Chocolate orange almond cakes

You may recall me talking about our regular card nights here. We take turns hosting these evenings amongst the neighbours. While I enjoy the card games, I am really enjoying the social aspect of these regular events. And I am also loving the food! What I like is that each person will have their own style or twist to the evening unlike anybody else.



One set of neighbours is more traditional in what they serve up. So we know when we go to their place it will simply be good food and lots of it. Another neighbour is great at desserts and is renound for her cheesecakes....the most impressive looking one to date is a massive mirangue cheesecake! And yet another does delicious Asian inspired fare. So it's been really interesting as these evenings have become as much about getting together for a great meal and chat as well as the card game.


The last card evening was hosted by our lovely neighbours who put together a delicious Malaysian inspired menu with lots of tasty spiced chicken and beef skewers and fried rice. I brought along these little individual chocolate almond cakes with a side of orange segments. These are best served while warm or slightly reheated in the microwave with a side of orange segments. Add a scoop of ice cream or dollop of cream for something even more luscious!

Chocolate orange almond cakes with orange segments
Makes about 8 individual cakes

Ingredients:
1 cup almond meal
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
½ cup plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarb soda
125g unsalted butter, melted
5 eggwhites, beaten to soft peaks
¼ cup Dutch cocoa
1 Tbs Cointreau
Zest of 1 orange
Oranges in Cointreau syrup:
3 oranges, segmented
2 Tbs Cointreau
4 Tbs sugar



1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Grease muffin tin.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine almond meal, flour, icing sugar, baking powder, bicarb, cocoa and orange zest.
4. Fold in the eggwhites into the flour mixture. Add the Cointreau and mix.
5. Pour the batter into the muffin tin and bake for about 30 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle of a cake. Leave to cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cake rack.
6. For the orange segments, place the orange segments and sugar into a small pan over low heat. Simmer for a few minutes. Add the Cointreau and light with a match if you dare to flambé the oranges.
7. Serve cakes warm with cream or ice cream if desired.