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« Sweet Heart of Sprouted Wheat Bread | Main | Copper Topper Cascade Mountain Cake »

Orange Curd Revisit

For Matthew and anyone else who has tried or will try the Seville orange curd I posted a few weeks back: blood orange zest makes a beautiful addition. I was just at Whole Foods in SoHo, looking to see if they had the Seville oranges. They didn't but to my surprise they had another batch of blood oranges. Tip: choose the ones that have purplish peel rather than orange as that is a sure indication of the color of the fruit within. If the oranges are mostly orange in color the interior will be mostly orange with maybe a few tinges of red.
Blood orange zest disappointingly loses its color on heating and becomes just orange but when subjected to minimal heat from the orange curd poured over it, it keeps its vibrant hue. Of course the orange inside is great to eat and blood oranges are exceptionally easy to peel. But don't wait too many days to do so as the inner peel hardens after the outside is zested.

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Good kumquat,

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Yes, please, that would be great if you are willing to share. I've been trying to find one with weight for the oranges--these are so big, I think they could at least replace 2 regular ones, but I would like to be sure. The ones I have seen that look good just specify a quantity of oranges.

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Matthew, If you want a fantastic marmalade recipe for your Seville oranges, I'd be happy to pass mine on.
Annie

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Just thought I would share that I bought some Seville oranges at Whole Foods tonight. I've been waiting for them to come in. These must be 2-3 times the size of the ones I bought last year. They are huge! Not sure what I am making yet, but probably will start with curd and go from there.

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Ok, I too thought it was the tiramisu you made. Although I'm sure you could turn out one just like that. Love the colour of the yolks of the hard boiled eggs.

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oh, I am confusion. This tiramisu is the one I ordered at this lovely pizzeria in Schio (Veneto, Italy). Luca's family gave me a pizza party. Pictured, his parents, uncles, cousin Anna with newlywed husband.

Here the photos, and YES: it is true pizzas are personal size! Don't I look stuffed? I was the only one that ordered dessert, I had to, did it for the blog so I could share the tiramisu picture. Also, another picture of plain boiled eggs, with the heavenly yolk color (photo not retouched).

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/PizzaSchio.html

The tiramisu looks delicious because I was very careful eating it, in such way that my spoon marks will look great for this photo.

BTW, a bottle of San Pellegrino is less than half Euros, and it is a 1.5 litters. When Luca's parents came to Hawaii (for 2 months), I stocked cases of San Pellegrino. Luca's Dad was refusing to drink my expensive water. He was also a bit upset that my bottles were only 750 ml, such a waste on glass for the environment was his thinking. I agreed.

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What a lovely golden color--you must be getting beautiful egg yolks.

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ladyfingers imported from Italy are as good as homemade biscuit!

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Thank you Hector. I'll give it a try. My only concern is making the Biscuit. I have never made it before BUT I will do it, if that's what I have to do. I'm sure it will be better than the store bought ladyfingers. Will let you know how it turns out.
By the way the picture of your tiramisu looks delicious.

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Fellow blogger Rozanne asked me to share "my" Tiramisu recipe. I have been studying Pie and Pastry Bible's Tiramisu Black Bottom Tart closely, and indeed it is a spectacular way of presenting this famous dessert. Matt posted above a beautiful picture.

My take of the perfect foundation to hold tiramisu is to use none. Make Tiramisu Al Cucchiaio (spoon tiramisu) on a glass bowl and serve it spooned out.

There are additional conditions I implore. Tiramisu is most definitely Italy's best known contribution to the world, but also most imitated and "faked."

1- I urge if you must make Tiramisu at home, please use imported mascarpone cheese, from Italy. It is an expensive product, but worthy. I say if you won't do this, then best to just pick up your tiramisu from a bakery. The flavor of imported mascarpone from Italy is non-imitated-able.

2- Bake your own sponge cake sheets. Biscuit de Savoie is just perfect. If you don't, then use imported ladyfingers, from Italy, which are more available and often found at reasonable price. ANY OTHER option won't do, please no angel food, no ready made sponge dessert cups, no non-Italian ladyfingers.

3- Regarding marsala wine, dark rum will work just as fine. Bacardi Gold is my recommendation, Meyers will work although it can impart a more fruity taste.

4- Use "real" espresso or if not Medaglia d Oro is the closest substitute. I would make shots with my Bialetti moka stovetop pot (inexpensive) or with my Francis Francis (expensive) machines. To achieve the "strong" taste but "not-bitter" please choose Illy or Lavazza, both widely sold in the USA. Any other imported espresso coffee from Italy is also great (there are so many in Italy). I haven't found any USA roasted espresso coffee, most are too bitter; to my knowledge there are only one or two roasting machines in the USA that are capable of doing a medium roast Italian way.

