I couldn’t resist purchasing a crate of blood oranges from my local markets. I stumbled upon them last weekend and seeing them packaged in such a quaint way bought back memories of my childhood – back in the days when milk was delivered to our doorstep in glass bottles, 5 cents would buy me a weeks supply of Black Cat bubble gum and Sea Monkeys were at the top of my Christmas wish list (and I swear they really did grow).
Anyway, enough nostaligia! I have been putting these lovely coloured fruits to good use, I have made jam, played around with a compote and a citrus tart (quite unsuccessfully), I have also made another blood orange sorbet – this time with a good dash of Campari.
I am a huge fan of sorbets, and I have made this particular one consistently since the purchase of my icecream maker. It is incredibly light and refreshing with a slightly bitter aftertaste that comes from the Campari, consequently I would describe it as having a very ‘grown up’ flavour.
Luckily we are having some grown ups over for dinner tonight, I am going to serve this sorbet in between our main course and dessert (a hazelnut and brown butter cake and lemon curd macarons), my intention is for it to be palette cleansing more than anything and I believe it should do the trick.
Ingredients
3 cups freshly squeezed blood orange juice (strained or unstrained, it’s up to you)
3/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons Campari
Place your sugar in a small saucepan. Add 1/2 a cup of the blood orange juice and heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk into the remaining blood orange juice.
Set aside for 1/2 hour until the juice is at room temperature, then cover and place in your fridge to chill for at least 2 hours (or up to a day should you so desire).
Place in your icecream machine and follow the instructions, pouring the Campari through the mixture 2 minutes before the freezing process is complete (any earlier may impede the freezing process).
Once complete pour into an airtight container and freeze for a further 4 hours before serving. Or if you would like a firm sorbet rather than a soft sorbet, then freezing overnight is preferable.
Notes: You will get more juice from your blood oranges if they are at room temperature. Also, the colour of blood oranges varies greatly so do not be concerned if you get quite a light colour.
© 2011, Michelle. All rights reserved.
I totally remember getting Italian Ice and sorbets with my family as a kid. Ah, brings back so many memories! Yours looks so amazing, and I love the color!