Link: Bacon Fat Tortillas

I have been using this to make tortillas ALL THE TIME. Substituting coconut oil for bacon fat works well too.
I usually let these rest a little bit after I roll them into balls too.

All credit goes to this Mexican Please website:
https://www.mexicanplease.com/flour-tortillas-made-bacon-fat/

PS: Make sure to strain and store your bacon grease properly.

Bacon Fat Tortillas

I have to admit, after all of my skepticism, these were some incredibly satisfying flour tortillas and they were easily on the same level as the ones made with home-rendered lard. Thin, light deliciousness without any overwhelming bacon flavor. Actually there wasn’t much bacon flavor at all, just a hint of that bacon savoriness in the background.
Servings 12 (4-6 people)

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup bacon fat
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup warm water

Instructions
 

  • In a mixing bowl, add 1.5 teaspoons of salt to 3 cups of all-purpose flour and combine well. Add 1/4 cup bacon fat to the flour and use your fingers to crumble the fat into the flour mixture. Add 1 cup warm water and stir as much as you can with a spoon or spatula, then dump the mixture onto a flat surface and knead into a cohesive ball using your hands. Let the dough rest for 30-60 minutes.
  • Tear the dough into golfball sized chunks, rolling between your hands to shape them into smooth balls.
  • Use a rolling pin to roll the dough balls out to approximately 5-6 inches in diameter. I usually roll them out super thin to the point of being transparent.
  • Preheat a dry skillet or comal. The preferred setting on my stove is halfway between medium and medium-high heat. Add one of the rolled out tortillas and cook each side for 45-60 seconds or until light brown spots are forming.
  • As one tortilla cooks, roll out the next to expedite the process.
  • Serve immediately and store leftovers in the fridge. Alternatively, you can only make as many as you need and store the remaining dough in the fridge where it will keep for a few days.

Chocolate Orange Cake

chocolate orange cake on a plate with orange twist on top

This is the BEST chocolate orange cake ever. It’s moist, decadent, and bursting with chocolate and natural orange flavor in the cake and in the chocolate orange buttercream. It’s so easy to make too!

Prep Time 25+ mins Bake 22 mins

Ingredients 

 Chocolate Orange Cake

  • 1½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder
  • ½ cup canola oil (or other neutral oil)
  • 1¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup orange juice
  • ½ cup milk (regular or dairy free)
  • ¾ cup hot water

Chocolate Orange Buttercream

  • ¾ cup butter, softened (regular or vegan)
  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon vegetable shortening (or butter if not dairy free, SEE NOTES)
  • 1½ tablespoon orange zest (or use King Arthur orange oil)
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2½-2¾ cup powdered sugar (icing sugar/confectioner’s sugar) SEE NOTES
  • ½-1½ tablespoon milk, if needed (regular or dairy free)

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare two 8 inch round cake pans. Spray the inside with cooking spray, then cut round pieces of parchment paper so that they fit in the bottom of each pan (do not skip the parchment paper lining!) (I used 9 inch pans; just a little thinner, still took as long to bake)
  • Whisk flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda together in a large bowl.
  • Add in the eggs, vanilla, oil, orange zest, orange juice, and milk. Pour in the hot water and mix until smooth.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cakes comes out clean.
  • Let the cakes cool in the pans, then run a butter knife around the outside of the cake to loosen it from the pan and flip upside down onto a cooling rack.
  • Make the buttercream. In the bowl of a standing mixer or handheld mixer, beat butter and shortening together until combined. Skip if using all butter. Beat in the cocoa powder until smooth.
  • Add in the orange zest, then add the icing sugar, ¼ cup at a time until desired consistency is reached. If the buttercream is too thick, add in milk 1 tablespoon at a time to thin it out to the consistency you want. If it’s too thin, add in more confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar) ¼ cup at a time.
  • Once the cakes have cooled completely, frost them and enjoy!

Chocolate Orange Cake