Tag: Orange

Orange Cheesecake Brownies | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

Orange Cheesecake Brownies

Renee Leave a comment

These Orange Cheesecake Brownies are incredible. The brownie layer is dense and fudgy while the cream cheesecake layer is creamy and citrusy. You won’t be able to keep your hands off them.

Orange Cheesecake Brownies | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

Do you guys play video games? My husband loves them. He can play the same game for eight hours in one day if it’s got a good story. I’ve seen him build massive sumarines, fight tigers, and make friends with a post-nuclear apocalypse monster. Some of the stories are fairly compelling. I watch him playing and I think, I would read that novel. I don’t think that’s actually a thing.

Apart from a few Nintendo games as a child, I’ve never had the coordination or interest to play most video games. The only thing I ever liked was The Sims mostly because it involved ticking things off your task list and involved no hand-eye coordination. I’m extremely nerdy. I don’t know, I guess I’d rather be reading. Or baking. Especially brownies.

Orange Cheesecake Brownies | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

Guys, these Orange Cheesecake Brownies are gonna blow your mind. My co-workers couldn’t stop talking about them. The brownie layer is crazy fudgy. It’s basically pure goo barely held together by a bit of flour. The orange cheesecake layer is creamy with a distinct citrus hit. The orange flavor really comes through and compliments the chocolat so beautifully.

Layered baked goods can sometimes seem complicated, and yes, we’re mixing up two different concoctions, but you’re just putting one on top of the other and baking. The only thing a little bit tricky about this is deciding when it’s baked. You want to take it out of the oven when the center still has a bit of a wobble. And you do need to let this chill before slicing into it. It’s totally worth it, though. The texture will be heavenly.

Orange Cheesecake Brownies | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

Whatever you like to do to unwind, make sure there are Orange Cheesecake Brownies involved. They make everything better.

Recipe adapted from Olive Magazine.

If you want more brownie action, try these S’mores Brownies.

Chocolate Orange Scones | How to be Awesome on $20 a Day

Chocolate & Orange Scones

Renee Leave a comment

One thing I love about Christmas in the UK is how much chocolate is involved. They don’t seem to do a ton of Christmas baking here. There are no giant cookie platters, no homemade fudge, peanut butter buckeyes or other candy. But a very common gift, particularly for co-workers or distant relations, is a giant tub of chocolates. By the time all the gifts are opened on Christmas day, there might be multiple boxes of chocolates to get through. There’s nothing bad about that.

Possibly one of the most coveted types of chocolate I always wished would show up in my stocking as a child was a chocolate orange. There was just something about cracking apart those chocolate segments that felt so magical and tasted even better. Now that I’m grown, I can just buy my own chocolate oranges any time of year, and it’s become a great way to pass the time on a long train journey.

In case you didn’t get a chocolate orange this Christmas, I’ve made you Chocolate Orange Scones. Maybe you still have house guests hanging around or children who are still off school, and this is a beautifully simple and delicious quick breakfast or afternoon nibble with a cup of tea. It’s got classic Christmas flavors with orange zest and plenty of chocolate chips.

I have the worst time making biscuits and scones. I struggle with how wet the dough should be and always end up with a sticky mess. This dough came together beautifully, and I cannot encourage you enough to not skip putting the butter and dry ingredients in the freezer. This can probably be explained by science, but t me, it’s just magic. Whatever. It works.

The days after Christmas might be a bit of a let down, but these Chocolate Orange Scones will make everyone happy in the morning.

