The Daring Baker's March 2010 Challenge: Orange Tian

The 2010 March Daring Baker's challenge was hosted by Jennifer of Chocolate Shavings. She chose Orange Tian as the challenge this month, a dessert based on a recipe from Alain Ducasse's Cooking School in Paris.



There were quite a few steps for this recipe but it was totally worth it. It was both sweet and a bit of tart with a nice crispy bottom. It would be perfect for a dinner party as it is a dessert to impress.

Normally I don't weigh my ingredients but with this recipe it makes a difference.  You will need to make this in several steps, even in several days. I made the jam a few days in advance when I had the time.

The Crust:
2 medium egg yolks
80 grams sugar 6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
100 grams cold unsalted butter cubed 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons
2 grams salt 1/3 teaspoon
200 grams flour 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons
4 grams baking powder 1 teaspoon

In a food processor put in flour, butter, and salt fitted with the blade attachment.

In a separate bowl add egg yolks, vanilla, and sugar beat with a whisk until smooth and light in color. Then pour into food processor.

Process until dough just comes together. If you find that the dough is still a little too crumbly to come together, add a couple drops of water and process again to form a homogenous ball of dough. Form into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest in teh fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface until you obtain a 1/4 inch thick circle.

Using your cookie cutter, cut out circles of dough and place on a parchment (or silicone) lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until the circles of dough are just golden.

Marmalade:
100 grams Orange juice 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons
1 large orange used to make orange slices
cold water to cook orange slices
5 grams pectin
sugar-use the same weight as the oranges after they are cooked.

Finely slice the orange (with peel). Place slices in a medium-sized pot filled with cold water. Simmer for about 10 minutes, discard water and re-fill with cold water and simmer for another 10 minutes. Do this 3 times. Drain and let them cool. Once they are cool then finely mince them.

Once minced weigh and then add the same amount of sugar. If you don't have a scale place in measuring cup and then use the same amount of sugar.

In a pot over medium heat, add the minced orange slices, the sugar you just weighed, the orange juice and the pectin. Cook until the mixture reaches a jam consistency (10-15 minutes). Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic, and put in the fridge until chilled and ready to use.

Orange Segments:
For this step you will need 8 oranges

Cut off the rind and then slice out the segments. Put into a bowl and squeeze the juice let sit in fridge until ready to use.

For the Caramel:
200 grams sugar 1 cup
400 grams orange juice 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons

Place sugar in sauce pan over medium heat. Once the sugar begins to bubble and foam, slowly add the orange juice. as soon as the mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and pour half over the orange segments, reserve the other half in a small bowl and place in fridge until ready to use.

When you are almost ready to plate dessert warm up caramel on stove until it just coats the back of a spoon.

Whipped Cream:
200 grams whipping cream 1 cup
1 small glass hot water
1 teaspoon gelatine
1 1/2 tablespoons Marmalade

In a small bowl add the gelatine to the hot water, stir until gelatine dissolves. Let he gelatine cool to room temperature while you make the whipped cream. Combine the cream in a chilled bowl, whip the cream on low until it starts to thicken about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high, whip the cream until the beaters leave visible but not lasting ribbons in the cream. Add the cooled gelatine slowly (discarding the water) and beat continuously until the cream is light and fluffy or soft peaks. Remove from mixer and fold in marmalade.

Assembling the Dessert:
Make sure you have room in your freezer first. As the dessert needs to set up for a few minutes before serving.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone liner. Lay out 6 cookie cutters on to the mat/parchment.

Drain orange segments on towel.

Have the marmalade, whipped cream and cookies out and ready to use.

Arrange the orange segments at the bottom of each cookie cutter. Make sure the segments all touch as this will be the top of your dessert. You don't want gaps. Next add a couple tablespoons of whipped cream. Spread it so it fills the cookie cutter. Then spread marmalade on cookie and place marmalade side down onto whipped cream. Do this to all then put in freezer for 10 minutes or until set.

When you are ready to plate warm up caramel sauce. Using a warm knife run around the inside edge of cookie cutter to make sure the dessert doesn't stick. Then invert onto plate and remove cookie cutter. Pour a couple tablespoons of caramel sauce on top and enjoy.