Orange and Yoghurt Cake

This wonderfully moist orange infused cake comes from Zesty South Indian Kitchen a fun food blog filled with great Western and Traditional Indian recipes:


Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour: 1½ cup / 210 g (I used Unbleached King Arthur flour)
• Granulated sugar: ¾ cup/156g
• Unsalted butter: 3 tablespoon
• Canola oil: ¼ cup/ 46g
• Yogurt: 1/3cup (I used home made one)
• Baking soda: ¼ teaspoon
• Baking powder: ¼ teaspoon (I used aluminum free one)
• Salt: ¼ teaspoon
• Vanilla extract: ½ teaspoon/2g
• Orange Zest: 1 tablespoon
• Orange juice: ½ cup (about 3 oranges)
• Freshly grated ginger: ½ tablespoon

For orange syrup

• Orange juice: 1/5 cup
• Sugar: ½ tablespoon 

Method:

Preheat oven 350 degree Fahrenheit. Line the 9 inch cake pan with parchment paper and butter and flour the sides and set aside.

Zest the orange and extract the juice from them and set aside. Grate ginger using a micro plane or a zester and set aside.

Mix the orange zest with sugar and set aside.

In a large bowl sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In bowl mix oil, melted butter and sugar and beat them until everything gets incorporated well. To this add orange juice, yogurt, vanilla extract and mix again for 30 seconds, to this gradually add eggs at time (I forgot this added two eggs at same time) and combine everything well.

To this add dry ingredients as two addition, mix well during every addition.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 28 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.

Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes and remove it and cool in the wire rack for another 1 hour.

While cake is cooling make orange syrup by reducing orange juice and sugar in medium heat for about 3 minutes. Pour the syrup over the cooled cake. 

Enjoy!

Orange, Basil Hibiscus Tea

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons of dried hibiscus flowers 
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 2 slices of fresh orange
• 2 leaves of Thai Basil

Method:

1. add to a travel infuser tea mug with a filter with boiling water steep for 1-2 minutes 
2. pour and enjoy

A Fun Citrus Cocktail

I thought it would be fun to post a citrus cocktail in case you were wanting something a little special for a super bowl party this wonderful cocktail comes from Tomatoes on the vine, a fun Florida based food blog:

Ingredients:

recipe from Bon Appetit 

3 clementines or 1-2 tangerines peeled

3 dashes of orange bitters

1/4 cup Hendricks's Gin (A smooth Scottish cucumber infused gin-worth seeking out) or other good quality gin

1/4 cup Campari

3 tablespoons sweet vermouth

Ice cubes

2 clementines or one tangerine, sliced for garnish

Directions:

Place 3 whole peeled clementines or tangerine and orange bitters in a cocktail shaker and muddle until the clementines or tangerines are broken down.  Add gin, Campari, and vermouth.  Fill shaker 3/4 full with ice.  Shake vigorously for 30 seconds.  Strain into two martini glasses, dividing equally.  Garnish each with a clementine or tangerine slice.

Sugar Belles

Sugar Belles were recently created by the University of Florida they are a cross between a honeybell and clementine. They look like a minneola and have a rich flavor and wonderful sweetest. They are also a great source of vitamin C. 

The sugar belle is a perfect size and color and live up to their name sweet and beautiful. They are just coming into season and since we have been shipping them a year ago, they are been a great success. 

Grapefruit Sorbet

This first class recipe comes from the Asheville based food blog A Spicy Perspective 



Grapefruit Basil Sorbet  Fat Free*Gluten Free*Dairy Free


Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 1 ¾ cups sugar
• 2 lemons, zested and juiced
• 1 packed cup of basil leaves
• pinch of salt
• 4 large ruby red grapefruits, juiced

Method:

1. Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Once boiling add the lemon zest, basil leaves and salt. Stir, remove from heat, and cover. Steep the basil leaves in the simple syrup for at least 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, add the lemon juice to a 4-cup measuring pitcher. Juice the grapefruits into the pitcher until you’ve measured 3 cups of combined juices. 
3. Strain the simple syrup and discard the basil leaves. Then mix the syrup with the juice. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours (or to speed up, put in the freezer for 1 hour.)
4. Pour the sorbet mixture into an electric ice cream maker. Turn on and mix for 20+ minutes, until the mixture reaches a “soft serve” consistency.
5. Eat immediately, or put in an airtight container and freeze.
6. After frozen, allow the sorbet to sit out for 10-15 minutes to soften before serving.

Makes approximately 1 ½ quarts of heaven!

*If you don't own an ice cream machine, you could freeze the mixture and shave it with a spoon for "Italian Ice."

Belgian Endive Salad with Orange

The following wonderfully healthy recipe comes from Angies Recipes a food blog based in Germany its a great way to start of the new year :-)



Dressing

• 50 g Plain yogurt
• 1 tbsp Walnut oil
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Honey
• 2/3 tbsp Red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Orange peel, finely grated
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad 

• 2 head Belgian endive
• 2 Oranges, peeled and sectioned
• 1/2 Avocado, peeled and cut into thin strips
• 10 Black olives, cut into rings
• 5 Grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 Small red onion, cut into thin strips

Method:

1. Whisk together plain yogurt, walnut oil, mustard, honey, and red wine vinegar until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until ready for use.
2. Cut the ends off endives, separating leaves. 
3. Arrange Belgian endive, orange sections and avocado slices in a serving bowl. Scatter with the olive rings, grape tomato halves, and onion strips. Drizzle the dressing over and serve with some bread.

Honeybells

Honeybell's are adored by many for their exceptional sweetness and juice. They are in fact a hybrid of an orange, grapefruit and tangerine made in the 1930's in Florida. Due to them being difficult to grow they are only available in January. 

Nearly all honeybells grow along the Indian river in Florida and growers are careful during harvesting as not to damage the bell shaped stem, the reason for their name.

Due to their juiciness its recommended to use a knife to slice segments over a plate and catch the juice. Here at the Orange Shop our grandfather used to joke that the only way to eat a honeybell is in the bathtub!

So why not start the new year with a delicious treat from Florida order your honeybells today.