This simple yet elegant dessert accentuates the dazzling color, flavor and variety of peak-season oranges. Removing the fruit’s peel and pith and cutting it into rounds emphasizes its sunniness and makes a beautiful stained-glass-like effect on the plate. Set against a spread of creamy ricotta cheese, drizzled with honey that has been infused with lemon, rosemary and a warm tingle of black peppercorns, then scattered with a crunch of toasted hazelnuts, it’s an alluring dessert (or snack) that not only provides a good dose of vitamin C, the very look of it can brighten your mood.
Active time: 25 mins; Total time: 35 mins
Servings: 4 When you scale a recipe, keep in mind that cooking times and temperatures, pan sizes and seasonings may be affected, so adjust accordingly. Also, amounts listed in the directions will not reflect the changes made to ingredient amounts.
When you scale a recipe, keep in mind that cooking times and temperatures, pan sizes and seasonings may be affected, so adjust accordingly. Also, amounts listed in the directions will not reflect the changes made to ingredient amounts.
Tested size: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons hazelnuts
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 small sprig fresh rosemary
- 5 black peppercorns
- 4 medium oranges, ideally a mix of varieties such as navel, Cara Cara and blood oranges
- 1 cup (8 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
Directions
In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the hazelnuts, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden brown in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to the touch. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel or paper towel, fold the towel to cover, and roll the nuts inside the towel vigorously to remove any excess skins. It’s okay if some skins remain. Coarsely chop the nuts.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the honey, lemon juice, rosemary and peppercorns and, using a wooden spoon, crush the rosemary leaves slightly to release their flavor. Remove from the heat and let steep for 10 minutes, then strain and discard the rosemary and peppercorns.
Trim the tops and bottoms off each orange, then place an orange onto one of its cut ends and use a knife to slice down along the curve of the fruit to remove the remaining peel and pith. Slice the orange crosswise into 1/4-inch thick rounds; repeat with the remaining oranges.
To serve, spread 1/4 cup of the ricotta onto each serving plate and top each with 6 or 7 orange slices. Drizzle each with 1 tablespoon of the infused honey and sprinkle with the hazelnuts, then serve.
Recipe Source
Cookbook author and registered nutritionist Ellie Krieger.
Tested by Olga Massov.
Email questions to the Food Section at food@washpost.com.
