Classic Orange and Honey Cake

George Hirsch September 14, 2025

Mix, bake, + serve in under an hour! The perfect combination of locally made honey and citrus inspired today's post, playing off the color orange, as seen on an episode of GHL. Enjoy a slice of my Orange Honey Cake with a hot cup of orange pekoe tea. The orange in the orange pekoe denotes the quality of the tea leaves in the blend and not the orange flavor. Orange Pekoe is a good-grade tea using full and larger tea leaves.

Also, this recipe is a straightforward cake to bake with most household pantry ingredients. No fresh oranges for juicing? No problem, substitute orange juice. Orange you glad about that? Enjoy!

Honey Orange Cake

Makes 8 servings

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2/3 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice

1/2 cup honey, heated

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 large eggs, separated

1 tsp. finely grated orange peel

1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly grease and flour the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pan.

In a medium bowl, blend orange juice, honey, butter, egg yolks, and orange peel; set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Mix the orange juice mixture into the flour mixture until blended. Gently fold in egg whites. Turn into a prepared pan.

Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. On a wire rack, cool for 10 minutes; remove sides from the pan and cool completely. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. To serve, cut into wedges and garnish, if desired, with peeled orange wedges and whipped cream.

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13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

$19.95

AS SEEN ON PUBLIC TELEVISION & CREATE TV- SEASON ONE
FEATURING CHEF GEORGE HIRSCH DEMONSTRATING HIS SAVORY COOKING, BAKING AND GRILLING RECIPES; WITH HIS EXPERT CULINARY TIPS & TECHNIQUES, ALONG WITH VISITS TO HIS INSPIRING HAMPTON LOCATIONS.

Gather 'Round the Grill Cookbook, Vintage (new)

$50.00

LIMITED OFFER, LIMITED EDITION, signed by Chef George.

From the original Grilling TV Series host, 200 Fabulous Recipe—Celebrating the joyous rituals of sharing food at year-round festivities, the star of PBS's Grilling with Chef George Hirsch provides a wealth of recipes and ideas for great party foods, plus advance preparation tips to ease the strain of last minute chores.

Hardcover: 310 pages
Publisher: Hearst Books-HarperCollins; 1St edition (June 12, 1995)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0688142257
ISBN-13: 978-0688142254
Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 8.1 x 1.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds

George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

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This easy to live with lifestyle plan; with more than 165 of George's easy-to-prepare gourmet recipes, you can lose weight, maintain energy, look better, and enjoy a longer active life, by eating great food!
M.Evans and Company, Inc.

George Starts your year off right!

George Hirsch Living it UP
Recipes for a Healthy Active Life
Product Details
Hardcover: 240 pages; $24.95
Publisher: M. Evans and Company, Inc.; 2000
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0871319241
ISBN-13: 978-0871319241
Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches

Creative Cooking tips
Fast Easy recipes that allow for an active lifestyle
A 30-Day Menu Plan you can adapt throughout the year
Support and motivation for staying on a healthy eating & exercise routine
Tips for easy food shopping & eating healthy on the run

Each book is personally autographed by George Hirsch.

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Apple Pot Pie as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

georgehirsch August 25, 2025

Make your day a little sweeter with my Apple Pot Pie

Apple Pot Pie

Makes 2 servings or 4 if sharing

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Ingredients

2 baking apples, such as Granny Smith or Gala

1 egg, beaten well for egg wash

1 sheet of puff pastry (store bought) cut into 2 pieces.

Butter, Brown Sugar, Graham Cracker or Cake Crumbs, Granola, Raisins, Brandy optional

Peel apples. Core apples 3/4 through, leaving the bottom intact.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the bottom of a small but deep heavy-duty casserole or cast-iron pan. I adapted a cast iron butter melting pot, the perfect size for an apple.

Add 1 teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs or cake crumbs.

Add 1 teaspoon of brown sugar. Place cored apples on top of the sugar and crumbs.

Repeat, add on top of the apple—1 tablespoon of butter, 1 teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs, and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar. Top with 1 tablespoon of granola, raisins, 1 teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs, and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar.

Repeat until flavorings are 3/4 up the side of the pie dish. Finish with a teaspoon of maple syrup added to the top of the apple.

Optional: 1 Tablespoon of brandy, or apple or orange juice.

Cut a sheet of puff pastry into a 6 x 6-inch square. Lightly drape over the apple pie dish, allowing it to lightly hang over the inside. Repeat on the second apple pot pie. Cut excess dough about 1/2 of an inch below the top of the pot pie.

With the tip of a paring knife, “dock” (poke holes) the top of the dough to allow steam to escape during baking. Brush pastry lightly with egg wash, do not puddle.

Refrigerate pot pies for 20 minutes. The pastry should be cold when placed into the oven.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake for 20 minutes until done. Allow to rest 5 minutes before serving or serve at room temperature.

Serve warm with freshly whipped cream.

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13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

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Gather 'Round the Grill Cookbook, Vintage (new)

$50.00

LIMITED OFFER, LIMITED EDITION, signed by Chef George.

Hardcover: 310 pages
Publisher: Hearst Books-HarperCollins; 1St edition (June 12, 1995)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0688142257
ISBN-13: 978-0688142254
Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 8.1 x 1.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds

George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

$24.95

Strawberry Cornbread Shortcake

George Hirsch July 2, 2025

This Southern strawberry shortcake is baked in a black iron skillet, giving it a crunchy crust—the perfect foil for berries and sweetened whipped cream. Using cake flour will give the shortcake a lighter, more tender texture. If you have any strawberries left over, you may want to try my Rosé Sangria from George Hirsch Lifestyle.

