Seasonal Recipe – Spiced Orange Marzipan Bar

Makes: 14 bars

Recipes:   Confit Orange, Cinnamon marzipan, chocolate ganache

Ingredients: 500g Tempered Dark Chocolate

Equipment: 18 x 18 metal frame

Confit Orange (Needs to be made in advance)

3                Large oranges

375g         caster sugar

500ml       water

1                vanilla pod

1. Score around the outside of the grapefruit into quarters, gently take off each quarter of the peel and cut in half. Place the peel into a saucepan and fill with enough water to just cover the peel. Bring to the boil, the drain the peel and discard the water. Refresh the peel under cold water. Repeat this process 4 more times.
2. Place the sugar and water into a saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the split vanilla pod and drop in the empty pod too. Bring to the boil. Add the orange peel, reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for a further 30 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave it to cool slightly. Cover with a lid and leave to cool completely overnight.
3. Return the saucepan to the hob and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for a further 2 hours, until the orange is soft and candied. Leave to cool overnight.
4. Drain off any excess syrup (the syrup can be saved and re-used) and place the orange confit onto a wire rack. Leave to dry for 3-4 hours.

Alternatively, these can be bought online or from high quality food stores.

Cinnamon marzipan

300g         marzipan

2g              cinnamon powder

1. Mix together until fully incorporated.

Dark Chocolate Orange Ganache

125g         Dark Chocolate (finely chopped)

150g         Whipping cream

2g              Finely grated Orange Zest

12g            Unsalted Butter (room temperature)

1. Boil the cream and orange zest together and allow to infuse for 30 minutes.
2. Strain the infused cream, reweigh. It may need a small amount of cream added to ensure the quantity remains 150g.
3. Boil the infusion, pour onto the chopped chocolate and mix together.
4. Add the softened butter. Mix with a spatula until smooth.
5. Use immediately.

Assemble

1. Line a tray with silicone paper and place the metal frame onto it.
2. Roll out the marzipan to 1cm thick, trim the edges and place into the metal frame on the prepared tray.
3. Make the ganache and immediately pour the ganache into the metal frame on top of the marzipan layer. Gently tap to ensure the ganache is evenly spread. Allow to set in a cool, dry area for at least 2 hours.
4. When the ganache is fully set, remove from the metal frame. Using a hot knife cut into 14 bars, each 2.5cm x 8cm.
5. Place a piece of prepared confit orange onto the centre each bar.
6. Temper the dark chocolate and coat each bar. Place on to a tray in a cool dry area and leave to set for 1 hour.