat eggs with milk/orange juice mixture, using a dinner fork.

Optional Orange Glaze:
Whisk one to two Tablespoons of orange juice with one cup powdered sugar to a drizzling consistency. Spoon in to a zip-top bag, squeeze out the air, & seal. Snip off small corner of the bag & use as a pastry bag to drizzle the cooled orange marmalade bread with the glaze.

Pour in to prepared pan. Bake for one hour, until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out neat. Cold to room temperature before slicing to serve.

Yield: one loaf

Chocolate Orange Torte

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Prep Time: twenty minutes

Total Time: one hour, five minutes

Ingredients:

Place one cup of halved strawberries (retain the rest for garnish) in a ziptop bag. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar & shake to coat. Refrigerate while you make the torte.

Strawberry Sauce:
two cups fresh strawberries, cut in half, divided use
1/2 teaspoon confectioners' sugar
.
Torte:
3/4 pound margarine, unsalted or pareve
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
two Tablespoons orange liqueur
1/4 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
6 huge eggs, lightly beaten
1/8 cup miniature chocolate chips for garnish, optional

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

Place margarine, sugar, orange juice, orange liqueur, & coffee in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir until combined & smooth. Remove from heat & stir in vanilla. Add chocolate & stir until melted & blended. Let cold.

When chocolate mixture is cold, whisk in the eggs until thoroughly combined. Pour in to prepared pan. Bake 35 to 45 minutes until top has a slight crust & middle is set.

Let chocolate torte cold to room temperature, then refrigerate for four hours or overnight.

When prepared to serve, place sugared strawberries in a blender or food processor & pulse to puree. Pour strawberry sauce over the cake, sprinkle with chocolate chips, & decorate with remaining strawberry halves.

Yield: 14 to 16 servings