Mess of Greens

full bellies | warm welcomes

Bourbon

Blood Orange Cake, Dark Chocolate Ganache and Candied Oranges

by Leave a Comment

Confession: so, until a few weeks ago I’d never eaten a blood orange. I’d seen them in magazines, and decided they were gorgeous but probably not very yummy since I’ve never really been a fan of oranges anyway. But after tasting them, I’m eating my words these days (AND ALL the blood oranges I can get my hands on). In fact, I celebrated turning 35 by testing out a flavor combination that I was pretty sure would be dynamite… blood oranges and dark chocolate. OH y’all. It’s a grown-up cake for feeling like a real grown up. It takes a few steps but not nearly as many as a Momofuku layer cake and it’s absolutely worth it for a special occasion.

NOTES about this cake: Make sure to make the candied oranges the day before as they take a while to harden

Also, the ganache takes a little while to harden, so plan to put the cake in the fridge after frosting, or wait a few hours.

Lastly, this type of cake dries out quickly.. so if you don’t eat it immediately, make sure to wrap it up tightly and put it in the fridge.


Blood Orange Cake, Dark Chocolate Ganache and Candied Oranges
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 1-3 Layer Cake
What You Need
  • CANDIED BLOOD ORANGES
  • 2 blood oranges, scrubbed and sliced into ¼" rounds with the peel on
  • 2 Cups Water
  • 1 Cup sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Corn syrup
  • 2 tsp Bourbon
  • BLOOD ORANGE CHIFFON CAKE
  • 2 Cups cake flour (leveled)
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1½ Cups sugar
  • ½ Cups coconut oil, melted
  • 6 Large eggs, separated
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • Finely grated zest of 4 Blood Oranges
  • 1 Cup fresh orange juice (from the blood oranges. About 4-6 oranges, depending on size)
  • CHOCOLATE GANACHE
  • ¾ bag to 1 entire bag of dark chocolate chips (or 16 oz of other dark chocolate, rough chopped)
  • 1 16 oz can coconut cream, OR 2 Cans of Full Fat coconut milk, unshaken and unemulsified with the cream skimmed off the top
  • 1 Tablespoon blood orange zest
What to Do
  1. FOR the CANDIED BLOOD ORANGES
  2. Boil the water and add the sugar and corn syrup.
  3. Wisk the sugars in the water until dissolved.
  4. Add in the orange slices, not letting them touch one another.
  5. Let them simmer for one hour, and then remove from the water onto a rack. You can either wait 24 hours for them to cool and dry OR put them in a crock pot on low for 4 hours, then in the refrigerator for 1 hour. I imagine 100 degrees in an oven would do the same thing.
  6. FOR the BLOOD ORANGE CHIFFON CAKE
  7. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and oi/flour 3 8" cakepans or 1 10" cake pan.
  8. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 cup sugar together.
  9. Make a well in center of flour mixture.
  10. Add oil, egg yolks, orange zest and juice, and ¼ cup cold water; whisk batter until smooth.
  11. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whisk egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
  12. Gradually add the remaining ½ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
  13. Using a spatula, gently fold half of egg-white mixture into batter. Fold in remaining egg-white mixture just until combined.
  14. Pour equal amounts into each cake pan, and bake at 325 degrees for 35 mins or until the top is brown, the sides slightly pull away from the pan and a toothpick comes out clean.
  15. Let cool slightly.
  16. FOR the CHOCOLATE GANACHE
  17. Heat the coconut cream over medium-low heat until it steams.
  18. Add in the chocolate and zest and stir continuously until it has melted entirely and the combination turns a dark, creamy brown.
  19. Remove from heat.
  20. PUT IT TOGETHER
  21. Using a bread knife (or better yet, an electric knife) cut off the tops of each cake until they are entirely flat (it feels sad to loose this much of the cake, but it's how to make it look even).
  22. Spread a thin layer of ganache over the top of each layer and stack each one on top of the other.
  23. Spread a layer of ganache over the sides and top of the cake, let stand for 30 minutes to slightly harden. This will be your "crumb layer" which will serve to keep all the crumbs from mixing with the ganache.
  24. Once the ganache has hardened on the cake slightly, spread another layer on the top and sides of the cake.
  25. Garnish with the candied orange slices. You may serve warm, OR wait until the ganache hardens entirely.
  26. If you wait to eat it, make sure to wrap the cake tightly and put it in the refrigerator since this type of cake dries out quickly. It can also be wrapped tightly in saran wrap and frozen for over a month.

