4 December 2011

ORANGES WITH ORANGE TUILES

Oranges in Caramel Syrup * 6 New Zealand oranges * 1 cup sugar * ½ cup water * 1 cup boiling water

Peel the oranges with a sharp knife so that all the white pith is removed from the fruit. Slice each orange into about 5-6 slices and place in a glass bowl. Take a heavy based pan and add the sugar. Stir in the ½ cup of water so the sugar becomes ‘wet.’ Put the pan over a gentle heat and allow the sugar to completely melt before the sugar reaches boiling point. Be sure to wash down any crystals that cling to the inside of the pan. Simmer the melted sugar, watching as it becomes dense with bubbles. The edges will start to caramelise so shake the pan gently and swirl it around so the sugar caramelises evenly across the pan. When it reaches the colour of golden syrup, take it from the heat and tip in the extra cup of water. (It will be extremely hot so take the utmost care to protect your arms, the cat and the children.) Allow the caramel syrup to cool a little before tipping over the orange slices. Serves 6.

These beautiful tuiles, similar to brandy snaps are buttery and crisp and can be kept for a day or two in an airtight container. If you want them to be curved, place them over a rolling pin at exactly the point they begin to cool and set. This recipe is adjusted from the book ‘Desserts by Pierre Hermé’ by Dorie Greenspan.

Pierre Hermé’s orange tuiles

• Grated zest of 1 orange
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tbsps flour
• 2 ½ tbsps freshly squeezed orange juice
• 7 tbsps unsalted butter, melted

Put the orange zest and sugar in a bowl and rub them together between your fingers until the sugar is moist, grainy and aromatic. Add the remaining ingredients one by one, mixing them in with a rubber spatula. Cover the bowl with glad wrap pushed down onto the dough. Refrigerate overnight. To bake, set the oven to 150ºC. Take a sheet of baking paper and spread it out on a baking tray. Drop ½ teaspoonful of dough onto the baking paper, making about 9 dollops across the sheet, about 12cms between each dollop. Bake for about 14-16 minutes during which time the tuiles will spread and bubble to form a honeycomb pattern. They are cooked when they are golden brown and should be removed from the baking sheet within one minute. Using a flat metal spatula, work the blade under each tuile and lift it onto another sheet of baking paper. They are very fragile. (Don’t put them on a rack, or they will stick to the rack.) Repeat the process with a second baking sheet. Makes about 18-20. Recipe by Lauraine Jacobs Pic Elizabeth Clarkson