Valentine's Day ~ Sinful Orange Burst & Chocolate Ganache Cake

My older son always gets the coolest cakes on his birthday.

Since his birthday falls in the vicinity of Valentine's day, invariably, we roll the dessert into one. And yes, this poses it's own challenges - not only must the dessert be chocolate, it must have all the sophistication of a Valentine's treat and all of the yumminess to turn little boys giddy with excitement.

When it comes to turning grown men, women and little boys and girls giddy with excitement, few things hit the spot like the combination of orange and chocolate. For me this fascination began young - right about the time I learned to smack that orange globe hard on the ground so it falls apart to reveal chocolaty orange segments. Please tell me you know that of which I speak?

For those of you who claim indifference to the combination of orange and chocolate, I have only this to ask - are we speaking of the same thing? And are you sure you've actually tasted said combination?

No brain-er people, this right here is a gateway to all things sinfully delicious. (What else you do with ganache, is entirely up to you....)

And now that we've got food for the belly and senses out of the way, this Valentine's day let me leave you with Lord Byron, a famously romantic poet -

'Be thou the rainbow in the storms of life. The evening beam that smiles the clouds away, and tints tomorrow with prophetic ray.'

And here's my two cents worth -

We are not here on Earth only to achieve things. Nor are we here to be solely efficient. We are here to experience, to share and to celebrate happiness. Let's remember that this week and then look at the people we are closest to.

Despite their (and our) faults or failings, aren't we lucky to know them?

~OH WAIT! JUST A MINUTE~

I’m THRILLED that thanks to Sommer at A Spicy Perspective, I will be a co-host on an online cooking class through themotherhood.com on Wednesday, February 16th at 1 pm EST.

Please mark your calendars and check out their website for more information!

Pre-heat the oven to 350 deg F.

For this 2-layer cake gather the following ingredients -

Cake - softened unsalted butter, white sugar, semi-sweetened chocolate chips, vanilla extract, eggs, cake flour, baking powder, salt, small navel oranges, sour cream

Ganache - heavy cream, fine-quality semi-sweet chocolate chips, unsalted butter, small navel oranges, Grand Marnier liqueur

Candied Oranges - small navel oranges, white sugar, water and a mandolin for slicing. Also additional sugar if you choose to toss the orange slices in a sugar coating.

Begin by placing the chocolate and butter in a microwave-proof bowl in the microwave on Medium- 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes.

Stir the chocolate to melt all the chips and set aside to cool.

Oranges - Using a zester, zest the oranges and then squeeze the juice from the same oranges. Set aside.

In a bowl, place the butter and the sugar. Best for a few minutes till it is creamy and smooth. Use a electric stand mixer or a hand immersion stick blender

Crack the egg one at a time, discard shell and add to the butter. Combine each egg before adding the next one. Stir in the orange zest.

To the cooled and melted chocolate, add the sour cream, orange juice and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.

Add this chocolate mixture to the creamed butter mixture and fold in.

Sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour to the chocolate mixture in batches and fold until well combined but do not over work the batter.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Line 2 qty 8" non-stick cake pans with parchment paper. Also grease the sides with non-stick baking spray. Pour into the cake pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for a few minutes.

Once the cakes have cooled slightly, run a butter knife along the edges of the cake pans and remove the cakes to a baking rack to cool completely. Leave alone for a couple of hours if possible.

Cook's Note- You can also wrap the cakes in palstic wrap and set aside for use the next day.

A minimum of 1 hour before assembling the cakes, begin preparing the Ganache -

Using a zester, zest oranges for the ganache and place in a mixing bowl along with the chocolate chips.

In a sauce pan, bring the cream to a boil.

Add the hot cream to the chocolate chips and stir to combine. Set aside to cool for a few minutes and then add the Grand Marnier liqueur.

Chill in the ganache in the refrigerator for about 40 minutes to allow it to thicken.

While the Ganache is chilling prepare the Candied Orange slices -

Using a mandolin on its thickest setting (about 1/16th" thick slices) slice the small navel oranges. Discard any pithy pieces and end pieces.

Place the orange slices in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and sieve, discarding the water. This is essential to remove bitterness from the pith.

Return the orange slices to the saucepan along with sugar and water (retain the orange liquid in the refrigerator for use in delicious ice tea or desserts)

Simmer on medium-high heat for about 20 minutes until the orange slices are transluscent but still hold their shape.

Gentle remove the slices and cool completely on a baking tray for about 20-30 minutes. Once cooled, you can futher coat them with sugar. To do this turn each orange slice one at a time in each side in a bowl of sugar. Lay flat in a single layer on a dry baking tray till ready to use.

Assembling the Cake -

If your cakes have a slight dome (like mine do) then using a bread knife, cut the domes off so both the cakes are of an even thickness. Retain the cut cake (for tastings) and for levelling out any dips or uneven areas as you are plastering on the ganache.

Place one of the cakes on a piece of parchment paper - cut side up.

Next to you place the bowl of chilled ganache, a bowl of hot water, kitchen paper towels and a clean spatula knife.