You can see here how the warm ganache seeped into the warm cake… heaven!

Roasted Fig and Whiskey Puree’

by Leave a Comment

So, let’s dive into fig week 2017, shall we? In my opinion, during the summer (and in some parts of the world, fall), there are two kinds of people…. those folks with a fig tree or two in their backyard, and those without. If you HAVE a fig tree, then you get gallons of figs to eat, make into preserves, and do just about whatever you want with them until your sated and maybe a little too full. If you don’t (like me), well, then you have to rely on the kindness of friends with fig trees or farmer’s stands to get your fig-fix. Here’s something to know about keeping them as long as possible.

Once you’ve picked or bought them, DO NOT WASH THEM. Put them in an open tupperware container with a paper towel on the bottom to wick away moisture, and leave them in the fridge. I’ve learned the hard way that if you leave figs on the counter then they melt into goo VERY VERY fast, so don’t make that mistake of your summertime fruit-gold.

But then, once you have them (or if you have a zillion pounds of them) what do you do? I’ve got lots of ideas here, but this morning my little dude craved pancakes, so I pulled out a recipe and went to town. But instead of basic syrup or  powdered sugar, we made a super quick and easy roasted fig and bourbon puree’ and drizzled the pancakes with honey. It was DIVINE…sweet, rich, and made silver dollar pancakes seem so fancy with minimal effort. My little person didn’t get the puree’ (even though all but the whiskey flavor had cooked out in the oven), but the honey and fresh figs were a HIT. If pancakes aren’t on deck for you, try this mixed into vanilla or plain greek yogurt, over ice cream, or just in spoonfuls. It’ll keep in your fridge for just under a week.


Roasted Fig and Whiskey Puree'
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 4-6
What You Need
  • 20 to 25 Fresh figs, washed & cut in half
  • 3 Tablespoons Unsalted butter
  • 3 Tablespoons Honey (local is always better!)
  • 2 tsp lemon zest
  • 1.5 tablespoons whiskey (I used bourbon)
What to Do
  1. Preheat your oven to 375.
  2. Slice your figs in half and place them in a roasting pan or glass baking dish, spreading them out evenly.
  3. In a small saucepan, melt the butter.
  4. Add in the Honey and cook until they've combined.
  5. Add the whisky into the hot honey/butter mixture.
  6. Pour it all over your figs and lightly roll them in the mixture so all the sides are covered.
  7. Roast the figs for about 15 minutes or until they are bubbly and very soft.
  8. Let cool for a few minutes and then puree' with an emulsion blender or regular blender.
  9. Serve on top of pancakes for a very grownup breakfast, over ice cream, mixed into yogurt with granola, or just eat it by the spoonful.
  10. Store in a small tupperware container or in a jar in the refridgerator for just under a week.

 

Wild Persimmon & Bourbon Breakfast Bread

by 3 Comments

img_4379
Wild Persimmons: Bourbon Breakfast Bread
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
The most time consuming part of this process is getting the persimmon pulp, but I assure you, the flavor is like NOTHING else and it's even more exciting because it grows wild and is connected to native peoples and early european settlers.
Author:
Recipe type: Breakfast or Dessert
Serves: 4 loaves
What You Need
  • FOR THE BREAD:
  • 2 cups sifted cake flour
  • ½ teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 cups sugar
  • ½ cup melted unsalted butter or vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
  • 1 Tablespoon Bourbon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups persimmon puree (about 3 cups of wild persimmons)
  • FOR THE FROSTING:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 18 oz package cream cheese
  • 2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp bourbon
  • 4 to 5 cups confectioners’ sugar
What to Do
  1. FOR THE BREAD:
  2. First things first: you have to get the persimmon puree'. A note about wild persimmons... you know they're ripe if they've fallen off the tree or are SUPER wrinkly and soft... like a deflated helium balloon. Once they're at that stage, and you've got a food mill, the you can use it to separate the skin and the seeds from the pulp. If not, then peel the skin away from the pulp and squeeze it into a wire strainer over a bowl. Using the back of a spoon, push the pulp through the strainer and into the bowl, leaving the large seeds. The pulp can be frozen for use later.
  3. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  4. Prepare your bread or cake pans by coating the insides with butter and lightly flouring the inside.
  5. Mix all of the dry ingredients/spices except the sugar (flour, baking powder, soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon) together in a separate medium sized bowl. You may wish to sift this so they are combined consistently.
  6. Then, in a large mixing bowl, combine the puree', the butter or oil, and the sugar until it is entirely incorporated.
  7. Mix in the eggs, the vanilla, and the bourbon.
  8. Cup by cup, mix in the dry ingredients into the puree' mixture. Fold in until just mixed together.
  9. Pour the batter into 2-8" round cake pans, or 2- 9" bread pans, or 4-5" bread pans and bake until a toothpick can be inserted and comes out clean. (somewhere about 20-30 minutes depending on the size of your pan).
  10. FOR THE FROSTING:
  11. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until its all creamy.
  12. Add cream cheese and vanilla and bourbon, and beat until it's totally incorporated.
  13. Gradually increase the speed and beat until the cheese and butter mixture fluffy, scraping down the sides of bowl if you need to.
  14. Add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time, scraping down if you need to until everything is fully incorporated.
  15. PUTTING IT TOGETHER:
  16. Once the cake has cooled, frost it, slice it and serve it with a cup of coffee. it is even good at room temperature or straight from the fridge.

