Salted Oranges with Cardamon Coconut Whipped Cream
Just sweet enough.
I’ve never loved overly sweet desserts. A balance of not-too-sweet and salty is my ideal when it comes to an after dinner (or anytime, really) treat.
Last week my husband and I visited his family in Guatemala and my mother-in-law served us oranges for dessert and then passed around some sea salt to top them with. I felt so at home. This was exactly the way I love to end a meal and it’s what inspired this recipe.
This recipe also reminds me of the kind of dessert my friend Sanaë would serve after a homemade meal. I’ve always loved meals at her home. Every ingredient in every dish she makes feels so thoughtful and as a self-proclaimed fast eater, meals at her apartment always remind me to slow down and savor every bite of beautiful flavor. Somehow she makes every dish feel light, yet filling. I had the privilege of recipe testing for her new cookbook, Hot Sheet, that just came out and I cannot wait to cook through the rest of this gorgeous book!
As for this recipe—it’s a simple one! Whip up some coconut cream with a sprinkle of cardamom, top with oranges, some sea salt, honey, olive oil, and toasted pepitas. Or, if you want a really quick dessert and don’t feel like whipping up the coconut cream, just toss some sea salt on some oranges and maybe a drizzle of honey and olive oil. This would be great over yogurt too! Note: your whipped cream should look thicker than in this photo. I couldn’t find our hand mixer and was too lazy to get out the stand mixer, so I whipped with my weak arms and a whisk. Still just as delicious :)
This recipe is great for a small dinner with 2-4 people. Double the oranges and whipped cream if serving more.
Ingredients
1 can coconut cream or coconut milk—refrigerate for a few hours or overnight and scoop off the firm cream
(reserve the coconut milk for another use)2-4 oranges, depending upon size, supremed - or sliced or cut into small pieces. Whatever is your jam.
Ground cardamom - just a few good shakes or about a 1/2 teaspoon
Honey for drizzling
Good quality olive oil for drizzling - I’ve been in love with this one from Honest Toil lately.
Good quality sea salt - you want to use something that’s thin enough to stick to the oranges. You could also use kosher salt if you don’t have sea salt.
Pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted and partially ground/chopped - I left some whole. I just toast these over medium heat until they start to brown a bit and pop. Let them cool before grinding/chopping.
How to make it
Make the whipped cream by adding the cardamom to the coconut cream and whipping with a hand mixer or by hand with a whisk if you want a good workout.
Supreme or cut up your oranges.
Spread the whipped cream on a serving plate, drizzle with some honey, and top with the oranges.
Sprinkle the oranges with some sea salt, drizzle with a touch more honey and olive oil, and top with the pepitas
Enjoy!
