Just because a collection of recipes is never complete without dessert, we thought we’d add a
dessert soup to the mix. If you’ve ever had a chocolate orange as a holiday treat, we imagine this soup is like putting that into a bowl. The soup can be served warm, at room temperature, or even chilled, for a more pudding-like consistency, and the Grand Marnier and orange juice are a perfect mix for the dark chocolate. You should be able to find the orange blossom honey at Savannah Bee Company.
Ingredients:
¼ c. heavy cream
¾ c. whole milk
1 orange, Cara Cara or navel, zested, then segmented
6 oz. 65% dark chocolate, broken into pieces
1Tbsp. orange blossom honey
¼ c. orange juice, freshly squeezed & strained
1 Tsp. Grand Marnier
Preparation:
In small saucepan over medium heat, bring cream, milk, and orange zest to a boil, then immediately remove pan from burner. Allow zest to steep in milk mixture for 15 minutes off heat. Combine chocolate and honey in a medium glass bowl. Place infused milk back on medium heat and bring to boil. Pour milk through strainer into chocolate-honey mixture, whisking together until chocolate is fully melted and texture is smooth. Gently stir in orange juice and Grand Marnier until combined. Soup can be served warm by stirring until thoroughly combined and dividing into 2 bowls, garnishing with orange segments. For room temperature soup, let sit 30 minutes, then stir and divide into bowls and garnish. If you prefer the soup to be cold and a more pudding-like texture, stir, divide into bowls, and chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
TIDBIT
A Special Blossom Indeed
The orange blossom, the fragrant bloom of the citrus tree, and Florida’s state flower, is not just an attractive romantic image and popular flower for weddings, it’s a commercially valuable commodity. Essential oils from the flower are used in perfumes, aromatherapy, and natural skin care and cleaning products. Orange flower water is used in desserts and baked goods. Beehives are placed in orange groves during the blooming period to pollinate seeded citrus varieties and create delicious orange blossom honey. Between 1925 and 1953, a train called the “Orange Blossom Special” brought many wealthy vacationers from New York to sunny Florida, adding to the romantic and nostalgic appeal of the flower for which it was named.