How perfect are persimmons? The gorgeous, peachy-oranged fleshed fruit that ripen into wrinkly, sweet pulp are not only the most lovely subjects for still life paintings ever, but also have been used in foods from puddings to beer for generations (read more about its history at American Food Roots). Until my friend Joseph brought me some that he’d found in the woods I’d never tried one and didn’t know that they’d played a large role in the diets of native people in our part of the world AND my southern ancestors. But now I know why.

When I saw the perfect little rosy “sugar plums” I couldn’t resist biting into one….but boy did I regret it. The skin of wild persimmons, dispyros virginiania (small, peachy fruit with smooth skin that’s a bit smaller than a golf ball and has several large, hard seeds) is VERY, VERY bitter and made my mouth feel like I’d covered it in a dry, awful tasting powder. But the inside flesh was soft, very sweet, and super fragrant.

In fact, when I just got a taste of the flesh I was in love. It was divine! And so different! Eventually I’d like to make a beer or vinegar using this lovely little fruit, but to start, I made something I felt pretty comfortable with… persimmon bread loosely based on James Beard’s version but with the added ah-mazingness that is cream cheese buttercream. I also made another batch and shaped it into a cake, which was brown like pumpernickle bread but was something like carrot cake. It really was PERFECT for breakfast, and super easy. If you’ve got folks staying over for Thanksgiving, then this is a nice change from the ubiquitous holiday sweet rolls for breakfast, especially since it makes use of local wild fruit you can find in the woods AND harkens back to the earliest settler’s food.

…

Read More »

Personal Sized Bourbon Peaches & Cream Trifle

by Leave a Comment

IMG_3686We’re the kind of people who order one big dessert and get 4 spoons. The folks who say “taste this! It’s AMAZING!” and let everyone sip the cocktail we ordered. Ones who drive everybody crazy because we want to dip our fork into your plate because what you got just looks so darn delicious. And then we pass you our plate whether you wanted it or not. Sharing food is our thing. (Unless you’re my dad. He wants the food on HIS plate and don’t you dare take a bite unless he gives it to you. But then, if you ask for a taste he’ll always give you the best bite anyway because he’s just kind like that. Must be the PRINCIPLE of the thing, huh?)

Anyway, this dessert is great for our kind of people because you can A) make one and pass it around so you can share it or B) make 4 and everyone gets their own damn delicious dessert.

…

Read More »

Here, Figgy Figgy… Cocktail

by Leave a Comment

IMG_3153

 

Fig Week is wrapping up here at Mess of Greens (though I have ONE more recipe to share next week! I just can’t stop!) but what’s a summer weekend without a libation?

I don’t usually drink bourbon in summertime- I have some weird belief that it’s a fall & winter spirit and that gin and tequila are best for warm weather- but I just knew that the sweetness of a figs syrup would complement the bourbon JUST right.

And it did.

My friend Shelton taught me about the perfection that is Bourbon & Ginger Ale, and this is a nice summer alternative. Fizzy seltzer, sweet fig syrup, warm lovely bourbon. Can you go wrong?

