L’ORANGE – Orange, Chocolate and Almond Cake Recipe

Recipe for L’Orange adapted from Fran Bigelow’s “Pure Chocolate”.

Ingredients

• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I used Valrhona Guanaja)
• 2 oranges, preferably organic
• 1+1/2 sticks (12 tbsp) butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1+2/3 cups (6+2/3 ounces) almond flour
• 2 tbsp cocoa, sifted
• 1+1/3 cups lacquer chocolate glaze (recipe below)

Method

1. Prepare the lacquer chocolate glaze (recipe below) and set aside (it takes an hour to cool down) while you prepare the cake.
2. Preheat your oven to 300F.
3. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan, line bottom with parchment paper and set aside.
4. In a double boiler melt chocolate over low heat, remove from heat and stir with a spatula until smooth.
5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat sugar and butter on high speed for a minute.
6. Finely grate the zest of two oranges directly into the bowl (so that all the fragrant oils are captured) and beat on high speed until light in color, for 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
7. Add the eggs, one by one, beating until well mixed after each addition.
8. Add the melted chocolate and beat on medium speed for a minute until you have a smooth batter.
9. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in the almond flour and cocoa with a spatula.
10. Evenly spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, until puffed and domed in the center with a slight fracture 1 inch from the rim. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out with few moist crumbs. Allow to cool to room temperature for 20 minutes.
11. Place a cardboard circle or tart bottom on top of the cake and lightly press to even out the surface. Invert the cake and place on a cooling rack set over a large, rimmed baking sheet (you can also use a long double layer of wide heavy-duty aluminum foil) to catch the glaze.
12. Remove parchment paper and have ready the lacquer chocolate glaze.
13. Pour the glaze in an even circular motion on top, starting with the sides, allowing it to cascade over and coat them completely. Start pouring in the middle and as the glaze starts going down the sides, pour the glaze about an inch from the edge to help cover the sides evenly. Reapply glaze as needed. 1+1/3 cups of glaze is enough to cover the cake in a single shot, but you can use the glaze accumulated in the baking sheet if needed.
14. Allow the cake to sit for about half an hour until the glaze stops dripping, then move the cake to a serving plate.
15. Allow the glaze to set for 4 hours. It can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature and will keep fresh for two days. If you plan on refrigerating the cake, it will keep fresh for 5 days in an airtight container, but make sure to bring it to room temperature before serving for fullest flavor by taking it out of the refrigerator 2 hours beforehand (and a brief wave of a hair dryer set on low heat will bring the shine back).

LACQUER GLAZE RECIPE

Recipe from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s “Rose’s Heavenly Cakes”.

Ingredients

Makes 1+1/3 cups

• 1/4 cup cold water
• 2 tsp powdered gelatin
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp corn syrup
• 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp cocoa powder (I used Valrhona)
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Method

1. Pour 1/4 cup cold water in a small mixing bowl, sprinkle gelatin over the top, give it a stir, cover with plastic and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, whisk together sugar and 1/3 cup water over medium heat. When the sugar completely melts, take off heat and with the help of a wire whisk, stir in corn syrup, followed by the cocoa. You’ll have a smooth and glossy mixture.
3. Stir in heavy cream with a spatula and return pan to medium heat. Bring the mixture to the boiling point, remove from heat and strain into a metal bowl. Cool until an instant-read thermometer reads 122 – 140 F, for about 15 minutes.
4. Stir in softened gelatin until completely dissolved.
5. Strain the glaze into a bowl and let cool until an instant-read thermometer registers 80F (best temperature to glaze the cake; if you’re making this ahead, make sure to reheat to 85 F as it will be thicker). The recipe says this will happen in a few minutes, but it took an hour for the glaze to cool down to 80F (and I’ve made it twice so far).