Mom's Orange Chiffon Cake

SUNBURST CHIFFON CAKE

Otherwise known as Mom's Orange Chiffon

 

Preheat oven to 325°.  Sift an ample amount of flour on a square of paper.

 

STEP 1                   Measure and sift together in a bowl:

                  

                   2 cups sifted flour

                   1 ½ cups sugar

                   3 tsp. baking powder

                   1 tsp. salt

 

                   Make a well and add in order:

                  

                   ½ Wesson oil

                   7 unbeaten egg yolks

                   ¾ cup cold water

                   Grated rind of two oranges (3 T.)

                  

                   Beat with spoon until smooth

 

STEP 2                 Measure into large mixing bowl:

 

                   1 cup egg whites (7-8…MEASURE!)

                   ½ tsp. cream of tartar

 

                   Whip until whites form very stiff peaks (much stiffer than for meringue

                   or angel food…DO NOT UNDERBEAT!)

 

STEP 3                  Pour egg yolk mixture gradually over whipped egg whites, gently folding in just

                   until blended.  DO NOT STIR!  Pour into ungreased tube pan immediately.

 

BAKE           30 in. tube pan, 4-in. deep –

                             325° - 55 minutes, then

                             350°- 10 -15 minutes

                   …or until top springs back when lightly touched.

 

Immediately turn pan upside down, placing tube part over neck of funnel or bottle.  Let hang,

free of table, until cold.  Loosen from sides and tube with a spatula, turn pan over and hit edge sharply to loosen.

 

I frost mine with a buttercream frosting that has orange rind added.  OR, you can use…

 

Mom's Orange Butter Yolk Frosting:

 

BLEND 3 T. butter and one egg yolk…stir in 2 T. orange juice, 1 T. grated orange peel and 2 cups sifted powder sugar.

Kathy's Orange Date Nut Bread*

In small saucepan on medium-low heat 10-15 minutes:
1 cup ground orange rind
½ cup water
2 Tablespoons sugar

Sift together following in a separate bowl:
2 ¼ cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

In a mixing bowl, mix together:
2/3 cup milk
3 Tablespoons melted butter
2 eggs

Last, add:
¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
¾ cup finely chopped dates

In advance, grind rinds of 3 oranges medium-fine (May take more than 3 oranges to make enough rind.) Measure 1 cup into saucepan, stir in water and 2 Tablespoons sugar. Cover and cook on low to medium heat 10-15 minutes, until most of water is absorbed. Cool.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a separate bowl.

In another mixing bowl, place milk, butter, and eggs and whip with fork until incorporated.

Now, Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Start electric mixer on low and slowly add dry ingredients just until smooth.

Stir in orange rind (minus any leftover orange liquid), chopped nuts, & finely chopped dates.

Quickly drop batter into greased & floured 9”x5”x3”inch loaf pans or 5 mini loaf pans.

If desired, now sprinkle tops with mixture of ½ teaspoon cinnamon & 2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar.

Bake @350 degrees F. about 65 minutes for large loaf pans or about 30 minutes for mini loaf pans. Bread is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on rack.

*Added to an Orange Nut Bread Recipe from The Nut Tree, Vacaville,CA@1970's

Kathy's Candied Citrus Peels

(Makes 2 ½ cups)

“To make candied citrus peel for baking, skip the final sugaring in step 5. To make candied citrus peel for garnishes, slice the whole citrus fruit crosswise into ¼-inch-thick rounds, and proceed with step 2, skipping the final sugaring.”

Ingredients:

2 grapefruits, 3 oranges, or 4 lemons (I used 5 oranges & 4 lemons.)
4 cups of sugar
4 cups of water


Directions:

Using a pairing knife, make six slits along curve from top to bottom of each citrus fruit, cutting through peel but not into fruit. Using your fingers, gently remove peel. Reserve fruit for another use. Slice each piece of peel lengthwise into 1/4 –inch-wide strips. Using a paring knife, remove excess pith from each strip, and discard.

Place strips in a large saucepan, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then drain. Repeat twice.

Bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Stop stirring. Wash sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Add strips to boiling syrup, reduce heat to medium-law, and simmer gently until strips are translucent, about 1 hour. Remove from heat, and let strips cool in syrup. (Strips in syrup will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 weeks.)

Using a slotted spoon, transfer strips (that you want to sugar) to a wire rack placed on a rimmed baking sheet. Wipe off excess syrup with paper towels, then roll strips in sugar you’ve placed in a bowl. Arrange in a single layer on a wire rack, and let dry for at least 30 minutes. Sugared peels will keep, covered at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.”

You could dip the end of the peel in melted chocolate chips syrup and let dry, or use as garnish on cakes, pastries, etc. As noted above you could use the peel as garnish without the finally sugaring on meats, breads, sauces, as a flavor enhancement.

Copied and embellished from the magazine article in MARTHA STEWART Living, December 2008, Number 181, page 230.