…

Read More »

Honey Roasted Figs, Whisky, & Bacon Ice Cream

by 3 Comments

IMG_3418   I told my Instagram friends that this week is Fig Week here at MoG… and today I bring you almost a too-good-to-be-true Fig, whiskey, and bacon ice cream.

Why? Well..

1) Because it’s fig season in Mississippi, duh. How can you NOT take advantage of figs that you can pluck from neighbors’ trees or buy at produce stands and farmer’s markets all over the place? The season feels so short, and so special.

2) When my mama was going through chemo last summer and no food would stay down, I found some figs (her favorite) at one of aforementioned produce stands. They were one of two things I remember her wanting to eat during that hard time. Fig season will always, always always remind me of how strong my cancer-surviving mama really is. I decided that figs will now forever represent mama’s tenacity and strength.

3) At a 2 year old birthday party last weekend (we’ve been going to one of these fun, adorable events every weekend this summer… apparently all of Dub’s buds got born in June & July. :)) a pretty mama asked me if I had a fig ice cream recipe. I didn’t…but at that moment I knew I wanted one real bad. so bad in fact, that I posted a facebook plea to help me find more figs.

4) Thanks to said Facebook plea, I now know where all the figs in Jones county are. All of them. 😉

5) Lastly, um, Because figs, whiskey and bacon. Really. Did I really need to explain all those other things to get to this one?

…

Read More »

Midnight Snack Perfection: Fudgey Chocolate Pecan Brownies

by Leave a Comment

IMG_1380 The fellas in our house have a serious sweet tooth around, say, 10pm. They always want just a little taste of chocolate, and sometimes they squirrel away tootsie rolls, Oreos, or whatever little snack they can to munch on while everyone else is tucked in bed. We had a brand new carton of Blue Bell vanilla ice cream and a bag of pecans, so it just seemed right to make a batch of fudgey, gooey brownies that would be perfect for sundaes before I went away to the Southern Foodways Alliance Food & Media event last weekend…. as a little thank you for making sure my little guy didn’t miss me TOO much.

This was a super duper easy recipe, and if you’ve got a nut allergy or just aren’t into pecans, then you can leave them out and still make a killer brownie sundae. Also, I added a little coffee and bourbon since people swear that coffee HAS to be added to chocolate, and because I love bourbon, but I can’t totally swear that they made a huge difference. Since they were so good, though, I can’t say that they didn’t. 😉

…

Read More »

Packing a Punch: Virginia Bourbon Punch

by Leave a Comment

IMG_1919 OH y’all… on weekends like we’ve had, I feel like a little daffodil peeking out of my leaves and praying for more warmth and sunshine. I LOVE winter, but gosh, when the sun is warm and bright after some grey, cold weeks, I just can’t help but get excited for spring.  Yesterday it was so gorgeous and Wagner and I were having so much fun being outside, I called my friend Lauren to come over for a drink on the porch. She couldn’t make it, but I had made a batch of a punch that is JUST RIGHT for warm, sunshiney days, so I had a little sip by myself. 😉 You’ll DEFINITELY want to make your own batch for this weekend, but since it has to steep for a couple of days, make it NOW so you’re ready for your weekend picnic, or porch sitting, or tailgating.

…

Read More »

The Kentucky Sidecar

by Leave a Comment

It’s Friday, folks. As Mr. Gross, my former Madison Shannon Palmer High School Colleague used to say, it’s FRI-day, so it’s MY-day. 😉 Do yourself a favor and have this delicious cocktail after work. The Kentucky Sidecar is a riff on the classic sidecar but made with Bourbon (sigh..) instead of brandy. Y’all, it’s a no brainer.

This is one of those cocktails that you could drink and drink and drink and drink and drink. It’s smooth, and not super sweet, and light and also, because it’s bourbon and citrus, kind of perfect for warm OR cool weather.

You’re welcome. 😉
…

Read More »

The Seat Heater

by Leave a Comment

Are y’all watching the National Football Championship?!?
ermm.. probably not if you’re reading MoG, but YOU SHOULD BE if you’re a real southerner. I mean Clemson AND Alabama? C’mon.

As a born-and-raised Mississippi girl, I’ve gotta cheer for the SEC tonight (ROLL TIDE!) but my honey is a ACC guy all the way. Tonight would probably be contentious except I really only watch football as a social thing. (I am like 90% sure that a bunch of other southerners feel the same way but are too scared of the super intense football fans to say so. But I’ll say it. “Meh.”)

…

Read More »