- 1 large orange
- 1 cup of sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup of wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder or baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 100 grams of white chocolate
- 100 grams of cooking cream
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Grease the mold and dust it with flour. Set it aside for later.
Grate the orange peel with a grater or fine grater. Reserve this zest for the end of the preparation.
After grating the orange peel, cut the fruit in half, squeeze it, and keep the pure juice that we will use for the recipe.
To make the panetela, separate the egg whites from the yolks. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and start adding the sugar gradually while continuing to beat. A meringue should form. It doesn't have to be perfect in peaks, but it should be firm. Add the yolks and continue beating until well integrated.
Combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, and salt) in a bowl, sifting them to avoid lumps. Gradually incorporate them into the meringue with the yolks. You will stop using the blender for this. Use a sturdy spatula to make folding motions with the flour. Be patient, everything will blend well. When you finish incorporating everything, the dough will be dense. To soften it a little and give it a rich flavor, add half a cup of fresh orange juice and a bit of the zest you prepared earlier. Remember to set aside some for the final decoration. Keep mixing to ensure it is well integrated.
Place the batter in the mold and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. Remember that each oven has its own characteristics. Pay attention to the cooking point so it doesn't turn out undercooked or overcooked. To check if the panetela is ready, insert a toothpick in the center; it should come out dry. When it is ready, take the panetela out of the oven and let it cool.
In a saucepan, heat the white chocolate in a double boiler until melted. Add the cooking cream and the cup of milk with the dissolved cornstarch, and heat it over low flame, stirring continuously for a few minutes until it thickens. You will know it's ready when you can see the bottom of the pan when you pass the spatula through it. Pour that coating over the cake quickly to prevent it from solidifying.
Finish decorating the orange cake with the reserved zest.
Enjoy this delicious and lovely recipe!!
To decorate, you can also add candied orange, but I'll give you that recipe soon!