Dark Chocolate Orange Sauce

By hazelljbmh

Ingredients

• Ingredients:
• 2 1/2 About 2 1/2 Cups
• 9 ounces 70% chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) heavy whipping cream
• 1 orange
• 2 cups (16 ounces) fresh orange juice (6 to 8 oranges)
• 1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) granulated cane sugar
• 1 Tahitian vanilla bean, split horizontally

Details

Adapted from recchiuti.com

Preparation

Step 1

Put the chocolate in a medium stainless-steel bowl.
Pour the cream into a small saucepan. Finely grate the zest from the orange directly into the pan. (The orange can then be juiced as part of the 2 cups fresh orange juice.) Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and cover the top of the pan with plastic wrap. Let steep for 30 minutes.
While the cream is steeping, reduce the orange juice: Put the juice into a small sauce-pan and stir in the sugar. Scrape the vanilla seeds from the bean into the pan and then add the bean. Bring to a moderate boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula, until the juice reduces by half (1 cup/8 ounces), about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
After the cream has steeped for 30 minutes, remove the plastic and bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat. Add the reduced orange juice, bring to a boil, and remove from the heat.
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve directly into the chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate is melted.
Pour the sauce into a 1-quart clear vessel. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
Either use immediately, or let cool to room temperature, pour into a jar, cover, and refrigerate. It will keep for at least 1 month. To reheat, stir over low heat.