Along with the tart pucker of oranges, this cake is lightly spiced and is made with an additional sweet splash of vanilla.

I brought this cake to my book club and as they collectively tasted the cake, the group of outspoken women was left speechless for several moments. To say it was hit would be an understatement.

The laddus have a Mexican wedding cookie-like texture. They are hard on the outside, but they crumble in your mouth as if you were eating a ball of refrigerated cookie dough.

How to Make Candied Orange Slices

1. Wash your oranges really well and slice the oranges into thin circle slices. Set aside the end pieces or any other pieces that don’t look that pretty.
2. Boil the orange slices with sugar and spices. I like using cinnamon sticks, but you can also add whole cloves, nutmeg, and/or allspice. Squeeze the juice from any of the pieces you set aside into the boiling sugar water for extra flavor.
3. Simmer for about forty minutes, rotating occasionally.
4. Using tongs, transfer candied slices to a cooling rack. (To keep your counter clean, put a paper towel under the rack.) Save the orange syrup left in the pot to use on pancakes or anywhere else you would use orange sauce.
5. As soon as the orange slices are cool, transfer them to parchment paper. If you leave them on the cooling rack too long, it will be hard to remove them.

Chewy vs. Crispy Orange Slices

To make candied orange slices crispy, use a dehydrator to dehydrate them after they are done – just like when you make crispy apple chips.

Ingredients

Like all of my American buttercreams, this one requires unsalted butter, powdered sugar, and salt. The key ingredient that makes this frosting stand out is orange zest.

I’ve tried making orange frosting using orange marmalade, orange juice, and orange extract. But, I’ve found that using zest is by far the best method for flavoring the frosting.

What is Orange Curd?

Lemon curd is by far the most popular type of fruit curd. However, curd can be made with so many types of fruit – I love making banana curd, carrot curd, and even mojito curd.

If you’re looking to up your pie game this holiday season, this orange pie is the way to go. The unbaked filling consists of a flavored egg yolk and gelatin base that thickens the pie the way cornstarch does in a cream pie.

Meringue or cream lightens and supports the flavored mixture, turning what would otherwise be a thick custard into a light and silky confection.

What Is Orange Sauce Made Of?

While the texture of this cheesecake is balanced, the flavor is anything but subtle!

Orange, red wine, and cinnamon come together in cuddrireddra, an Italian deep fried cookie that resembles a biscotti in texture. Don’t let the frying scare you off. Everyone was surprised to hear that the cuddrireddra were deep fried – unlike donuts or funnel cake, they are not at all greasy. The cuddrireddra have a respectable crunch without being rock hard and the flavor is unique but comforting at the same time – like the smell of home cooked food that sometimes fills the hallways of apartment buildings.

One taster couldn’t help but remark over and over again that cuddrireddra are much better than chocolate chip cookies. It’s no surprise that she felt that way; cuddrireddra are the cookies that were worth tracking down for four years.

I can’t believe the number of citrus fruit rinds that I’ve discarded because I didn’t know about this trick.

Now, when I have oranges in the house for snacking, lemons for seasoning fish, or limes for a tangy rice, I will dry and powder their rinds. No longer will I need to make a special trip to the market for just a touch of citrus flavor.