Chocolate & Orange Scones

8 Scones

20 minutes

16 Minutes

Easy

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2-1/2 ounces cold unsalted butter
  • 1-1/2 cups single cream
  • Zest of 1 large orange
  • 100 grams dark chocolate chips
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Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 400F (200C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Add flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar to a mixing bowl and whisk gently to combine.
  • Use the large hole side of your grater to grate the cold butter into the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to to gently stir the butter and flour together to disperse evenly.
  • Put the whole bowl of dry ingredients and butter into the freezer for 10 minutes.
  • While your butter and flour is chilling, measure out your single cream, and then zest your orange over the cream.
  • Once your mixing bowl is out of the freezer, add your cream and orange zest mixture and the chocolate chips to the bowl, and use your rubber spatula to stir it all together. Try not to overmix. It should be very thick.
  • Turn your dough out onto a well-floured surface, and knead it a few times to bring everything together. Pat it out into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Use a bench scraper or a knife to divide rectangle into four smaller rectangles, then cut each rectangle in half diagonally to form 8 triangles.
  • Transfer your scones to your waiting baking sheet and bake for about 16 minutes or until they just start to turn golden. They will be crusty on the outside but still tender in the middle.
  • Allow them to cool for about five minutes before serving warm. If you’re feeling fancy, you can melt some chocolate, add it to a piping bag, and add some chocolate drizzles on the top first.

Adapted from What’s Gaby Cooking

Orange Chocolate Chunk Muffins | How to be Awesome on $20 a Day

Orange Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Renee 1 Comment

Orange Chocolate Chunk Muffins | How to be Awesome on $20 a Day

It’s midweek and my brain is fried. I should be coming up with clever words, but yet again, I’m empty. 

Orange Chocolate Chunk Muffins | How to be Awesome on $20 a Day

I made you Orange Chocolate Chunk Muffins, and they’re awesome. I made these the first time without the chocolate, and they were perfectly fine. The chocolate is what makes these muffins really sing. 

These muffins have a slightly crunchy outer crust and are lighter than air on the inside, just like muffins are meant to be. They’re also perfectly portable if you need to take your breakfast on the road. Pair them with tea or coffee, and you’re winning.

Orange Chocolate Chunk Muffins | How to be Awesome on $20 a Day

Muffins are good. Chocolate is great. Life is weird. Get into it.

Orange Chocolate Chunk Muffins
Serves 12
Orange Chocolate Chunk Muffins are totally awesome.
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
20 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
20 min
Ingredients
  1. 75 grams unsalted butter, melted
  2. 250 grams self-rising flour
  3. 25 grams ground almonds
  4. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  5. 1 teaspoon baking powder
  6. 75 grams sugar
  7. zest of 1 orange
  8. 100 ml orange juice
  9. 100 ml whole milk
  10. 1 egg
  11. 1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 200C (400F) and line your muffin pan with 12 muffin papers.
  2. Melt your butter first thing and allow it to cool a bit while you get on with the rest of your batter.
  3. In a mixing bowl, add flour, ground almonds, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and orange zest. Whisk carefully to combine.
  4. In another container, such as a large measuring cup, add orange juice, milk, egg, and melted butter. Whisk to combine.
  5. Add your wet ingredients to your mixing bowl, and fold together with a rubber spatula quickly and gently until just combined. Add in the chocolate chunks and fold to combine.
  6. Scoop your batter into your waiting muffin cups. Bake for about 20 minutes or a toothpick comes out clean.
  7. Cool slightly on a wire rack, and eat warm.
Adapted from Nigella Bites by Nigella Lawson
Adapted from Nigella Bites by Nigella Lawson
How to be Awesome on $20 a day https://awesomeon20.com/

Cran-Orange-Apple Juice | How to be Awesome on $20 a Day

Cran-Orange-Apple Juice

Renee Leave a comment

Cran-Orange-Apple Juice | How to be Awesome on $20 a Day

How’s the new year treating you, my darlings? I’ve been racking my brain for days for what I should set as my new Year’s resolution. We all know I can’t diet. I’ve already set a goal to exercise every day, which probably won’t last, but I’ll give it a go. But it’s not a real change, is it?

I’m looking for Oprah-level, best self, being completely awesome sort of stuff. Perhaps my resolution should be to lower my expectations. Does anybody else go through an existential crisis at the beginning of January? There’s a lot of pressure to figure out how to make yourself perfect, and I’m so susceptible to it. On the other hand, it’s just one day, and there are so many to come. Perhaps I’ll take it one day at a time.

Cran-Orange-Apple Juice | How to be Awesome on $20 a Day

I mixed up something super simple to get us started. Cran-Orange-Apple Juice is going to be there for you in so many ways. Perhaps you’ve been drinking non-stop prosecco for the past week, and you need something innocent and delicious to drink. Perhaps you hate eating fruit, so you’re at least going to try drinking some. Cran-Orange-Apple Juice is here for you.

