Chilled Caramelised Oranges With Greek Yoghurt

by Nigella. Featured in NIGELLA SUMMER

Introduction

There is a hint of the days-gone-by sweet trolley about this: it's not as tricksy to make as the arance alla principessa I remember from my childhood, the pudding I always chose on treaty weekend jaunts with my grandparents to the now defunct San Marino off Strathearn Place in what is properly called Tyburnia, but rather a rougher-hewn, contemporarily pared down and more huskily aromatic version of the same.

I love these oranges really cold, crispy with caramel and richly dolloped with Greek yoghurt, which means you need to make them enough in advance so that they've got time to chill in the fridge. But don't make them too far in advance: after a day, the sugary carapace will disappear, melting into the fruit's juices.

For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

As featured in

NIGELLA SUMMER

2002

Buy Now

Chilled Caramelised Oranges With Greek Yoghurt — Photo by Petrina Tinslay

As featured in

NIGELLA SUMMER

2002

Buy Now

Ingredients

Serves: 6-8

Metric Cups

6 oranges (navel or any thin skinned variety)
500 grams caster sugar
8 cardamom pods (crushed)
500 grams Greek yoghurt

6 oranges (navel or any thin skinned variety)
2 cups superfine sugar
8 cardamom pods (crushed)
2 cups Greek yoghurt

Method

Using a small sharp knife, cut a thin slice off the top and bottom of the oranges, and then slice off the skin vertically, turning the orange as you go, being careful to keep as much flesh as possible but removing all pith.
Slice each orange into 5mm / one-eighth of an inch rounds, trying to reserve as much juice as you can.
Just plonk the slices, pouring the juices, into a bowl as you cut them. Or just cut them straight into something like a lasagne dish.
To make the caramel, put the sugar and cardamom pods into a large saucepan and add 250ml/1 cup water. Swirl (not stir) a little to dissolve the sugar. Then slowly bring to the boil without stirring, until the syrup becomes a dark amber colour.
Take the saucepan off the heat and tip in the oranges and any juice that's collected in the bowl. Quickly coat the orange slices in the caramel and pour on to a flat plate; act with speed otherwise the caramel will set before you can get it out of the saucepan. If you can pick out the cardamom pods without burning your fingers, great, but there's no need to get too exercised about it: let those eating do a little work as well. Let the oranges cool, and then put them in the fridge to chill for a little while. Put the Greek yoghurt in a bowl on the table for people to eat it with.

Using a small sharp knife, cut a thin slice off the top and bottom of the oranges, and then slice off the skin vertically, turning the orange as you go, being careful to keep as much flesh as possible but removing all pith.
Slice each orange into 5mm / one-eighth of an inch rounds, trying to reserve as much juice as you can.
Just plonk the slices, pouring the juices, into a bowl as you cut them. Or just cut them straight into something like a lasagne dish.
To make the caramel, put the sugar and cardamom pods into a large saucepan and add 250ml/1 cup water. Swirl (not stir) a little to dissolve the sugar. Then slowly bring to the boil without stirring, until the syrup becomes a dark amber colour.
Take the saucepan off the heat and tip in the oranges and any juice that's collected in the bowl. Quickly coat the orange slices in the caramel and pour on to a flat plate; act with speed otherwise the caramel will set before you can get it out of the saucepan. If you can pick out the cardamom pods without burning your fingers, great, but there's no need to get too exercised about it: let those eating do a little work as well. Let the oranges cool, and then put them in the fridge to chill for a little while. Put the Greek yoghurt in a bowl on the table for people to eat it with.

Additional Information

MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
Prepare the orange slices in the caramel sauce up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Leftovers will keep for a further 2 days.