The Duane (Orange/Cacao Extract)
As many of our extract-making pros have learned, vanilla extract is only the beginning of the extract-making world. While waiting for your vanilla extract, you can also make fruit extracts, nut extracts, chocolate and coffee extracts and much, much more.
This orange/cacao extract was shared by one of our most friendly and helpful extract makers and is named after him.
In his own words:
My extract recipe is a little different than some of the other ones I've seen. What flavors go together better than orange and chocolate? Not many. My recipe is:
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3 organic oranges
1/2 cup roasted and ground cacao ( I use what I buy to brew like coffee)
1 cup vodka (I used a locally made vodka called Old Dominick from Memphis, TN)
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Wash and dry the oranges. I used a zester so that I didn't get any pith. Add the cacao to the jar, and then the zest. Pour the vodka over and put a lid on it. Give it a good shake, and let it sit. You will be amazed how wonderful it smells after the first shake.
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After 3 months, strain the extract to remove the orange and cacao. You may want to use a coffee filter to strain it, as there will be a little sediment from the cacao.
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I use this extract in cookies, particularly chocolate chip cookies, but it can also be used in any application where you would use orange extract.