Food Librarian

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

California Citrus Rocks! Tart

If we were face-to-face, I would look you straight in the eye, get all serious and say:

"I have something to tell you.
{pause for emphasis here}
California. Citrus. Rocks."

I'm not kidding.

I went to the Studio City Farmers Market last weekend and picked up a bunch of citrus to make this Ode to California Citrus tart!

The Oranges:
Navel (front right big one)
Cara Cara (behind the blood)
Tangelo (funky top, back left)
Blood (middle front, reddish skin)

Clementine (note to self: not fun to section a little itty bitty Clementine tangerine!)

Outside alternates between the navel and pinkish Cara Cara orange. Next circle is tangelos and blood followed by those little tiny sectioned clementines.

Isn't the blood orange awesome!?

I made Dorie Greenspan's Sweet Tart (fully baked) and Ina Garten's Pastry Cream (I skipped the liquor and added the zest of one navel orange)

The pastry cream was a bit too soft so it oozed when sliced; next time I might make little tarts or figure out a way to make the cream more solid (cook it more?)

I glazed the tart with a bit of simple syrup to add a bit more sweetness and shine. I think I can skip that next time or use a warmed marmalade.

Recipes:
Cafe Johnsonia has great step-by-step photos to make Dorie Greenspan's Sweet Tart Dough. Ina's Pastry Cream recipe is on the Food Network's website.

This is a delicious dose of Vitamin C in a tart shell! My co-workers liked this a lot and I was really pleased with the combo of fresh citrus and well, lotsa butter and eggs! Caroline said it was like eating an orange creamsicle! :)

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Barefoot Contessa's Blood Orange Chocolate Chunk Bundt Cake

Blood oranges.
Seriously pretty citrus.

I took Ina's recipe for her Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake and used blood oranges instead. Here's the recipe.

I don't think I greased my pan very well...a bunch of chips stuck!

After baking, a mixture of orange juice and sugar is heated and brushed/poured over the cake.

When cooled, a ganache of semi-sweet chips, heavy cream and instant coffee (I used instant espresso powder) is poured on top.

I heart Ina Garten.
And her cake!

From Barefoot Contessa Parties! book (2001). You can find the recipe for the Bundt cake here or the mini-cakes here (this recipe from the Food Network is basically 1/2 the Bundt cake recipe).