orange chocolate patties;
A new take on peppermint patties, this time featuring dark chocolate coating that enrobes a meltaway center of sweet orange filling in these orange chocolate patties. These chocolate patties combine two of my favorite flavors: chocolate and orange. I’ve shared recipes for candied orange peels, and two different chocolate orange truffles: my classic orange truffles or delicious 4-ingredient orange sugar truffles for an even quicker and easier option.
Pick your favorite chocolate–white, milk, or dark chocolate all work lovely here paired with the orange flavor. But dark chocolate is always my favorite to pair with orange.
secret to success
I just love the combination of dark chocolate and orange. Of course, as per usual, pick your favorite chocolate–white, milk, or dark chocolate all work lovely here paired with the orange flavor. But the sweet orange flavor and dark chocolate that has just a hint of bitterness to counterbalance the sweet, fruity flavor always is a smash hit for me.
It always surprises me how chocolate patties only require 5 ingredients. Candy always seems intimidating to me, but these orange chocolate patties are so simple, and they taste so much better fresh than peppermint patties from a store-bought bag. Plus the ingredients are pretty shelf-stable, so they’ll last a while, especially if you store them in the refrigerator.
I love a cold peppermint patty straight from the fridge or freezer, and these orange chocolate patties are no exception. The cool temperatures help them firm up (especially if you try to make these in the summer heat…) and really contribute to the meltaway feeling in your mouth as the filling just softens away on your tongue.
When you mix together the filling, it should be soft and malleable but not sticky to the touch. If it does seem a bit sticky to the touch, add additional powdered sugar 2 Tbsp at a time. Make sure that you mix in the sugar thoroughly and re-test it before adding more. Also, be sure to clean any sticky fingers before checking your dough again. Once sticky, always sticky– and it’s hard to get a correct read on the dough if your fingers are still sticky.
When you mix together the filling, it should be soft and malleable but not sticky to the touch.
secret to success
When it comes to coating the orange chocolate patties in chocolate, I prefer to use a chocolate-coating compound, as opposed to tempering chocolate from scratch. If you’re ambitious and want to temper the chocolate yourself, then I applaud you! But I prefer to save the detailed, long process for more classic homemade truffles I make in the winter. If you are interested in tempering chocolate, check out the seeding method.
A chocolate coating compound, on the other hand, sacrifices a tiny bit of pure chocolate flavor for convenience. The “compound” comes from additives that help it melt and firm up easily. Chocolate coating compounds require only minutes to melt and dip. You don’t have to constantly monitor the temperature, and coating compounds are made to prevent streaking in the chocolate.
I prefer to use a chocolate coating compound to coat the orange chocolate patties but if you want to try your hand at tempering chocolate you can! Tempering takes longer and is harder to get right.
secret to success
Tempered chocolate works great for room temperature fillings, less so for fillings refrigerated or frozen before dipping–like these orange chocolate patties. The filling is soft and malleable, so they need a stint in the freezer to help them firm up and not lose shape while coating in chocolate. So this is another reason to use a coating compound. Dipping frozen fillings in tempered chocolate is likely to bring it out of temper, so all your hard work may be for nothing.
My preference for coating these orange chocolate patties is Ghiradelli coating wafers for the chocolate compound, but if you want a full explanation of my favorite options, check out my ultimate holiday truffle guide where I break down all the options by budget and accessibility and give you links to some of my personal favorites!
secrets to success;
Want all the best tips and tricks to make this recipe a success? Check out the blog post above to find out more!
more recipes;
Looking for other recipes perfect for gifting this holiday season? Well, look no further!
- Check out the ultimate holiday truffle guide for a full list of every chocolate truffle I’ve ever shared at Best with Chocolate!
- Chocolate strawberry sugar cookies are all-natural, gluten-free soft sugar cookies dressed up with chocolate. The strawberry flavor really shines through and they’re so adorable for gifting!
- Cookies are always a classic go-to for gifting in my book because they’re easy to portion out and share. Some of my favorites include these pecan toffee shortbread cookies and winter blizzard cookies.
orange chocolate patties;
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
- ¾ tsp orange extract
- 1¾ cups powdered sugar (plus extra for sprinkling on rolling pin or work surface)
- 1 lb chocolate coating
- orange food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Add the 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, 2 Tbsp light corn syrup to a bowl, and ¾ tsp orange extract. Blend together using a spoon or electric mixer or stand mixer fixed with the whisk attachment.
- Add powdered sugar approx. ½ cup at a time, blending into the liquid mixture. It will take several minutes to come together. The mixture may be crumbly, at which point you may want to switch to your hands for mixing.
- When the majority of the orange filling has come together, turn it out onto a surface lightly dusted with powdered sugar.
- Knead the dough together until it forms a smooth, even consistency. Form it into a ball. You can spread it on a piece of parchment paper or a powdered sugar-dusted surface, just make sure it won't stick when rolling it out.
- Roll out the dough to approx. ⅙" – ¼" thickness using a rolling pin. Cut 1¼" or 1½" circles using a circle cutter and lay the circles on a baking sheet. I suggest lining the baking sheet with parchment paper to avoid sticking.
- Cut out all the circles. You can re-form the scraps and re-roll the dough multiple times to get the most out of your mixture.
- Freeze the centers while preparing your chocolate coating, approximately 5-10 minutes or until firm.
- Melt your chocolate coating according to package instructions. I typically heat mine in 15-30 second increments until the majority of the chocolate is melted, and then stir to allow the residual heat to melt any remaining discs.
- Remove the pattied from the freezer, and one at a time, coat with chocolate. I drop the patties into the chocolate, and lift out with a fork, tapping excess chocolate. I then transfer to parchment paper and push them off with a knife.
- Once chocolate has hardened, top with an extra drizzle of chocolate as desired. You may also trim any excess chocolate that pools under the orange chocolate patties.
