Blog & Social

Just in time for fall entertaining season with tailgates, Turkey Day, Christmas, show guests can sharpen their culinary skills at the I Know Jax Cooking Stage. Local chefs from North Florida’s favorite restaurants will perform live cooking demos throughout the weekend. The best part? Samples. And recipes to take home and try. But mostly... the samples. 

Among the chefs onstage are Bravo Top Chef alum Chef Kenny Gilbert of Gilbert’s Underground Kitchen and Gilbert’s Social (not to mention private gigs with a certain media maven whose name reminds with Foprah) and Bravo Top Chef: Just Desserts Erika Cline (whose Bleu Chocolat restaurant opens this fall). 

Another chef returning by popular demand is Chef Dennis Chan of Blue Bamboo. Dennis’s recipe for Sunshine State Orange Cake was recently named the grand prize winner in General Mills’ Neighborhood to Nation Recipe Contest. Chan won $30,000 plus $6,000 that he donated to  local charity Real Men Wear Pink of Jacksonville. 

Wanna wow your party guests this season? Try your hand at the award-winning cake. The visit the Jacksonville Home + Patio Show and the I Know Jax Cooking Stage for even more recipe ideas.

Cake Batter
1 c. orange juice
5 ¾ c. Gold Medal™ yellow cake mix
1 ¾ c. Mandarin oranges, canned
2 T. orange extract Orange Sauce
2 c. orange juice
2 T. granulated sugar
1 ½ T. cornstarch Puff Pastry Layers
1 Pillsbury’s Best™ Puff Pastry Dough sheet
½ tsp. kosher salt Almond Lace Cookies
¼ c. unsalted butter
6 T. brown sugar, firmly packed
¼ c. corn syrup
3 T. Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
½ tsp. vanilla extract ¼ tsp. kosher salt
1/2 c. slivered almonds, ground

Frosting
2 c. unsalted butter, softened
½ c. powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 1/3 c. crushed pineapple, canned, drained
2 T. orange extract

Garnish
1 tsp. powdered sugar

Batter Procedure
1. Add orange juice and cake mix to bowl of mixer fitted with paddle attachment; mix on medium speed 2 minutes.
2. Add Mandarin oranges and orange extract; mix on low speed 30 seconds.
3. Stop mixer, scrape bowl and paddle; mix on low speed an additional 1½ minutes.
4. Pour batter into 2 greased, parchment-lined 8-inch round cake pans and bake in a standard oven at 350° for 38-43 minutes, until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Allow to cool in pans 10 minutes; remove and cool completely.

Orange Sauce
1. Stir orange juice, sugar and cornstarch together in 2-quart saucepan; cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil, stir frequently.
2. Remove from heat and cool completely; refrigerate until assembly.

Puff Pastry Layer
1. Thaw frozen puff pastry dough sheet, covered, either at room temperature 15-30 minutes until flexible or refrigerated overnight.
2. Roll out to 18×13-inch rectangle; cut 2, 8-inch diameter circles from opposite corners of sheet.
3. Cut 2, half-moon shaped circles from remaining dough; transfer pieces to parchment-lined full sheet pan.
4. Dock (pric­k all over with fork) each piece and sprinkle with salt; cover with additional paper and place another full sheet pan on top to weigh down puff pastry dough.
5. Bake at 400°F for 26-30 minutes until golden brown; cool completely.

Almond Lace Cookies
1. Add butter, brown sugar and corn syrup to 2-quart saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
2. Remove from heat and stir in flour, vanilla, salt and almonds until well combined.
3. Line 2, full sheet pans with silpat or parchment paper and place 10, #70 (½ oz.) scoops of dough on each.
4. Bake in a standard oven at 400°F for 5-8 minutes until golden brown; cool completely.

Frosting
1. Add butter and powdered sugar to mixer bowl fitted with paddle attachment; mix on low speed to combine.
2. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed.
3. Divide cream cheese into about 2 oz. portions; add a few portions at a time to mixer bowl until combined.
4. Beat until fluffy. Add pineapple and orange extract; mix until well blended.

Assembly
1. Cut the cake rounds in half, horizontally; spread ¼ cup orange sauce on the cut side of each.
2. Place 1 cake layer on cake plate, cut side UP; frost with approx. ½ cup frosting.
3. Top with a full circle of the Puff Pastry Layer; frost with approx. ½ cup frosting.
4. Place another cake layer on top, cut side down; frost with approx. ½ cup frosting.
5. Top with the other full circle of the puff pastry layer; frost with ½ cup frosting.
6. Top with the third cake layer, cut side up; frost with ½ cup frosting.
7. Arrange the 2, half-moon Puff Pastry Layer pieces on top; frost with ½ cup frosting.
8. Top with last cake layer, cut side DOWN; frost top and sides with remaining frosting.
9. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Garnish Garnish with almond lace cookies and dust with powdered sugar. Serve with remaining orange sauce.

The Jacksonville Home + Patio Show takes over the Prime Osborn Convention Center September 27-30, 2018. With hundred of home improvement experts to speak with and tons of workshops to participate in, this is a must-attend event for Jacksonville homeowners. Get your tickets NOW!

PRIME OSBORN CONVENTION CENTER
SEPTEMBER 27-30, 2018