Apply a thick blob of the ganache on the spatula knife and smear a layer onto the top of the cake leaving a 1/4" rim to prevent the ganache overflowing when you press down the 2nd layer of the cake.

Place the 2nd cake - bottom side UP - onto the cake. Turn the cake around to make sure that both cakes have completely lined up on all sides.

Clean the spatula knife in the bowl of hot water and dry with the kitchen paper towel.

Apply a thick blob of the ganache on the spatula knife and smear a thick layer onto the sides first using the spatula knife.

Cook's Note - Keep cleaning and wiping the spatula knife as needed so you are always working with a smooth surface.

Then liberally apply all of the remaining ganache to the top of the cake. Apply the ganache in a radial fashion - from the center towards the edges.

Using the cleaned and dry spatula knife, keep turning the cake and running the knife around the sides to remove any excess a ganache. Keep smearing the excess ganache off onto the side of the bowl and alternate cleaning and evening out the sides of the cake until the sides are as smooth as possible.

If you end up with any bare spots, use your finger any apply some of the extra ganache on the side of the bowl to cover the spots and once again even out with the spatula knife.

Finally, work the top of the cake, once again from the center towards the edges, rotating the cake as you work so to keep the knife lines on the ganache to a minimum.

Cook's Note - A clean, dry spatula knife is essential to this process. The hot water also helps make the chilled ganache more pliable during the plastering process.

All in all, this is very much like what brick masons do while they cement and plaster bricks!

Very carefully, using 2 flat spatulas on each end transfer the cake to a serving platter. Smooth out any rough edges especially towards the bottom.

Using the orange slices, folding them as you go, in a circular pattern arange the slices around the center of the cake to create a flower pattern.

Cook's Note - Do a pattern on a baking tray to get a feel for it and also to determine what size of circle you end up with so you can get a feel for where it will sit on the cake. This will minimize smudgy messes on the final presentation.

Chill till ready to serve. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving so the ganache is creamy instead of hard and cold.

Delicious! This is a cake at it's chocolaty-orange finest.

The texture of the cake is wonderfully soft and spongy without being overly moist. The ganache is in one word - exquisite - and I have no doubt I'll be using it in many other concoctions. The orange slices are a wonderful (grown-up) garnish.

Luscious and dreamy, what a Valentine's day treat!

Recipe for

Valentine's Day ~ Sinful Orange Burst & Chocolate Ganache Cake

The cake recipe has been adapted from Nigella Lawson's Flourless Chocolate Orange cake. The ganache recipe has been adapted from a basic ganache recipe from Bon Appetit.

Preparation time - 2 hours

Chilling time - 1-1/2 hours

Baking time - 35 minutes

Shopping List

For Cake -

2 sticks – 8 oz butter

1 cup sugar (+ 1/3 cup if you like your cake very sweet)

6 ounces semi sweet chocolate (or chips)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

5 eggs

2-1/3 cups cake flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Juice of 3 small navel oranges – approx. ½ cup

½ cup sour cream

Zest of 3 small navel oranges – approx. 1 tbs

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

For ganache-

1-1/2 cup heavy cream

12 oz ounces fine-quality semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Zest of 2 small navel oranges – approx. 3/4 tbs

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or Cointreau orange-flavored liqueur

For Candied Oranges-

3 small navel oranges,

3/4 cup sugar,

3/4 cup water

Additional water to boil orange slices & discard water

Preparation -

Oranges for the cake - Using a zester, zest the oranges and then squeeze the juice from the same oranges. Set aside.

Oranges for the ganache- Using a zester, zest the oranges & set aside.

Method -

Pre-heat the oven to 350 deg F.

For this 2-layer cake gather the following ingredients -

Cake - softened unsalted butter, white sugar, semi-sweetened chocolate chips, vanilla extract, eggs, cake flour, baking powder, salt, small navel oranges, sour cream

Ganache - heavy cream, fine-quality semi-sweet chocolate chips, unsalted butter, small navel oranges, Grand Marnier liqueur

Candied Oranges - small navel oranges, white sugar, water and a mandolin for slicing. Also additional sugar if you choose to toss the orange slices in a sugar coating.

Begin by placing the chocolate and butter in a microwave-proof bowl in the microwave on Medium- 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes.

Stir the chocolate to melt all the chips and set aside to cool.

In a bowl, place the butter and the sugar. Best for a few minutes till it is creamy and smooth. Use a electric stand mixer or a hand immersion stick blender .

Crack the egg one at a time, discard shell and add to the butter. Combine each egg before adding the next one. Stir in the orange zest.

To the cooled and melted chocolate, add the sour cream, orange juice and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.

Add this chocolate mixture to the creamed butter mixture and fold in.

Sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour to the chocolate mixture in batches and fold until well combined but do not over work the batter.

Stir in the chocolate chips.Line 2 qty 8" non-stick cake pans with parchment paper. Also grease the sides with non-stick baking spray. Pour into the cake pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for a few minutes.

Once the cakes have cooled slightly, run a butter knife along the edges of the cake pans and remove the cakes to a baking rack to cool completely. Leave alone for a couple of hours if possible.

Cook's Note - You can also wrap the cakes in plastic wrap and set aside for use the next day.