Tasty and Easy Recipes

Ingredients:
9 medium oranges
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Method:
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″ nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then saute 6 orange slices until golden, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate. Saute 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.

Ingredients:
Cake:
1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp. heavy cream
1/3 cup (2 oz.) chocolate chips
2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
4 tbsp. (2 oz.) unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup toffee, chopped into small pieces

Caramel:
5 pieces caramels
1-1/2 tbsp. cream

Chocolate Sauce:
1/2 cup (3 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream

Method:
Preheat oven to 275°F. Moderately coat a non-stick standard size muffin pan with vegetable spray. Cut rounds of parchment paper to fit the bottom of each mold (or use paper cup liners).
Fill a medium-size pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat so the water is steaming but not simmering.
In a heat-proof bowl (large enough to fit over the pot) combine the milk, cream, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, butter, and sugar. Place the bowl over the steaming water.
Mix often until melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from heat.
Sift the dry ingredients together then add to the chocolate mixture and mix until smooth. Whisk in the egg and vanilla extract.
Fill 6 of the molds a little more than halfway with batter. Bake for 12 minutes, rotate the pan and bake another 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool 5 to 10 minutes.

Make Caramel:
Unwrap caramels and place into a very small pot. Add the cream and place over low heat. Stir frequently until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Store at room temperature until needed. Before use, if the caramel is too hard, gently heat it until just warm to the touch.

Make Chocolate Sauce:
Combine the chocolate chips, butter, and cream in a heat-proof bowl and place over a pot of steaming water. Mix occasionally until melted and smooth. Store at room temperature until needed or refrigerate and warm when ready to serve.

Assembly:
Place one chocolate cake in the middle of each plate. Drizzle Caramel and Chocolate Sauce over the cakes. Top with chopped toffee then place a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Ingredients:
Cake:
1-1/2 cups vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs
3 cups flour
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups peeled, diced apples
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Caramel Icing:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup light cream OR half & half
1/4 cup butter OR margarine
1 dash salt
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
Chopped walnuts, optional

Method:
Make Cake:
In a mixing bowl, combine oil and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Combine dry ingredients; add to batter and stir well. Fold in apples, walnuts and vanilla.
Pour into a greased and floured 10″ tube pan. Bake at 325°F for 1-1/2 hours or until cake tests done. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make Caramel Icing:
In the top of a double boiler over simmering water, heat brown sugar, cream, butter and salt until sugar is dissolved. Cool to room temperature. Beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth; drizzle over cake. Sprinkle with nuts if desired.