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Orange and chocolate are one of those perfect combinations…like wine and cheese, or pears and cheese, lemon and chicken…Chocolate *obviously* is fantastic on it’s own, but man, when you add that extra little zing of orange, it just elevates it to new levels.  As the site’s one year anniversary approached, I wondered what would be the perfect recipe to celebrate with?  I toyed with a drink recipe, cakes, some really decadent main…nothing really jumped out at me.  After the site crash last week (which still is not fully resolved, btw…I still have to edit a gazillion posts wraught with Â’s and gobbledy gook. ), I was rather uninspired…I huddled around my bowls of soup and or plates of mashed potatoes like someone was going to take them away.  What can I say…soup and mashed potatoes are comforting to the heart as well as the tummy. lol  Finally I decided that I would do a chocolate mousse.  But, I thought, it’s got to be the best damned mousse ever.  I’ve got to add some orange in there, and some booze! :lol: The last mousse recipe I tried was excellent, though a bit too involved for everyday.  This recipe, folks is easy enough for a weekday (it only takes about 10 minutes to make), and you’ll have enough to last for at least a few days of delicious desserts—more if you freeze some into mousse pops.  And!? Since this particular recipe has booze in it?  It’s alllllll for you.  The kids will have to sit this one out. (You *can* omit the Cointreau for the kids of course, and just up the water a tad, but it’s more fun this way. ) This is grown up mousse.  Mom and Dad mousse.  Perfect mousse.  See?  Wanna bite?

I perused the internet to find a recipe that was simple and quick, yet used quality ingredients, and found the perfect starting point posted by Debra47 at Group Recipes.  I adapted her recipe to make the one I had in my mind.  If you like chocolate and you like oranges?  You are going to love this, guys. This is what I have left:

 

First of all, the ingredients:

Ingredients:

6 ounces (150 grams) Lindt Dark chocolate infused with orange essence and orange zest (or a high quality dark chocolate and a bit of orange essence and orange zest)
3 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons Cointreau or Grand Marnier
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup demerara sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation:
 
Break up the chocolate bar and place in a microwave safe bowl.
Melt chocolate for about 20-30 seconds (watch this carefully, you don’t want to burn it).
Add egg yolks and beat to combine.

Add water and Cointreau and beat to combine.
Set aside.
Beat egg whites and salt on high speed until soft peaks form.

Add sugar and cinnamon and beat to combine.
Fold chocolate mixture into egg white mixture.

Refrigerate several hours or overnight.
Serve with freshly whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Mousse de Chocolate y Naranja en español:

Ingredientes:

150 gramos de chocolate Lindt de Naranja
3 huevos, separados
2 cucharadas agua
2 cucharadas Cointreau o Gran Marnier
pizca de sal
6 cucharadas azúcar demerara (azúcar moreno)
1 cucharadita de canela molida

Elaboración: 

En un bol apto para el microondas, derretir el chocolate–ten cuidado a no quemarlo!
Añadir las yemas y batir hasta que estén incorporadas.
Añadir el agua y el Cointreau y mezclar bien.
Batir las claras con la sal a punto de nieve.
Añadir el azúcar y la canela y batir hasta que la mezcla esté homogénea.
Añadir el chocolate, mezclando con cuidado.
Dejar en la nevera durante varias horas, o de un día para otro.
Servir con nata montada y un pizquito de canela.

 

We’re gearing up for a chilly, windy and rainy day today…the perfect weather for hot chocolate!  Spanish hot chocolate is a wonderful variation of this delicious winter standby.  Delicate hints of orange and cinnamon grace the silky smooth chocolate.  Typically, Spanish hot chocolate is thickened with cornstarch, but my version is not.  If you’d like, near the end of simmering just add a cornstarch slurry of 1 teaspoon cornstarch to 1 tablespoon water and stir in until thickened.  Warm up your insides this winter and give this one a try, I bet you’ll love it!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups whole milk
zest from one orange (I used a clementine)
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon best quality cocoa powder

Preparation:

In a small saucepan, bring all ingredients except chocolate up to the boiling point, then reduce heat to a simmer.
Allow to simmer about 10-15 minutes to allow the orange and cinnamon to infuse the milk.
Add chocolate powder and whisk to combine.
Serve.

It’s the holiday season already!  Can you believe it?  I put up the tree, and some decorations….Of course we had to have something baking in the oven to go along with the Christmas vibe.  Lovely orange and cinnamon flavors together….it reminded me of Christmas potpourri. Along with the tree, an apple cinnamon candle burning and the cookies in the oven….it really felt festive.  Except that we have no snow. And it’s not freezing outside.  (hehehe *insert evil cackle here*)  Though even *I* will admit that I miss the snow on Christmas.  But just the 2 days…the rest of the time, I am perfectly content without the cold, ice, snow and slush.  Anyway, back on topic: Cookies!  I’m hoping to put up a new cookie recipe every day for the next few days. I want to share my cookie tray with all of you, and hopefully give you some ideas for your own holiday sweets this year. Tried and true, I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 cup shortening (I used plain, but I think butter flavored would be good too)
1 egg (size large)
2 teaspoons vanilla
zest from one orange
1/4 cup orange juice (from the orange we zested)
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
cinnamon sugar (about 1/3 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons cinnamon)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350º F (160º C).
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Beat 1 cup sugar with the shortening, egg, vanilla and orange zest.
Add the orange juice, flour, soda and salt and stir until well combined.
Shape dough into walnut sized balls.
Roll in cinnamon sugar and press onto prepared cookie sheets with a glass dipped in cinnamon sugar.
Bake 10-15 minutes–until lightly golden.
*This recipe makes about 4-5 dozen cookies