Strawberry Cornbread Shortcake

Makes 6 - 8 servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

For the Cornbread:

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup cake flour or all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

2 eggs. lightly beaten

1/4 cup sweet butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the whipped cream:

1 cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

2 pints mixed fresh strawberries and optional blueberries

1/2 pint fresh blueberries

Granulated sugar, if necessary

Strawberry Shortcake

Preheat oven or grill to medium temperature or 375 degrees F.

Combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix the milk, eggs, butter, vanilla, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until no particles of the dry ingredients remain. Do not over-mix.

Spoon the mixture into a well-greased, 8-inch, black iron skillet or cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool the cornbread for 5 minutes in the pan; remove and cool completely on a rack.

Beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add the confectioners’ sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Wash the strawberries and pat them dry gently with a paper towel. Cut half of the strawberries into slices and leave the rest whole. If the berries are not sweet, toss with a small amount of granulated sugar.

Slice the cornbread in half horizontally. Spread the lower half with half the whipped cream and sliced strawberries and blueberries. Replace the top half and cover with the remaining whipped cream and berries.

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13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

$19.95

Gather 'Round the Grill Cookbook, Vintage (new)

$50.00

LIMITED OFFER, LIMITED EDITION, signed by Chef George.

Hardcover: 310 pages
Publisher: Hearst Books-HarperCollins; 1St edition (June 12, 1995)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0688142257
ISBN-13: 978-0688142254
Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 8.1 x 1.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds

George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

$24.95

Know Your Cookie

George Hirsch June 4, 2025

You could call the blondie the brownie's cousin. The brownie derives its character from a deep rich cocoa base for the chocolate flavor. A blondie's flavor is butterscotch-like, based on a high quantity of butter and brown sugar in the recipe.

Know Your Cookie:

A blondie is considered a sheet cookie because its soft batter spreads across a sheet-like pan to bake. Other types of sheet cookies include brownies and rainbow cookies. After sheet cookies are baked, they need to cool and can be cut into squares, rectangles, or any other shape.

George's Blondie

Recipe by Chef George Hirsch | Makes 12-18 Blondies

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound (2 sticks) of sweet butter, softened at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts

1 1/2 cups semisweet chopped chocolate pieces; or chocolate, or butterscotch chips

Optional: 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour an 8 x 12 x 2-inch baking pan.

In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt well. Set aside.

Cream butter in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar, and cream on high speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

On a low speed, add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, stopping the machine to scrape down the bowl well after each addition. On a low speed, add flour to the butter mixture and mix just until flour is absorbed. Do not overmix.

By hand, fold the pecans and chocolate in with a rubber spatula.

Optional: if using coconut, mix 3/4 of coconut with pecans and chocolate.

Using a spatula, spread the batter into the baking pan, making sure the batter is spread evenly and smoothly. If using coconut, sprinkle extra on top of the batter.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. caution to not overbake. Blondies are baked when the cookie springs back when pressed lightly with your finger or a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 2 hours, and cut the blondies into rectangles or square pieces.

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13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

$19.95

Gather 'Round the Grill Cookbook, Vintage (new)

$50.00

LIMITED OFFER, LIMITED EDITION, signed by Chef George.

Hardcover: 310 pages
Publisher: Hearst Books-HarperCollins; 1St edition (June 12, 1995)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0688142257
ISBN-13: 978-0688142254
Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 8.1 x 1.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds

George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

$24.95

Sour Cream Coffee Cake Muffins

George Hirsch May 4, 2025

Would you like a bite of old-fashioned-style cake equally suitable for a morning coffee break, mid-day snack, and even dessert. If so, then this is it.

What I like about this coffee cake recipe is that it isn't overly sweet. I created this recipe using all-purpose flour, not cake flour, which makes a denser crumb with a nice texture. The dairy mix of sour cream, yogurt, and milk is a harmonious trifecta that achieves a light and flavorful addition to every slice. Use fresh eggs and butter, and you'll have a hit.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake Muffins

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

Makes about 18 muffins

For the Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup light brown sugar

6 Tablespoons sweet butter, softened

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Place the butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and vanilla in a bowl and crumble together with your fingers until it forms a crumb mixture. Add in the nuts—reserve and mix the muffin batter.

For the Cake:

1/2 cup sweet butter, one stick softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt

1/4 cup 2% milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon fresh grated orange rind

Lightly grease 18 muffin cups or use paper liners.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (175 degrees C). Note: If using a dark-colored muffin pan, reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Dark-colored pans absorb more heat while baking in the oven, become hotter, and carry heat faster than light-colored pans.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Mix in eggs, vanilla, and orange zest, one at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl again.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, yogurt, and milk. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately in three stages with the sour cream, yogurt, and milk mixture, stirring and scraping the bowl with a spatula after each addition. Mix until just blended. Do not over-mix.

Add half the batter into prepared muffin cups and sprinkle with half the topping mixture. With the back of the butter knife, swirl the batter slightly to mix the crumb mixture into the bottom of the muffin cups. 3/4 filled. Add the remaining batter, then the crumb topping, and bake.

Bake the muffins in a preheated 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until they test done. Cool for 15-20 minutes, and then remove them from the pan.