Why Did My Oranges In Caramel Stick To The Plate?

Our answer

Nigella's Chilled Caramelised Oranges With Greek Yogurt (from NIGELLA SUMMER) are slices of fresh orange that are coated in a caramel and then left to set slightly. The oranges should be chilled for a short time before eating so that the caramel can form a crisp coat on the oranges.

Caramel will set hard and the longer you cook it, the harder the caramel becomes. If the caramel was sticking to the plate then it may have just tuned a little too dark or may have been chilled for slightly too long. The caramel will also continue to cook slightly once it is taken off the heat, in the residual heat of the pan, so you may need to take it off the heat when it is a shade or so lighter than the final colour you want. You should also make sure that you add the juice from the oranges (that has collected in the bowl), as this is needed to stop the caramel from setting too hard. If you are still having problems then you could also try tipping the caramel-coated oranges onto a baking sheet that has been very lightly greased with vegetable oil and then transfer them to your serving plate once they have chilled. Finally, don't waste the oranges. If you leave them to stand for a day in the fridge then the juices from the orange should start to soften the caramel and eventually melt it.