Caramelized Orange Parfait Recipes

CARAMELIZED ORANGE PARFAIT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet.
• Slice of the top and bottom of the oranges using a serrated knife. Place the oranges, cut side down, on the cutting board and slice away the outer layer of skin and pith to just reveal the flesh. Cut the oranges into 1/2-inch-thick slices and then into quarters. Place the oranges in a bowl and add the turbinado sugar and orange liqueur; toss to coat. Arrange the oranges on the wire rack and transfer to the oven. Cook until the sugar has caramelized, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool, then sprinkle the oranges with the salt and pepper. Reserve to the side.
• Combine the heavy whipping cream and vanilla seeds in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until soft peaks form. Fold in the mascarpone and set aside.
• To assemble: Spoon a dollop of mascarpone whipped cream into 4 to 6 footed parfait glasses. Top with a layer of caramelized oranges. Repeat four more times, so there are five layers of whipped cream and oranges in each glass. Refrigerate the parfaits for 20 minutes to set up.
• Garnish each parfait with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of cinnamon, if using. Serve immediately.

FROMAGE BLANC PARFAITS WITH CITRUS FRUITS AND CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the parfaits, place the fromage blanc, mascarpone, almond paste, milk and sugar in a metal bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. Heat until the sugar and almond paste are dissolved, whisking occasionally.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1 tablespoon of water. Pass the cheese mixture through a strainer into another bowl. Add the gelatin and place back over the water, whisking just until gelatin dissolves. Let cool. Stir in the amaretto.
• Refrigerate the mixture until it is chilled and beginning to set; do not let it get firm. Whip the cream to soft peaks. Stir in 1/3 of the cheese mixture, then fold in the rest. Spoon into 6 1/2-cup ramekins. Refrigerate for several hours.
• To make the sauce, squeeze the juice from 4 of the blood oranges and all of the navel oranges. Set aside. Working over a bowl to collect any juice, use a paring knife to remove all the peel and pith from the mandarin oranges and the remaining blood oranges. Cut the sections out from between the membranes. Thinly slice the kumquats crosswise, removing any pits. Set aside.
• Combine the sugar, water and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to wash down any sugar on the side of the pan. Cook until the sugar turns a nice caramel color. Quickly remove from heat and carefully add the orange juices. Return the sauce to the heat and simmer until reduced to a syrupy consistency. Remove from heat and stir in the orange sections and kumquats. Set aside.
• To serve, dip the bottoms of the ramekins briefly in hot water. Run the tip of a small knife around the edge of the parfaits to loosen. Unmold onto 6 dessert plates. Spoon some of the sauce and fruit beside each one and serve immediately.

ALMOND NOUGAT PARFAIT WITH ORANGE COULIS

Steps:

• For caramelized almonds: Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place almonds on a baking sheet and warm in oven for 10 minutes.
• In a large sauté pan, combine sugar and 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a boil over high heat. When sugar has dissolved, add warm almonds and, stirring constantly, cook until sugar crystallizes. Continue to cook until sugar melts again and coats almonds. Remove from heat and turn almonds onto a clean work surface, separating almonds to avoid sticking. Allow to cool, then crush or roughly chop, setting aside 1/4 cup for garnish.
• For nougat parfait: Whisk heavy cream until stiff, and refrigerate until needed. Place egg whites in bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Place honey in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Whisk egg whites until they start to thicken, then slowly drizzle in the hot honey, gradually increasing speed of mixer until it is at full speed. Continue to whisk egg whites until they are very thick and completely cool (bowl will feel cool), about 4 minutes.
• Fold in crushed almonds (except those reserved for garnish) and diced orange candy. Gently fold in whipped cream until blended. Place mixture in a gallon sealable plastic bag with one corner cut off, and pipe it onto a baking sheet in large mounds like meringues. Alternatively, it may be placed in a pastry bag with a large plain tip and piped into 12 1 1/2-inch stainless steel cylinder molds. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours, before serving.
• For orange coulis: In a small saucepan, combine sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Over medium heat, cook until it becomes an amber caramel. Meanwhile, in a second small pan over low heat, gently heat orange juice. When sugar has reached correct color, remove from heat and slowly add orange juice. Return to heat and cook to dissolve any hardened bits of sugar. Continue to reduce until slightly thickened, then remove from heat and allow to cool.
• To serve, if using molds, warm each mold with your hands to release it and place two unmolded parfaits on each plate. If using meringue-shaped parfaits, place two or three (depending on size and quantity) on each plate. Drizzle orange coulis around each plate, and sprinkle with reserved caramelized almonds.

CARAMELIZED ORANGES

Steps:

• Squeeze enough juice from 3 oranges to measure 1 cup.
• Bring sugar and water to a boil in a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, without stirring but washing down any sugar crystals with a pastry brush dipped in cold water, until syrup around edges begins to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes. Tilt pan and carefully add orange juice (caramel will harden and vigorously steam). Simmer, stirring, until caramel is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes.
• Cut peel, including all white pith, from remaining 6 oranges with a sharp paring knife and cut each orange crosswise into thirds.
• Heat one third of butter (1 teaspoon) in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté 6 orange slices until golden, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate. Sauté remaining orange slices in butter in same manner, wiping out skillet between batches if necessary. Return all orange slices to skillet along with caramel sauce and cook over moderate heat until heated through, about 1 minute.

CARAMELIZED ORANGES

Steps:

• Place cold water in a heavy-based saucepan, add the sugar and bring SLOWLY to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
• (The sugar must be completely dissolved before the liquid boils.) Once the sugar is boiling, DO NOT STIR.
• Continue to boil.
• Use a pastry-brush dipped in water to wash down any sugar crystals forming on the sides of the pan, until the sugar is a rich, dark, caramel colour.
• Remove from heat and CAREFULLY add the warm water to the caramel WHICH WILL SPIT AND SPLUTTER!
• Return pan to the heat and continue stirring to dissolve the caramel in the water.
• Set aside to cool.
• Peel all the oranges, setting the peel of one aside.
• (Remove as much of the white pith as possible.) Place the peeled oranges in a bowl and pour over the caramel sauce, gently turning the fruit to cover each with sauce.
• Chill well.
• Cut the served peel into matchstick-sized pieces and cook until tender in boiling water.
• Refresh in cold water and drain.
• Sprinkle half the cooked zest over the oranges in the bowl and stir.
• Serve each chilled orange with the sauce and garnish with additional zest.
• Serves 6.