Making Candied Oranges

• Prepare the Orange Slices
  Slice the orange into thin, even rounds—aim for about 1/8-inch thickness. Remove any seeds carefully.
• Make the Syrup
  In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar is fully dissolved.
• Candy the Orange Slices
  Gently add the orange slices to the simmering syrup, ensuring they’re fully submerged. Reduce the heat to low and let them simmer for 30–40 minutes, turning the slices occasionally with tongs to coat them evenly in the syrup. The goal is for the orange peels to become translucent and for the syrup to thicken slightly.

• Dry the Slices
  Once the orange slices are candied, use tongs to carefully remove them from the syrup and place them on parchment paper. Let them dry for about 2 hours or until they’re firm to the touch. This helps set the candied texture.

For Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease cake pan with butter, or line it with parchment paper.

Melt and Cool the Chocolate

• In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 4 oz of chocolate and 8 Tbsp of butter.
• Microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after each, until melted.
• Set aside to cool slightly.

Whip the Eggs & Combine

• Separate Eggs: Put yolks in one bowl, whites in another.
• Yolks + Sugar: Beat yolks with ½ cup sugar until well combined
• Add Melted Chocolate: Slowly pour in cooled chocolate-butter mixture while mixing.
• Add Almond Flour, Orange zest, & Almond Extract : Stir in 1¼ cups almond flour, zest of 1 orange, almond Extract and a pinch of salt until just combined, make sure to not over mix.
• Whip Egg Whites: Beat the egg whites to medium peaks. Fold gently into the chocolate batter little by little to maintain volume.

Bake to Perfection

• Pour Batter: Transfer to your prepared cake pan.
• Bake: Place in the oven for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.
• Cool: Let the cake rest in the pan for about 10 minutes, then move it to a rack to cool completely.

Making Chocolate Ganache

• Warm Cream: In a small saucepan, warm ¼ cup heavy cream until it’s just about to simmer.
• Add Chocolate: Remove from heat and stir in 4 oz of chopped chocolate.
• Stir Gently: Mix until it becomes glossy. For an extra soft ganache, use a higher cream-to-chocolate ratio (like 1.2:1 by weight).
• Cool & Spread: Let cool for a few minutes and then spread over the cooled cake.