Oranges In Rosemary Honey With Toasted Hazelnuts

"Think Orange", the theme for this week at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC). This is my second post for the theme, the first is a savoury dish, Salmon with Sweet and Spicy Rub from my previous post. This time I've made a lovely refreshing dessert using oranges.

Pretty easy dessert to prepare. Toast the hazelnuts and chop them up coarsely, put aside until serving time. Honey is heated with some lemon juice, of which I've used lime juice, and rosemary sprigs from the garden pot. Remove from heat and let the rosemary sprig steep in the honey-lime mixture for 10 minutes or up to 1 hour. I've left it for one hour. Remove the rosemary sprig. Smells good, with the light fragrance of the rosemary! At this point, I've refrigerated the honey-lime mixture overnight to chill. 

Just before serving, slice the oranges (preferably cold from the fridge) as directed in the recipe. Arrange some slices on a plate, drizzle with the honey-lime mixture, top with some of the hazelnuts and garnish with a rosemary sprig.  

This is a lovely dessert. Perfect to serve after a dinner meal, I like it cold from the fridge. It looks really pretty when served, would surely bring some "oohs... "! Sweetness from both the honey and the oranges with the light citrusy taste of the limes, fragrance from the rosemary and crunch from the hazelnuts, simply delightful! If you think oranges are boring, which I don't as I love oranges, try serving them this way. If you do not like hazelnuts, you could use toasted almonds, pecans, walnuts, or simply omit the nuts, or you could use some plump juicy golden raisins instead. These can be prepared and keep refrigerated, topping with the chopped nuts just before serving. Easy, simple and nice!

Oranges In Rosemary Honey With Toasted Hazelnuts
(adapted from "So Easy", Ellie Krieger)
Makes 4 servings
3 tablespoons hazelnuts
1/4 cup honey
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 sprig fresh rosemary, plus more sprigs for garnish
4 navel oranges

Place the hazelnuts in a dry skillet and toast over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and light brown, about 3 minutes. Allow to cool, then roughly chop.

Place the honey, lemon juice and 1 rosemary sprig in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let the rosemary steep for 10 minutes, or up to 1 hour, then remove the rosemary sprig.

Slice off the tops and bottoms of the oranges, then slice down the sides of the oranges, removing the skin and the white pith. Slice each orange into 4 or 5 rings and place in a bowl or on a serving plate. Stir the juice that accumulated from cutting the oranges into the honey-lemon mixture.

To serve, drizzle the orange slices with the honey-lemon mixture. Top with the hazelnuts and garnish with additional rosemary sprigs.

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week,

"Think Orange"

and 

Cook-Your-Books #27 @ kitchen flavours