Orange cup cake with Orange cream frosting

 

Last week my niece was in town so, decided to make these orange cupcakes. Instead of baking a “typical” cup cake, thought of enhancing the cake by adding orange flavor to the cake as well to its frosting. 

The Orange cup cake turned out pretty good in terms of taste, soft and moist texture with mild flavor. This cake can be extended as a full size cake with fully coated frosting and topped with loads of orange pulp (juice vesicles) as an Orange fruit cake. 

Ingredients for the cake    –      1 cup of all purpose flour and remove 2 tbsp of flour   ;  2 tbsp of corn flour      ;    1 egg     ;    1/2 cup of sugar    ;      1/8 cup of milk     ;   ½ tsp of baking powder     ;       1/4 cup of orange juice & zest of orange    ;     60 gms of butter melted      ;      salt a pinch 

Ingredients for the Frosting     –     1 cup of heavy cream       ;       1 tsp of icing sugar          ;     orange zest     ;    ¼ cup of orange juice      ;    ½ tbsp of corn syrup   ;     ½ tsp of gelatin powder 

Procedure for Cupcakes: whisk together flour, corn flour, salt and baking powder set aside.   Mix milk, orange juice and melted butter keep aside.

In a medium bowl, beat egg and sugar till the sugar completely dissolve. Add flour mixture to the egg-sugar mixture and continue to beat. Keep adding the Milk-juice-butter mixture little by little and beat well until all combine to get a batter consistency.

Scope the batter into muffin tray (prepared with paper liners) Bake for 15-20 minutes in the 180 °c Preheat oven. Allow to cool to room temperature. 

For frosting, in a small bowl mix gelatin powder and water, keep aside. In saucepan heat the orange juice, corn syrup. Add the gelatin mixture into it and mix well. Continue on the low flame, until it become thick. Remove the pan from heat and allow it to cool.

Beat the heavy cream with icing sugar and orange zest until it forms soft peak. Add gelatin-juice mixture and continue to beat again till it become light and fluffy.

Using the piping bag frost the cupcake. (Make sure cupcakes are completely cooled before piping the frosting)  

An Orange & Cinnamon Swirl Bread

An Orange & Cinnamon Swirl Bread is this month challenge at We Knead To Bake #27.  The original recipe is from book 500 breads by Carol Beckerman.

It’s a simple American sweet bread. The uniqueness is its aroma. Yes, the orange and cinnamon combination is superb! Apart from its aroma, the bread dough is rolled with apricot preserve and baked to get the swirl effect. As usual, I go with all purpose & wheat flour combination. 

Ingredients:   1 cup of all purpose flour     ;     ¾ cup of whole wheat flour       ;       ½ tsp of sugar     ;   ¼ cup of brown sugar     ;     1/3 cup of warm water       ;      ¾ tsp of instant yeast      ;      1 tsp salt      ;       1 egg     ;       ½ orange juice & finely grated zest          ;         2 ½ tbsp. of apricot preserves        ;       1/2 tbsp of cinnamon    ;     oil for greasing

Procedure :  Dissolve ½  tsp sugar in the warm water and sprinkle the yeast and Leave it for 10 to 15 minutes till frothy.

In a bowl, mix together the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt. Add the (liquid) yeast mixture, eggs, Orange juice and the orange zest and combine well to form firm dough.

Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 10 minutes until it become smooth and elastic. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and coat the dough with oil and cover the bowl with damp cloth and leave it for 90 minutes or until doubled in size.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and punch down def°late and Knead again for a few minutes until the dough feels firm. Roll into to 3” x 12” rectangles.

Spread each rectangle with apricot preserves and sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar. Roll up each triangle like a jelly roll and place in the loaf tins and cover the loaf tin with damp cloth and leave it for about 30 minutes or until double in size.

Transfer the loaf tin into a 200°C pre-heated the oven and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the bottom of the loaves make a hollow sound when tapped. Transfer the bread on the wire rack and allow it to cool.

I am sure Orange & Cinnamon Swirl Bread won’t disappoint you!

Gibassier (Orange Flavored French Loaf)

Gibassier - Orange Flavored French Loaf, baked for We Knead To Bake #19

Gibassier dough is fermented by new Ingredient called “Biga”.   Biga used (predominantly) for fermentation process. Though, it time consuming process it’s add flavor and texture. 

“Biga” is a type of pre-fermentation widely used in Italian baking. Apart from the flavor and texture, it also helps to preserve bread by making it less perishable.

 

“Biga” need to make the previous night of the baking of (any) this bread. 

Gibassier recipe is adopted from from CirilHitz’s Baking Artisan Pastries and Breads.

 Ingredients for the Biga:  1 1/2 cups of bread flour   ;  1/2 cup of milk   ;  1/16 tsp of instant yeast

Ingredients for the Dough:  2 eggs   ;   1/4 cup of  olive oil    ;  1/8 cup of  orange juice  ;   3 1/4 cups of bread flour   ;  All the pre-ferment / Biga made from above    ;  1/2 cup  of granulated sugar    ;   3/4 tsp of salt    ;    1 3/4 tsp  of  instant yeast  ;   75 gm butter   ;   1/2 cup  of dried apricots  ;  1tsp  of orange zest 

Ingredients for Glazing and Dusting the Gibassier :  1/3 cup to 1/2 cup clarified butter (ghee)    ;   Vanilla sugar or castor sugar

 The Process:  The pre-ferment has to be made the evening / night before the Gibassier are baked. So the previous night, mix together the ingredients for the pre-ferment into smooth dough. Add a little more milk if your dough is too stiff.

Scrape the dough into an oiled bowl and cover loosely and keep at room temperature, for about to 16 hours. By this time the dough should have risen and have a fermented look.

The next morning, make the dough for the Gibassier. Using a kitchen Aid /  food processor, mix the eggs, olive oil and  orange juice. 

Add the pre-ferment (in small portions), flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and knead until the dough is smooth. Now add the butter in chunks and knead until the butter is incorporated into the dough before adding the next chunk. Knead well until the dough is soft. 

Add the chopped apricots, and the zest and knead till incorporated. Shape the dough into a round and place in a well-oiled bowl turning it to coat well. Cover loosely and allow the dough to double in volume. (may take up to 90 – 120 minutes) 

Turn the dough out onto your working surface. Divide it into 12 equal portions, shape each into a round and let the dough rest for about 15 to 20 minutes. Then shape and flatten each round into a semi-circle or oval.  

Make three cuts in the semi-circle, one in the centre and two on either side of this cut from the straight edge to the arch of the semi-circle by pushing your implement straight into the dough. Make sure the cuts open up into neat slits. by using scissors, make 4 snips along the arched side at equal distance.

Lift the Gibassier dough and transfer it to a parchment lined baking sheet making sure to stretch it a little so the cuts open up well and the slits also spread a bit. Repeat with all the balls of dough, and let the shaped dough rise for about 30 to 45 minutes till a little puffy.

Then bake them in a pre heated oven at 180ºC (350ºF) for about 10 to 15 minutes till they turn a golden brown on top.

Take the Gibassier out of the oven and brush them (while hot) with clarified butter/ ghee.  Sprinkle with sugar vanilla sugar or castor sugar. Then let them cool on a rack.

Serve them slightly warm coffee or tea. 

My family enjoyed thoroughly the Gibassier, for the weekend breakfast. It has a great flavor and sponginess………… Simply superb.