Chocolate orange pudding with orange crisps

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This gluten-free cake recipe is an ideal rainy-day dessert to make with the family. Dehydrating the orange slices may seem laborious but the resulting crunchy texture works really nicely with the smooth dark chocolate pudding. The crispy orange slices also make fantastic garnishes for ice cream and other treats, and can be prepared in advance of making Shaun Rankin's lovely chocolate cake.

First published in 2015

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Chocolate orange cake

Orange crisps

Equipment

  • Food processor or blender
  • Electric hand whisk
  • Sugar thermometer
  • 22cm spring form cake tin

Method

1
Preheat the oven to 100°C/lowest gas mark
2
For the syrup, place 200g of the caster sugar and 200ml water in a saucepan and bring to the boil
  • 200g of caster sugar
  • 200ml of water
3
Slice 1 orange and add the slices to the stock syrup
4
Add the star anise and cook over a low heat for 20 minutes until the syrup is glossy and translucent. Allow to cool in the pan
5
Lay the orange slices from the syrup on greaseproof paper and dry out in the oven for 3 hours. Then, break into small chips
6
For the orange sponge, preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4
7
In a pan, boil the remaining 2 oranges whole for 30 minutes - this will take the bitterness out of the skin
8
Cut the oranges in half, remove the pips and place in a blender with the remaining 125g of caster sugar, ground almonds, 3 eggs and baking powder. Blend until smooth
9
Line a 22cm spring form cake tin and tightly seal the outside with foil. This will help to keep the chocolate layer from leaking
10
Pour the mixture into the tin and cook in the oven for 12–14 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool
11
For the topping, use an electric hand-held whisk to whisk together 1 whole egg and 2 egg yolks in a large bowl, until doubled in volume
12
Bring the granulated sugar and 4 tsp of water to the boil. Continue to boil until a sugar thermometer reaches 121˚C. Then, remove the pan from the heat
  • 80g of sugar
13
Add the sugar mixture to the eggs, whisking continuously
14
Melt the dark chocolate in a bowl over hot water (or in a microwave), and pour into the egg mixture
15
Whisk the cream until half-whipped and then fold into the chocolate mix
  • 250ml of whipping cream
16
Pour over the orange sponge and leave to set in the fridge for 2 hours
17
Once set, top with the orange chips and shavings of dark chocolate. Slice and serve
First published in 2015

Shaun Rankin’s cooking exudes effortless self-confidence.

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