5- Organic egg yolks for the mascarpone cream shines in flavor. Use if you can. Organic eggs for the baking of the biscuit, hmmm, no real difference in flavor really, as you have baked the organic!

Gamed? Really, it isn't that hard. The contents of this message are as close as I can to get approved from my Italian friends, who would tell me "why are you trying to share all our secrets!"

Pictured, is a mascarpone/sabaglione tiramisu in a bowl. This is just one of the many "real" tiramisu found in Italy.

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/TiramisuAlCucchiaio.html

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What a fabulous yellow treat from the fabulous yellow kitchen :). (btw, great idea)

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a treat for you

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/PassionCurdCream.html

This passion fruit curd cream filling was kept frozen. Then I thawed it in the refrigerator for 8 hours, then room temp for 1 hour. It piped like a dream on frozen lemon cups.

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good! a full teaspoon of sugar is only 10 (ten) calories, a full teaspoon of curd is even less calories, it is really nothing.

Sometimes I wonder why people bother using Splenda, Sweet & Low, or such as individual sugar substitutes packets, for coffee or iced tea at a restaurant, when 10 or 20 or even 30 calories of real sugar is really nothing (except for diabetics, of course).

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it's NOT sweetened (hahaha!) only by the curd.

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ok, you are going to hate me since I am still mistaken by been skinny (I was, but now I am 25 lbs less skinny) and don't you hate that skinny people are the ones counting and telling you all about calories?

Well, you need to remind yourself that even if 0% fat, if yogurt is sweetened it is like 100% sugar, as well as the curd. So a cup of this is about 300 calories???

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did i mention i've been stirring heaping spoonfulls into total 0% fat yogurt for lunch?

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To anyone who hasn't tried Seville orange curd I suggest you grab some and whip up a batch! I just made it for the first time last night and WOW, it is an amazing flavor. I believe the taste stayed in my mouth for an hour!! It is a knock your sock off goodness :)

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There is a wonderful picture of Elliot posted under the most recent trip Rose made to Italy. Please do a search under Tuscany, the picture is worth!

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elliott likes taking photographs as in xrays but he doesn't like having them taken of him so it's unlikely you'll see him as he wasn't sitting in one place--but if you catch a man with a white beard and bald head wearing a suit that's him for sure!

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Merci beaucoup, Matthew!

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Kyle, it is in The Perfect Scoop.

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Rose, Can you point out Elliot in the demo photos? I have always wanted to see the man who read your dissertation of mixing of flour instead of scoffing at it!
Matthew, where is the orange ice cream recipe? BTW, I was lucky to run into David at the Richard Lenoir market in Paris last Sept. and was glad to meet him in person. If you get there, his recommended patisserie Ble Sucre(in the 12th near the Marche Aligre) is the absolute best.

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Cara Cara oranges are often found in California. They are sometimes called "pink" oranges, they have a deep peachy pink color, are very sweet and juicy. They would make a lovely curd.

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Cara Cara oranges are often found in California. They are sometimes called "pink" oranges, they have a deep peachy pink color, are very sweet and juicy. They would make a lovely curd.

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Osage - thanks for the tip!

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Another US grocery chain, Trader Joe's, now has Tarocco oranges. They are a wonderful, sweet blood orange--not colored on the skin, just inside. Most popular orange in Italy--highest vitamin C content, according to Wikipedia.

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backing up the tread a bit:

I think Cara Cara oranges are more similar to navals than they are to blood oranges. They have a deeper dark orange/red colored interior than navals and are a bit more sweet - we love them!

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Matthew - Me too.... don't know how I missed these photos until just now. The photos are amazing! I love your tarts and that Angel Food cake is phenominal looking! I want to grab a fork and dive right in!

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Oh, saw this late! Matthew - looks so delicious! Mmmm... Love the pics

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I just recently made some Blood Orange Curd Pielets. I have to say I prefer it over Lemon Curd. Just the right amount of sugar, unusual color and I froze some zest for future use.

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Matthew, one more thing, whatever your photographic style is find your own and use the style that you best enjoy using, and people will love you!

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Matthew, the white background is a given tool, it gives you nice light bounce back to the back of your object thus casting a shadow in front. I find that shadows are great on food photography, makes things more 3D, appealing, and naturale.

Now, you next step is to take objects on site, add some plating, utensils, furniture, props, etc. Makes food tastier and more reachable.

Always a work in progress!

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Thanks Rozanne and Hector. I've been taking food pictures for almost a year now (Feb. 25th), so I'm happy to hear you think I'm improving Hector. I don't know anything about photography, so it has just been point, click, and try to learn along the way.