This sweet and lovely mixture can also come to the rescue at your next party as well. It’s particularly useful if you have some people at your party who can’t or won’t be drinking alcohol. This juice can be mixed with soda water to make it sparkly just as nicely as it can be mixed with vodka or added to a glass of sparkling wine. Obviously, it would make a great drink for kids as well. See, everyone’s happy?

Cran-Orange-Apple Juice | How to be Awesome on $20 a Day

Raise your glass to 2018. May it be filled with sweetness. We’ll find awesomeness together. 

Cran-Orange-Apple Juice
Cran-Orange-Apple Juice is there for you when you need a bit of wholesome sweetness in your life.
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Prep Time
5 min
Prep Time
5 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 part cranberry juice
  2. 1 part orange juice
  3. 1 part apple juice
  4. Ice
Instructions
  1. Mix everything together in your desired vessel, be that pitcher or glass.
Adapted from Nigella Christmas
Adapted from Nigella Christmas
How to be Awesome on $20 a day https://awesomeon20.com/

Chocolate Orange Cake | How to be Awesome on $20 a Day

Chocolate Orange Cake

Renee Leave a comment

Chocolate Orange Cake | How to be Awesome on $20 a Day

Tea is serious business in Britain. People have a very specific way they like to make their tea, and they get, some might say, unreasonably upset when someone suggests that it could be done differently. Do you put the milk in before the water? Do you take the tea bag out before adding the milk? Are you a loose leaf tea snob? Everybody has their way, and it’s the only way.

For the record, I add the sugar and the tea bag to the cup while the kettle is boiling, this way the sugar will dissolve more easily in the very hot water. The water should be added within 30 seconds of the kettle clicking off so it’s at maximum heat. Let it steep for two minutes (while you wash dishes), then remove the tea bag, add a splash of glug of milk, give it a quick stir, and enjoy. My husband does it differently. We’re still together, and it’s fine.

Chocolate Orange Cake | How to be Awesome on $20 a Day

Brits aren’t nearly as fussy about cake from what I can tell. Not that this cake is less than awesome. In fact, it’s pretty damn amazing, and entirely Brit approved. Chocolate Orange Cake tastes exactly like those orange-shaped chocolates you get at Christmas. It’s heavenly.

The brown sugar gives it a deep richness and it stays tender for days, not that it will last that long. It’s simple to make and pleases nearly everyone, even picky British people.

Chocolate Orange Cake | How to be Awesome on $20 a Day

I love the British. I love tea. And I most especially love this Chocolate Orange Cake. Try to put all three together if you can.

Chocolate Orange Cake
Serves 8
Chocolate Orange Cake is perfect with tea and makes everyone happy.
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
40 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
40 min
Ingredients
  1. 150 grams unsalted butter, softened
  2. 2 tablespoons golden syrup
  3. 175 grams dark brown sugar
  4. 150 grams all-purpose flour
  5. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  6. 25 cocoa powder
  7. 2 eggs
  8. Zest and juice of 1 orange
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 170C (350F) and line a loaf tin with parchment. If you can get those cute loaf tin liners, they work great.
  2. Beat together the the butter, golden syrup, and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer for several minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and cocoa powder.
  4. With the mixer on lower, add a big spoonful of the flour mixture followed by an egg and beat until combined. Add another scoop or two of flour and the second egg, and then finally mix in the rest of the dry ingredients.
  5. Scrape down the sides of your bowl, then zest your orange into the batter and squeeze in the orange juice. Give it all one last spin with the mixture until smooth.
  6. Pour the batter into your waiting pan and bake for 40 minutes. It's okay if your cake tester comes out with a few bits.
  7. Allow it to cool before slicing and eating with tea.
Notes
  1. Golden syrup is extremely sticky, but a dab of vegetable oil in your tablespoon will help the syrup pour out more easily.
Adapted from Kitchen by Nigella Lawson
Adapted from Kitchen by Nigella Lawson
How to be Awesome on $20 a day https://awesomeon20.com/



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