Orange you glad it’s winter? That means oranges and other citrus fruits are in season, plentiful and reasonably priced. The orange is an important crop here in California, as well as in Israel. Israel is known for the Jaffa orange, also called the Shamouti orange, which is grown throughout the Middle East. The oranges have been an important export for the area since the mid-1800s. The fruit originally was shipped through the port of Jaffa. The port and adjacent city of Tel Aviv were even nicknamed “The Big Orange.”
The orange-based recipes below are definitely adult treats, perfect to share with a loved one. The Orange-Chocolate Cupcakes are sophisticated mini-cakes, filled with cocoa and marmalade and topped with a chocolate ganache. They can also be made parve or vegan. Skip the filling for a simpler, but still delicious, dessert.
The Not Your Kid’s Orange Julius adds vanilla-flavored vodka to the juice-stand and food-court favorite and turns it into a frothy and refreshing frozen adult drink.
Orange-Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes 12
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. white vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup fresh orange juice, strained of pulp before measuring
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbs. finely grated orange zest
1 recipe filling (see below)
1 recipe topping (see below)
12 thin strips of orange zest for garnish, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup standard cupcake pan with paper or foil liners.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a second bowl, combine vinegar, oil, juice, vanilla and zest. Stir well and add to dry ingredients, mixing until combined. Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full. Bake 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cupcakes are golden brown. Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then remove to a rack and cool completely.
Once cool, cut out “plugs” about 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter and about 3/4 to 1 inch deep in the center of the cupcakes. (Be careful not to cut through the bottom of the cupcakes.) Set aside. Fill cavities about 3/4 full with filling. Cover with reserved plugs, pressing in so tops of cupcakes are level. Frost cupcakes with topping. Top each with orange strip if desired. Leave uncovered until topping is set. Store at room temperature wrapped in waxed paper in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Filling: Stir together 6 Tbs. orange marmalade and 1 Tbs. cocoa powder. Taste and add 1 tsp. sugar if needed.
Topping: In a small pot, heat 1/3 cup milk or soy milk on medium just until milk boils, then turn heat down to low and stir in 2/3 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips and 2 Tbs. sugar. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Let stand until cool. Place in refrigerator, stirring occasionally, until thickened and spreadable, about half hour.
Not Your Kid’s Orange Julius
Serves 2
1/2 cup half-and-half
2/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate (do not defrost)
3-4 oz. vanilla-flavored vodka
3-4 Tbs. powdered sugar
1/4 cup pasteurized, refrigerated egg whites (see note)
1 1/2 cups ice
Put half-and-half, frozen juice concentrate, 3 oz. vodka and 3 Tbs. powdered sugar in blender jar. Blend well. Add egg whites and ice. Blend until well combined and smooth. Taste. Blend in additional vodka and or sugar if desired. Serve immediately in chilled tall glasses with straws.
Note: Egg whites are a traditional ingredient for adding texture, froth and nutrition. If desired, substitute 1/4 cup water.
Faith Kramer is a Bay Area food writer. Her columns alternate with those of Josie A.G. Shapiro. Faith blogs at www.clickblogappetit.com. Contact her at [email protected].