A Citrus Christmas
Published December 24, 2021
There's no better time than now to bring back the tradition of the Christmas orange and brighten up the holidays with a sampling of citrus infused indulgences. Merry holidays from my home to yours.
Cinnamon Citrus Pull-apart Wreath Bread
A perfect Christmas morning breakfast - serve warm with a side of maple syrup for dipping. It’s sweet, cinnamony, and extra delicious. This bread is melt in your mouth good…and sure to be a crowd pleaser.
Recipe adapted from Half Baked Harvest:
3/4 cup warm milk
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
4 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
3 large eggs
Zest of 1 naval orange
3 1/2-4 cups all-purpose four
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter, at room temperature
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the milk, yeast, and honey. Let sit 5-10 minutes, until bubbly on top. Add 4 tablespoons butter, eggs, orange zest, 3 1/2 cups flour, and salt. Using the dough hook, mix until the flour is completely incorporated, about 4-5 minutes. If the dough is still sticky, add the additional 1/2 cup flour, adding more as needed until the dough is smooth to touch. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Meanwhile, mix the filling. In a bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Butter an 8" tube pan. Transfer the dough to a work surface and cut into 4 equal pieces. Working with 1 dough piece at a time, on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle (roughly 14x10 inches). Spread 2 tablespoons butter over the dough, then sprinkle with 1/4 cup cinnamon sugar. Cut the dough lengthwise into 3 strips. Cut the strips crosswise into 4 strips each, making 12 squares. Stack all 12 dough squares, 1 on top of the other. Repeat with the remaining 3 dough pieces and remaining butter. Arrange stacks in the buttered tube pan, standing up like little books, allowing gaps between dough pieces. Cover the pan with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until the dough almost reaches the top, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake until the bread is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Let stand in the pan 5 minutes, then carefully remove. Serve warm with a side of warmed syrup.
The Bright and Merry
Serve up some merry cocktails full of the brightness of the season! For a mocktail: swap the gin and champagne for chilled seltzer. Cheers to a bright and merry Christmas!
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup dried cranberries, crushed
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 inch piece peeled ginger
Ice
6 oz fresh orange juice
4 oz gin
Chilled brut Champagne or Prosecco, for topping
Combine sugar, ginger, cranberries and cinnamon sticks along with 1/2 cup water to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and steep for 1 hour. Pour syrup through fine mesh sieve into a small bowl, pressing on solids. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add orange juice, gin and infused syrup. Shake well. Distribute evenly into 8 Champagne flutes and top with Champagne.
Citrus Christmas Cassata
A spectacular holiday dessert bursting with citrus infused ricotta and chocolate. Not to mention, a bright and beautiful addition to your holiday tablescape.
Recipe adapted from Food & Wine:
For the Cake:
Cooking spray
2 cups all-purpose flour (about 8 1/2 ounces)
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/3 cups packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter (4 ounces), softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Zest of 1 naval orange
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms with parchment paper, and set aside. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir in salt.
Place brown sugar, butter, and mayonnaise in bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until fully incorporated after each addition. Stir in vanilla and orange zest. With mixer running on low speed, add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat until just incorporated after each addition. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans.
Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 16 to 20 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, and let cool completely on racks, about 1 hour.
For the Frosting:
6 ounces 100% cacao unsweetened chocolate, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
3 ounces 60–65% cacao bittersweet chocolate, chopped (3/4 cup)
3/4 cup unsalted butter (6 ounces)
3 cups powdered sugar (about 12 ounces)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium. Combine unsweetened chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, and butter in a medium-size heatproof bowl. Place bowl over simmering water, ensuring base of bowl does not touch simmering water. Cook, stirring often, until mixture is melted and smooth, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.
Combine powdered sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla in bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on low speed until smooth, about 1 minute. With mixer running on low speed, gradually add cooled chocolate mixture, beating until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Set frosting aside, uncovered, and let stand, stirring occasionally, until completely cool, 1 to 2 hours. (Frosting should thicken as it cools. Do not chill.)
For the Ricotta Filling:
32 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese, weighted and drained overnight
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Stir together ricotta, powdered sugar, orange zest, and vanilla bean seeds. (Mixture should be very thick and hold its shape when scooped.) Cover and chill until ready to use.
Place 1 cake layer on a cake board. Spoon half of the ricotta filling (about 1 1/2 cups) over top of cake layer, spreading to leave a 1/2-inch border around edges. Top with a second cake layer; spread remaining ricotta filling to leave a 1/2-inch border around edges. Top with remaining cake layer. Stir buttermilk- chocolate frosting until smooth; spread a thin layer (about 2 1/2 cups) on top and sides of cake to seal in any crumbs and fill gaps between layers to encase filling. Chill cake, uncovered, until frosting is hardened, about 30 minutes. Spread top and sides of cake with a thick layer of remaining buttermilk-chocolate frosting, smoothing frosting with a bench scraper. Chill cake until frosting is firm and cold, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
For the Chocolate Ganache:
8 ounces 60–65% cacao bittersweet baking chocolate (such as Valrhona), chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Combine bittersweet chocolate and butter in a 4-cup glass measuring cup with a spout; set aside. Bring cream and corn syrup to a low simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low. Pour cream mixture over chocolate mixture, and let stand 2 minutes. Stir glaze with a spatula until completely smooth; let stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until cooled to 100°F to 105°F, 4 to 10 minutes. (It should be pourable and fluid.)
Remove chilled cake from refrigerator, and place on a wire rack or inverted bowl inside a rimmed baking sheet. Pour glaze over top of cake, allowing glaze to flow down sides, making sure cake is completely covered. Let stand 1 minute, allowing excess glaze to drip off sides. Run an offset spatula around bottom edge of cake to remove any drips. Chill cake until glaze is set, about 1 hour. Carefully transfer cake to a cake stand or serving plate. Garnish with an assortment of citrus. Serve chilled.
Enjoy!
Renée Meuse Lovley