Bring water, cocoa, and butter to a rapid boil in a saucepan. While this is coming to boil, stir the remaining ingredients together in a large bowl. Stir until blended. Remove hot cocoa mixture from stove and pour over above batter (reserve used bowl and pot) Mixture will be thin. Pour this into a greased, standard size cookie sheet. Bake at 350º for 15 minutes. It will spring back to touch when done.
Frosting
While cake is baking, place confectioner sugar in bowl. Reuse saucepan to melt butter, cocoa, and milk. Pour this hot mixture over the sugar and blend into a fudge frosting, frost cake while still warm.
In a wide, shallow bow, whisk eggs, dairy, vanilla and salt. Slice the bread slices in half.
FOR STUFFED: spread 1 1/2 Tbsp ricotta cheese on a half and sandwich a bare slice with. Skip to next step for non-stuffed
Heat oiled griddle over medium heat. Dip bread in egg/dairy mixture to coat each side. Place on griddle. When golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook on other side. Remove from heat drizzle with Strawberry Balsamic vinegar and honey OR maple syrup. Dust with powdered sugar
Plate fennel, onion and orange slices. Blend balsamic and oils and season to taste. Drizzle plated items.
Recipe Notes
Twist: Cranberry Pear Balsamic Vinegar, Lemon Balsamic Vinegar, Garlic Olive Oil, Lemon Olive Oil, Switch the fennel seed for Thyme or basil, or chives (try our Parisian Blend!) and consider adding a dollop of Local Honey
Measure all the ingredients together except the oils and blend well; add the oils and blend again. Be sure to add the sugar because it will be very bitter without it.
Twist: Use frozen fruit blend juices instead of just plain OJ.
Great marinade for seafood, fish and chicken. Pair with Romaine lettuce with aforementioned meat, red onion, apple raisins and pecans, to finish it off.
Recipe Notes
The following products are available at The Olive Twist, Inc. and on-line store
To make this vinaigrette, simply measure and add everything except the olive oil in a container and blend well. Slowly add the olive oil and blend well again
Twist: This red fleshed specialty orange is delicious! Great on salad of crisp lettuce with grilled shrimp, red onion, toasted almonds, feta cheese and grape tomatoes.
Recipe Notes
The following products are available at The Olive Twist, Inc. and on-line store
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the oats, cashews, coconut, brown sugar and salt. Whisk to combine the blood orange olive oil and maple syrup. Pour over evenly over the oat mixture and . toss to thoroughly distribute. Spread the mixture on to two rimmed baking sheets and bake, stirring every 20 minutes to ensure even browning. Granola will be done when it’s golden brown and well toasted. Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add cranberries and mix until evenly distributed.
Recipe Notes
I love to top off some yogurt and/or fresh fruit with a drizzle of Cara Cara Vanilla Balsamic Vinegar and some of this granola.
This recipe uses olive oil and balsamic vinegar found at The Olive Twist. Each may be purchased online and at both store locations. Click on the olive oil and balsamic vinegar names below to learn more about them:
Preheat the oven to 325. Using a teaspoon of the Blood Orange Olive OIl, grease a 9x13 baking pan. Line the pan with a strip of parchment, cut to overhang the long sides of the pan.
In a large bowl set over a double boiler, slowly melt the butter with the dark chocolate. Stir constantly until completely melted.
Remove from the heat and stir in the Blood Orange Olive Oil, eggs, Tangerine Balsamic, orange zest and sugar. Mix until well combined.
Whisk together the flour and cocoa powder and add.
Place in oven for approximately 30 minutes or until a tester inserted in te center comes out with very moist crumbs adhering.
Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then lift out using the parchment and cool completely before cutting. Makes about 24 brownies!
TWIST: don't want the taste of orange? Try Butter Flavored Olive Oil and Traditional Balsamic Vinegar -- or even Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar
Recipe Notes
The following are available from the Olive Twist, online and in stores:
