Orange Is the New Dessert

Every week, baking expert Alice Medrich is going rogue on Food52 -- with shortcuts, hacks, and game-changing recipes.

Today: Winter's most refreshing dessert, in just 3 ingredients.

This simple recipe for orange slices in caramel has been my go-to for decades.

The oranges are sweet but not rich, and refreshing enough to serve after a heavy or spicy dinner. They can be homey or elegant depending on circumstances (or your serving bowls!). They need nothing else, but you can spoon them around a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or panna cotta, or serve them with shortbread cookies. You can flavor the juices with drops of orange flower water and sprinkle servings with toasted almonds, or flavor with rose water and top with walnuts. You can grate a little cinnamon stick over them…

Chilled Oranges in Rum-Caramel Syrup

From Pure Dessert (Artisan, 2007)

Serves 8

8 good eating oranges, preferably organic or unsprayed
1/4 to 1/3 cup dark rum
1 cup sugar

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

Alice's new book Seriously Bitter Sweet is a complete revision of her IACP award-winning Bittersweet, updated for the 54%, 61%, and 72% (and beyond) bars available today. It's packed with tricks, techniques, and answers to every chocolate question, plus 150 seriously delicious recipes -- both savory and sweet.

Photos by James Ransom